Asia's Technology Boom: A Year of Breakthroughs in E-commerce, Software, and Computing

Strategic Insights -

Asian technology experienced a remarkable year in 1999, marked by rapid growth in e-commerce, innovative software developments, and advancements in computing capabilities. Electronic commerce in South Korea is expected to surge to $9.6 billion by 2003, while China's software market could reach up to 20 billion yuan (US$2.41 billion) in 1999. Japan also made significant strides in technology, with IBM Japan introducing its WorkPad PC companion and Hitachi developing the world's fastest data-processing mainframe computer.

Key Takeaways:

  • Electronic commerce in South Korea is expected to reach $9.6 billion by 2003, up from $350 million in 1998 and $2.16 billion in 1999, according to Visa International.
  • China's software market could reach up to 20 billion yuan (US$2.41 billion) in 1999, with 3.4 billion yuan going towards Chinese financial and corporate management software and 2.8 billion yuan for education and entertainment software.
  • Hitachi developed a mainframe computer with the world's highest data-processing capability, boosting performance to more than three times that of competitor's machines.
  • IBM Japan introduced the WorkPad PC companion, a Japanese-language version of the personal digital assistant that already holds a sizable share of the global PDA market.
  • NEC built China's biggest semiconductor plant, investing US$700 million and producing 64-megabit DRAM chips.
  • NTT DoCoMo started testing a car navigation system using a new communications method, which could reduce the cost of receiving road information while driving and enable users to access banking and other services via the Internet.
  • LG Electronics developed a CD-Rewritable (CD-RW) drive, the first of its kind in South Korea, and will market the product globally and domestically.
  • Australian embassies across Asia set up a Y2K monitoring network to gauge the region's preparation for the potential threat of the millenium bug.
  • Ocean Resources NL, a gold and uranium explorer, became the fourth Australian miner to seek success in the global internet craze by buying internet company Goalmappers Pty Ltd for A$2.5 million (US$1.60 million).
  • Toshiba and Bellcore created a joint research and development project to create technologies for wireless internet communications.

Statistics:

  • China's software market could reach up to 20 billion yuan (US$2.41 billion) in 1999.
  • Electronic commerce in South Korea is expected to reach $9.6 billion by 2003.
  • Hitachi's new mainframe computer boosts performance to more than three times that of competitor's machines.
  • NEC's semiconductor plant invested US$700 million and produces 64-megabit DRAM chips.
  • NTT DoCoMo's car navigation system testing began in March 1999.
  • LG Electronics' CD-RW drive supports three types of disk media - CD-Rom, CD-Recordable (CD-R) and CD-RW.
  • Australian embassies across Asia set up a Y2K monitoring network to gauge the region's preparation for the potential threat of the millenium bug.
  • Ocean Resources NL's agreement to buy Goalmappers Pty Ltd is worth A$2.5 million (US$1.60 million).

Sources:

  • Asia Pulse (http://www.asiapulse.com) - Feb 24, 1999
  • Visa International
  • Wharton Econometric Forecasting Associates (WEFA)
  • Entertainment World Ltd (EWL)
  • Ericsson Australia Pty Ltd
  • Yu Zhitian, expert of the State Office of Information Promotion
  • Hitachi Ltd. (TSE:6501)
  • IBM Japan Ltd.
  • NEC Corp. (TSE:6701)
  • NTT Mobile Communications Network Inc. (NTT DoCoMo) (TSE:9437)
  • LG Electronics Inc. (KSE:02610)
  • COMTEX (http://www.comtexnews.com)