Taiwan News
Date: 2016/12/13 21:03
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

The abandonment rate of smartwatches is 29 percent, and 30 percent for fitness trackers, because

users do not find them useful, according to a survey by Gartner (photo source: Pexels)

The abandonment rate of smartwatches is 29 percent, and 30 percent for fitness trackers, because users do not find them useful, they get bored of them or they break, according to a recent survey by Gartner, Inc, a leading information technology research and advisory company.

“Dropout from device usage is a serious problem for the industry,” said Angela McIntyre, research director at Gartner. “The abandonment rate is quite high relative to the usage rate. To offer a compelling enough value proposition, the uses for wearable devices need to be distinct from what smartphones typically provide. Wearables makers need to engage users with incentives and gamification.”    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/12/13
By: Chiu Po-sheng and Frances Huang

Taipei, Dec. 13 (CNA) The Central Bank of the Republic of China (Taiwan) rejected Tuesday an

accusation by an international business wire that said Taiwan is closer than China to acting as a currency manipulator.

The central bank made the comments after a Bloomberg report said Taiwan is sitting on a large trade surplus by taking advantage of a devalued Taiwan dollar.

The central bank said that Taiwan’s trade surplus with the United States stood at only US$10 billion a year, far smaller than China’s US$300 billion.

Based on the far smaller trade surplus, the central bank contended that Taiwan is far less likely to become a currency manipulator than China.    [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: December 14, 2016
By: Sun Hsin Hsuan

TAIPEI, Taiwan — If everything goes smoothly, Far Eastern Air Transport’s (FAT, 遠東航空)

potential takeover of TransAsia Airways (復興航空) could be completed before TransAsia’s extraordinary general meeting scheduled for Jan. 11.

FAT told The China Post on Tuesday that the deal requires approval from TransAsia’s creditor banks and the court.

FAT has recruited some of TransAsia’s former staff, primarily mid-level managers, and has reached out to TransAsia’s creditor banks to discuss the airline’s takeover, said Huang Yu-chi (黃育祺), the office manager for FAT Chairman Fenno Chang (張綱維).

Chang broke the news of the takeover plan during a recent interview with The China Post.

Once the court approves a restructuring plan submitted collectively by the banks, FAT will be able to take over the airline without going through an EGM slated for Jan. 11 of next year, Huang said.    [FULL  STORY]

Taiwan Today
Date: December 12, 2016

Taiwan’s exports grew 12.1 percent year on year to US$25.34 billion in November, the first double-

digit growth since February 2013, on the strength of surging global demand for semiconductor products, according to the Ministry of Finance.

Data recently released by the MOF suggest the rising prices of basic metals, oils and other raw materials also contributed to the strong performance. Imports increased 3 percent year on year to US$21.07 billion during the month, while the trade surplus nearly doubled to US$4.27 billion.

Among Taiwan’s key export items, electronics components and parts led the pack in terms of overall growth with an increase of 26.9 percent, the biggest gain since August 2010, to their second highest level ever. Machinery came in second with an increase of 17.2 percent, while basic metals and optical devices, including display panels, were up 15.5 percent and 12.6 percent, respectively. Transportation equipment is the only sector that registered a decline, falling by 2.4 percent.

Exports to mainland China and Hong Kong, which comprised 42.3 percent of Taiwan’s total outgoing shipments, rose 19 percent, followed by a 13.5 percent increase in exports to the country’s six major trading partners in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Both increases were the largest in more than three years.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/12/12
By: Pan Chi-I and Frances Huang

Taipei, Dec. 12 (CNA) Taiwan Depository and Clearing Corp. (TDCC), the government-sponsored

securities clearing and settlement house, said Monday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with its counterpart in Iran for future cooperation.

TDCC Chairman Sherman Lin (林修銘), who led a delegation to the 20th General Meeting of the Asian-Pacific Central Securities Depository Group (ACG20) in Tehran Dec. 5-9, signed the MOU with the Central Securities Depository of Iran’s (CSDI) Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Reza Mohseni.

The TDCC said it was the 23rd accord signed by the Taiwanese clearing house with a foreign counterpart to forge closer ties in international exchanges in securities clearing and custody affairs.

Under the agreement, the TDCC and CDSI will increase their efforts in business information exchanges, staff training and operations in cross-border business, the TDCC said.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/12/11
By: Huang Chiao-wen and Frances Huang

Taipei, Dec. 11 (CNA) The local service sector improved in October, flashing a “green light” that signaled stable growth, according to a survey conducted by the Commerce Development Research Institute (CDRI,商發院).

It was the first green light after 19 consecutive months of a “yellow-blue” light that represented a slowdown, said the CDRI, one of Taiwan’s leading think tanks.

The improvement in the local service sector was attributed to a comparatively higher number of holidays in October, anniversary sales campaigns by department stores, and promotional efforts by online vendors, which encouraged consumer spending, according to the CDRI.

The index of service industry (ISI) stood at 101 points in October, up from 97 in the previous month, flashing a green light that represents a range of 100 to 103.    [FULL  STORY]