Rakuten wesentlich besser als Rocket
- 10 Milliarden Yen in der kürzesten Periode neu aufgelegter Fonds im letzten Jahr erreicht -
https://www.rakuten-sec.co.jp/web/company/...se/pdf/press20241004.pdf
Die Konjunkturaussichten in Japan sind im internationalen Vergleich besonders gut, weil die Investitionen besonders stark steigen. Die Regierung investiert inzwischen wesentlich mehr in den Rüstungsbereich. Vor dem Hintergrund der sinkenden Zinsdifferenz zwischen Japan und den USA ist mit weiterem Anstieg des Yens zu rechnen.
Obwohl der Aktienmarkt in Japan aufgrund der Währungsschwankungen ins Stocken geraten ist, bleiben die Aussichten positiv. Wahrscheinlich werden die Zinsen im Dezember oder Januar leicht erhöht, was zu einem überfälligen Kursschub nach oben bei Finanzwerten führen sollte. Die Inflationsrate stieg zuletzt auf 2,8% (ohne Lebensmittel und Energie +2%), so dass eine leichte Zinserhöhung überfällig ist. Die Teuerungsrate liegt seit 29 Monaten über dem Ziel der Bank von Japan. Die Notenbank zweifelt aber nicht daran, dass die Teuerungsrate auf 2% zurückfallen wird.
Der neugewählte japanische Ministerpräsident Shigeru Ishiba, sein Vorgänger Fumio Kishida trat wegen ähnlich niedriger Zustimmungswerte wie für die deutsche Regierung zurück, gilt als überzeugter Inflationsbekämpfer und setzt sich für Zinserhöhungen in Japan ein. Das müsste Finanzwerte stärken und Exporttitel im Trend schwächen.
Japan weniger gefährdet im Fall einer Trump-Zollrunde
Sollte Trump die US-Wahl gewinnen, hat er Zölle für chinesische Importe in Höhe von 60% angekündigt. Dies würde den chinesischen Aktienmarkt erheblich treffen. Weniger gefährdet bei Einfuhrzöllen wäre Japan. Hinzu kommt, dass japanische Unternehmen 57% des Umsatzes im Inland erwirtschaften und nur vergleichsweise wenig im Ausland (16,5% in den USA und in Kanada). Japan wäre also bei einer Trump-Zollrunde weniger gefährdet.
https://themarket.ch/meinung/...ktcid=nled&mktcval=219_2024-10-04
Year End 31st DecUnit201920202021202220232024E2025ECAGR / AvgTotal
Revenue¥m 1,263,932 1,455,538 1,681,757 1,920,894 2,071,315 2,260,427 2,468,836 13.46%
https://freshercareers.in/rakuten-symphony/#google_vignette
Total assets in trillion Japanese
2015: 1.34
2016: 1.72
2017: 1.88
2018: 2.35
2019: 3.00
2020: 3.85
2021: 6.49
2022: 9.49
2023: 11.59
2024: 13.48
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1309989/...otal%2520assets%2520of
Rakuten is challenging the telco industry to think differently about how the network can be changed to meet the very different future of the industry. What Rakuten is demonstrating with its AI-based interfaces and its revitalised OSS division is a fundamental rethinking of operational systems in telcos. Not one with AI bolted onto existing operational ways of working, but AI at the centre of a reimagined intent-driven telco. Rakuten is Humanizing AI for telcos, personalizing it as RAi, one of the team, rather than as an awkward technology. Enabling new recruits in Rakuten to gain access to five years of Rakuten operational experience. Enabling old hands to rapidly adopt evolving best practices. Rakuten Symphony is in a unique position to provide a new vision for the future DSP. A vision based on Rakuten as an existing leading digital player and Rakuten Mobile as the vehicle that drives the adoption of the wider Rakuten Group’s services. A vision that all CSPs say they want. From the beginning, Rakuten Symphony OSS has been about how data and automation can drive fundamental change in the operational behavior of telecoms. Now paired with AI, Rakuten Symphony has the opportunity to help CSPs become more efficient, and to also grow their digital businesses. Appledore has for years promoted the idea of a truly intent-driven automated network. Perhaps we have seen a vision of what this could look like. Let’s hope.
https://8924028.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/...20Note%25200224.pdf
Catch Josh Cullen, KAIA, The Juans, One Click Straight, and jikamarie perform live for free this November
October 8, 2024
https://orangemagazine.ph/2024/...-the-return-of-backstage-pass-live/
August 12, 2024
Explore how our partnership with Rakuten Viber is redefining communication strategies. Learn about the innovative solutions and strategies that enhance engagement, enable personalized interactions, and drive customer satisfaction. Join us as we discuss real-world examples, strategic insights, and the future of unified communications in delivering exceptional customer journeys.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D_BFELod5w
Avod Helps the Gaming Industry Reach the Next Level
Japan and Korea are some of the biggest and most mature video game markets in the world. Both cultures play an important role in shaping the global video game industry at least since the 1980s. Worldwide, there are more than 2.6 billion gamers, each spending over eight hours per week playing. Gaming has now transitioned from an underground subculture to a growing part of pop culture.
Viki has been helping the gaming industry globally to reach a cord-cutting audience of gaming lovers as one of the leading portals for Asian entertainment. Viki is additionally leveraging its female led user base to support the gaming industry in reaching its new target audience with more than 4 in 10 video game players being women globally.
https://rakutenadvertising.com/en-au/resources/case-study-viki-gaming/
Contextual targeting to ensure the content type would be a
perfect fit with the game genre
Selection of the ad placement and the device based on the
KPI of the brand
Leveraging our CTV inventory to maximise the creative
impact on the largest screen of the house or select our
mobile inventory for a direct response approach
A/B testing creatives to optimize towards the brand’s KPI
RESULTS:
Across the gaming industry, completion rates were above 97% globally with 97.8% on CTV and 96.5% on mobile & desktop.
Additional results include:
97.5% viewability rate on average globally
Over 65% of our audience are women on Viki
1/3 Viki users are in the Gen-Z age range (18-24)
https://go.rakutenadvertising.com/hubfs/...vod-fmcg-success-story.pdf
Optimizing Pinterest to reach female consumers
Connected TV (CTV) offers a new way for advertisers to engage and reach their audience outside of linear distribution, on the biggest screen in the house. Across the 5 largest European markets, 50% of regular connected TV viewers watch internet-delivered content on their TV screens every day. Following the trend in the United States, where more than 50% of TV budgets are being moved to CTV, FMCG marketers in Europe are also shifting their advertising away from linear and cable.
https://go.rakutenadvertising.com/hubfs/...vod-fmcg-success-story.pdf
STRATEGY
The Rakuten Advertising account management team ensured smooth campaign delivery across Rakuten TV, using fully bespoke audience segments to match the brands’ target audiences. Brand safety in a premium environment was assured, with ads being shown against a curated movie selection and live streaming channels. Throughout campaign duration, constant optimization was carried out by the team, helping meet the branding goals of Rakuten Advertising’s FMCG clients. Furthermore, a brand lift survey will be carried out later in 2021 to provide further transparency into performance.
RESULTS
Completion rate: 96.4%
% of impressions on CTV : 95% CTV
Over 80% of FMCG and personal care brands renewed their partnership and increased investment with Rakuten Advertising across Europe.
The top CTV manufacturers where FMCG brands were displayed include: SAMSUNG, LG, and Philips.
https://go.rakutenadvertising.com/hubfs/...vod-fmcg-success-story.pdf
October 9, 2024
Open RAN is entering the AI era.
The complex nature of tuning Open RAN radio heads for maximal coverage and minimal energy usage is an ideal application for AI. But there are a lot more applications now and the industry is taking notice.
The industry’s standards bodies, 3GPP and the O-RAN ALLIANCE, are working together to develop standards for RAN optimization. But MNOs can experience a lot of the benefits of AI even while the standards efforts are in process.
To explore these AI benefits, Javed Khan, our Senior Director, 5G Product Management joined an all-star industry panel at the recent Fierce Wireless Open RAN Summit 2024.
Titled “AI-RAN: The Next Innovation in Radio Access Network Technology,” the session featured a keynote from Sebastián Guic, RAN Expert, Telecom Argentina.
On the panel, Khan was joined by Ravi P. Sinha, Co-Chairman, nGRG, O-RAN ALLIANCE, Lucia de Miguel, Senior Manager of Open RAN: Digital, Software & System Development, Vodafone Group, and Cristina Rodriguez, Vice President, Network & Edge Group & General Manager, Wireless Access Network Division, Intel. The panel was moderated by Stefan Pongratz, Vice President, Dell’Oro Group.
What AI brings to Open RAN
The multiple benefits of AI in RAN were summarized by the keynoter as:
Improved RAN performance as measured by improvement in metrics such as efficiency, capacity and radio performance.
Improved quality of experience for consumers through the application of machine learning models that bring more network predictability.
The agility that allows the optimization of resource allocation based on traffic behavior and the specific needs of applications on a per cell site basis.
Reduced operational costs through the automation of network management and optimization tasks reducing the need for manual intervention.
Flexible adaptation to new demands, innovations and emerging services to support in 5G, 5G Advanced and 6G.
Benefits increase over time
Khan added that the impact of these benefits will grow over time as AI models are trained on live data and can better anticipate changes in network data flows.
“Normally operators tend to dimension (the network) for the worst case or certain call models, but with AI/ML and the learning that gets introduced, you are able to more effectively predict network behavior, which you may not be able to do with existing algorithms,” Khan said.
He cited the impact of load balancing as a use case.
“Load balancing, for example, is one use case where you're trying to predict where the UE is going to move and allocate resources or deallocate resources to serve the UE proactively instead of reactively. And so, the prediction is the key. And the learning that AI/ML is able to bring into the picture improves the ability to optimize it to a scale better than what traditional algorithms could potentially do.”
There’s more from Javed Khan and all the panelists in the on-demand version of the webinar, which is available with a free registration from Fierce Wireless.
https://symphony.rakuten.com/blog/...mproves-the-benefits-of-open-ran
Updated October 03, 2024
Tokyo, Japan - Rakuten Group Inc's (4755.T) healthcare app "Rakuten Healthcare" has reached 1.8 million downloads two years after its launch, the company announced on Wednesday.
Key points:
Despite record-breaking heat, 69% of users achieved an average of 5,000 steps or more daily in July 2024.
15.5% of users consistently achieved 5,000 steps or more daily in July.
9.6% of users who recorded meals at least once every three days between February and July 2024 lost more than 3 kg.
Most common nutrient deficiencies: Vitamin B2 for men, iron for women.
The app offers activity tracking, meal logging, and health check-up recording features.
Rakuten plans to introduce a new "Health Report" function in October 2024 in partnership with Hoken Dojin Frontier Inc.
Rakuten runs a campaign until October 31, offering users a share of 200,000 Rakuten points for logging meals for at least three days.
https://www.thepickool.com/...hits-1-8m-downloads-boosts-user-health/
Chat shows bullish falling wedge.
Potential MACD cross
OBV falling
RSI rising
My target is 1317 which means 1.00 fib extension.
https://www.tradingview.com/chart/4755/...Crazy-Rakuten-bullish-idea/
As a result of this change in accounting treatment, the difference between the fair value of AST shares as of the date of the change, and the equity method book value on a consolidated basis, will be recorded in Other Income and Share of gains of investments in associates and joint ventures in the amount of approximately 100 billion yen in the consolidated financial statements for the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024.
https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2024/1011_11.html
2 days ago
The telecommunications industry is undergoing a major and consequential yet not widely understood transformation, and it is one I believe will ultimately benefit the 1.6 billion people on Earth without broadband access.
Recent developments in the satellite market signify a building shift across the telecommunications industry, especially direct to cell — in which we are looking to space to solve connectivity gaps. Almost everywhere we go on this planet we encounter such gaps, and they are especially glaring when it comes to broadband internet connectivity.
Closing the digital divide
The digital divide – the gap between those with access to information and communication technologies and those without — remains a significant global challenge. While internet penetration continues to rise, hundreds of millions, particularly in rural and remote areas, lack access to reliable and affordable broadband. This exclusion hinders economic opportunities, educational advancement, and access to critical information and services.
As of 2023, there were 111 mobile-cellular subscriptions and 87 mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. In the past five years, mobile-broadband subscriptions grew by 27%, four times the rate for mobile-cellular subscriptions (7%).
Despite the rise of mobile broadband, fixed broadband accounts for 83% of all traffic. Worldwide, 81% of urban dwellers use the internet in 2023, compared with only 50% of the population in rural areas. The urban rural gap, measured as the ratio of the two percentages, has barely improved in recent years, from 1.7 in 2020 to 1.6 in 2023. Yet broadband makes possible a digital society rich with opportunities, and why I consider access to be a fundamental human right. With the high number of mobile phones in the market, cellular broadband directly from space to everyday smartphones seems to be the natural solution to address the gap.
When I founded AST SpaceMobile back in 2017, I had already spent more than 25 years working in the satellite industry. This included founding and heading Emerging Markets Communications (EMC), a satellite-based communications services provider. Through this and other work, I witnessed first-hand how delivering internet connectivity from space to new areas can make an enormous impact on the people who live there.
Empowering a more connected planet
Here is how I believe direct-to-device satellite broadband communication could revolutionize the market and benefit society:
Ubiquitous Coverage: Unlike terrestrial networks reliant on cell towers, D2D satellite communication offers the potential for ubiquitous coverage, reaching areas currently underserved or unserved by traditional infrastructure. This could empower rural communities, remote populations, and disaster-stricken regions with consistent broadband access.
Economic Empowerment: Reliable internet access fuels economic development. With D2D satellite communication, rural businesses could gain access to online markets, facilitate remote work opportunities, and participate more actively in the global economy. Farmers could access real-time agricultural data, while local entrepreneurs could tap into online resources.
Educational Advancement: Broadband access opens doors to online learning platforms, educational resources, and digital tools. Students in remote areas could access online courses, connect with educators worldwide, and participate in a more globally connected learning environment.
Improved Public Services: D2D satellite communication can enhance access to essential public services for remote communities. Telemedicine consultations, remote healthcare monitoring, and emergency communication during natural disasters could be significantly improved.
Bridging the Social Divide: The internet fosters social interaction and information sharing. D2D satellite communication could empower geographically isolated populations to connect with friends and family, access social media platforms, and participate more fully in the online world.
Challenges and opportunities:
The potential benefits for bridging the digital divide and creating a more connected society are undeniable. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has taken the bold step of voting forward a pioneering framework called Supplemental Coverage from Space, or SCS. SCS, will be a game-changing framework for expanding coverage in the U.S. The growing demand and need for seamless broadband services have drawn in new players, triggered shifting alliances, and accelerated innovation across the mobile and satellite industries. Each competitor will face unique hurdles, requiring them to leverage unprecedented technological strength and deeply understand changing market dynamics. Only those who can rise to the challenge of developing the right partnerships, working together with regulatory officials, and bringing innovative solutions will succeed.
Rakuten and AST SpaceMobile: Transforming telecom together
Since Rakuten began its partnership with AST SpaceMobile in March of 2020, the two companies have worked closely with the goal to provide satellite-to-mobile service across Japan, even in times of natural disasters.
Earlier this summer at Rakuten Optimism 2024, Abel Avellan, Founder, Chairman & CEO of AST SpaceMobile joined Mickey Mikitani, Rakuten Group Chairman & CEO, to speak about the critical importance of his company’s work, sharing his long-held belief that “everybody, regardless of where they live and work, should have connectivity directly to their cell phone. That is something that enables knowledge and information to flow.”
On September 12, 2024, AST SpaceMobile and Rakuten took the next step in their ambitious mission to eliminate connectivity gaps and make broadband accessible to all, when they successfully launched their first five commercial satellites, called BlueBirds. The groundbreaking launch, at 4:52 a.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral, Florida, was witnessed by partners, stakeholders and employees from around the globe who gathered to be a part of the historic milestone.
https://rakuten.today/blog/...pace-to-your-phone-ast-spacemobile.html
AST SpaceMobile successfully launched five BlueBird satellites on a SpaceX rocket in the wee hours Thursday morning
It’s not every day that investors are so stoked about a company that they’ll travel thousands of miles to witness a satellite launch. But that’s what happened this week with AST SpaceMobile’s launch of five commercial satellites for its direct-to-device (D2D) cellular service.
Although competitors – including SpaceX – would no doubt quarrel, Avellan told Fierce in an interview earlier this year that AST SpaceMobile invented the D2D space. The company has spent more than $1 billion thus far, assembling more than 3,400 patent and patent-pending claims. Partners and investors include AT&T, American Tower, Verizon, Google, Rakuten and Vodafone.
CCS Insight analyst Ian Fogg echoed that sentiment, noting that AST SpaceMobile is aiming to offer a network that offers a richer data connection than Apple's current offer. “If it can deliver this, there is an opportunity to offer a premium service to iPhone users despite Apple's free messaging offer,” he said.
Plus, Apple only serves part of the market, so there is a large opportunity to serve the Android market. There’s an even greater opportunity outside a strong Apple market like the U.S., he said.
“Timing is important,” Fogg said. AST is just building out its constellation now. Others already offer services, but will likely need to upgrade their satellites to support richer broadband connectivity.
https://www.fierce-network.com/wireless/...-be-ast-spacemobiles-orbit
September 18, 2024
Ed Knapp, Chief Technology Officer of American Tower Corporation and an AST SpaceMobile board member, shares his insights about the BlueBird 1-5 mission ahead of its launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, including his sense that "the future of connectivity everywhere, at any time, is now." This video first aired as part of AST SpaceMobile's live launch webcast on September 12, 2024.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY7Hh7LeigM
September 09,2024
0:00 Intro 0:02 Chris Sambar's Encounter with Abel 4:46 Revolutionary Broadband Connectivity via Large Satellites 8:24 Expansion of Satellite Network 10:54 Advancements in Space-Based Connectivity 13:11 Abel's Vision for ASC Space Mobile 15:45 The Secretive Blue Walker Three Project 18:31 Bridging the Digital Divide 20:03 The Power of the Cell Phone 21:35 Transformational Impact of Low-Cost Phones 23:28 Bridging the Digital Divide with Fiber Investments 24:51 Broadband Connectivity as a Three-Legged Stool
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIK-UAVHqVA
Mr. Mikitani is the founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Rakuten and has voting and investment discretion with respect to the securities held of record by Rakuten. As such, Mr. Mikitani is deemed to be the beneficial owner of the securities held by Rakuten.
Amount beneficially owned: 31,020,155 shares of Class A Common Stock.
Percent of Class: 16.63%
Number of shares the Reporting Person has:
Sole power to vote or direct the vote: 31,020,155 shares of Class A Common Stock. Each share of Class A Common Stock carries one vote per share.
Sole power to dispose or direct the disposition of: 31,020,155 shares of Class A Common Stock
https://fintel.io/doc/...i-1780312-sc-13da-2024-october-10-20006-7935