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Shenzhen breeds a new rivalry as DJI and Insta360 clash across markets

4 mins read

Pulses

Nvidia launches Jetson AGX Thor for robots

just now
CNBC
Nvidia has launched the Jetson AGX Thor robotics chip as a USD 3,499 developer kit, with volume pricing at USD 2,999. Built on its Blackwell architecture, the chip is reportedly 7.5 times faster than its predecessor and supports large AI models.

RoboSense’s robotics revenue up 632%

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KrASIA
RoboSense reported Q2 2025 revenue of RMB 460 million, up 24.4% YoY, with robotics sales surging 632% to RMB 150 million on strong LiDAR demand. Gross margin rose to 27.7%, and the company expects delivery volumes to climb in Q4 amid broader AI and robotics expansion.

Blitz raises funding to scale EV logistics

just now
Blitz Electric Mobility
Blitz Electric Mobility, an Indonesian logistics firm, has raised an undisclosed amount in a pre-Series A funding round led by Vynn Capital, with participation from Iterative Capital, Vinner Ventures, and individual backers including Balaji Srinivasan and Rajesh Venkatesh. The company reportedly tripled revenue in 2024.

Pintarnya raises funding for worker platform

just now
TechCrunch
Pintarnya, an Indonesian startup, has raised USD 16.7 million in a Series A funding round led by Square Peg, with support from Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India and East Ventures. The funds will be used to expand its platform for informal workers, offering job matching, upskilling, and collateral-backed loans.

Vivo debuts Vision “Discovery” MR headset

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KrASIA
On August 21, Vivo launched the “Discovery” edition of its Vision MR headset. Weighing 398 grams, the device is designed for immersive, multi-device use, featuring a low-latency proprietary algorithm, external compute module, and support for spatial content.

Perplexity offers revenue share to publishers

just now
Bloomberg
Perplexity AI has launched a USD 42.5 million program to share revenue with publishers based on how their content is used in its Comet browser and AI assistant. Funded by Comet Plus subscriptions, the initiative offers publishers 80% of proceeds and comes amid legal challenges over content use.

PDD’s profit slips as investment ramps up

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PDD Holdings
PDD Holdings reported Q2 2025 revenue of RMB 104 billion, up 7% YoY, driven by online marketing and transaction services. Operating profit fell 21% to RMB 25.8 billion, while net income dropped 4% to RMB 30.8 billion as higher costs and continued investment in merchant support weighed on profitability.

Huawei overhauls cloud unit

just now
SCMP
Huawei is restructuring its cloud unit to focus on AI, merging departments into six divisions including computing and cybersecurity. The overhaul follows 2024 losses and mounting US chip restrictions, as the company ramps up investment in AI tools and domestic computing hardware.

Starbucks invites bids for China stake

just now
Yilan Shangye
Starbucks has asked bidders including Carlyle, EQT Partners, Hillhouse, Primavera Capital Group, and Tencent to submit non-binding offers for its China business within two weeks. A management presentation will disclose financial and operational details, though deal size and structure remain undecided. An agreement could be reached by year’s end.

Xiaohongshu launches commission-free plan

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National Business Daily
Xiaohongshu will waive commissions on the first RMB 1 million in sales per merchant from September 1, 2025, to August 31, 2026, charging only a 0.6% processing fee. The platform-wide initiative applies automatically and aims to cut seller costs and draw in more merchants.

Hong Kong plans new Riyadh trade office

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Jiemian News
Hong Kong plans to open a trade office in Riyadh as visitor arrivals from Gulf countries rose over 50% YoY through July, following a 70% surge in 2024. Financial secretary Paul Chan said bilateral trade reached HKD 150 billion last year, with the UAE ranking as Hong Kong’s seventh largest partner.

Xiaomi opens flagship store in Kunming

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Sina
Xiaomi opened its largest Yunnan store on August 23 at Kunming’s Park 1903. The 1,600-square-meter store features EVs like the YU7, AIoT devices, home appliances, and a lounge. The launch marks a milestone in Xiaomi’s premium retail push, with 3,000 upgraded stores expected across China by year’s end.

Lucky Cup opens first overseas store

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36Kr
Lucky Cup, a Chinese coffee chain under the same parent firm as Mixue Bingcheng, opened its first overseas store on August 21 in Selangor, Malaysia, marking the start of its global expansion. The outlet reportedly sold nearly 2,000 drinks on opening day and features localized flavors and a food area tailored to Southeast Asian tastes.

Pop Mart to launch mini Labubu series

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36Kr
Pop Mart will launch a blind box series featuring mini Labubu figures on August 28 online and August 29 in stores. Each box is priced at RMB 79, with full sets at RMB 1,106. The release follows strong H1 2025 results and rising investor confidence, as shares climbed and market cap topped HKD 400 billion for the first time.

Tokenize Xchange collapse hits users

just now
CNA
Tokenize Xchange, a Singapore-based crypto platform, has reportedly shut down after failing to secure a licence, triggering a police probe into its operator for alleged fraud. Thousands of users are now unable to access their funds. The High Court has placed the firm under interim judicial management, but affected investors face long delays and uncertainty over recoveries.

Musk says Grok 3 will be open-source

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Reuters
xAI has open-sourced its Grok 2.5 model and plans to do the same for Grok 3 in about six months, said Elon Musk in a post on X. The move reflects Musk’s push for open AI development as he positions Grok as a transparent alternative to closed-source models like ChatGPT.

Dongfeng plans Voyah IPO, buyout

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SCMP
Dongfeng Motor plans to privatize its Hong Kong-listed unit and separately list its EV brand Voyah, offering shareholders HKD 6.68 per share in a deal that values the unit at HKD 55.1 billion. The restructuring aims to streamline operations and strengthen Dongfeng’s position in China’s automotive market, mirroring moves by other state-owned carmakers.

BYD picks Perak for first Malaysia plant

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The Star
BYD will build its first EV assembly plant in Malaysia at KLK TechPark in Perak, secured through the Muallim Speed-Lane scheme. The project is expected to generate jobs, support technology transfer, and deepen local supply chain integration, positioning Perak as a growing hub in Southeast Asia’s EV manufacturing sector.

China drafts rules on platform pricing

just now
Bloomberg
China’s top regulators have drafted new rules to govern pricing practices on internet platforms, banning the use of big data to set discriminatory prices based on user behavior without their knowledge. The proposal also addresses platform fees and coordination between agencies, aiming to boost transparency and oversight in the digital economy.

Tesla adds DeepSeek, Doubao to EVs

just now
SCMP
Tesla is upgrading the voice assistant in its China EVs, integrating DeepSeek for conversational interaction and ByteDance’s Doubao LLM for navigation and in-car controls. The voice-activated feature comes months after local rivals launched similar tools, underscoring Tesla’s efforts to stay competitive in the Chinese automotive market.
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