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MoonFox Analysis | How WeChat Channels Burdens of Tencent’s Hopes for the Future Amidst Rapid Commercialization

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About us: Aurora Mobile (NASDAQ: JG) established in 2011, is a leading customer engagement and marketing technology service provider in China. Its business includes notification services, marketing growth, development tools, and data products. As its sub-brand, MoonFox Data is a leading expert in data insights and analysis services across all scenarios, aiming to help companies gain market insights and empower precise decision-making.

SHENZHEN, China, May 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — I. Net Profit Soars by 50%, WeChat Channels Lead Tencent’s Growth

On May 14th, Tencent Holdings released its Financial Report for the First Quarter of 2024. The report shows that Tencent’s revenue in the first quarter was RMB 159.501 billion, increased by 6% YoY and 3% QoQ; While net profit was RMB 50.265 billion, increased by 54% YoY and 18% QoQ. Among its three major business segments, the Tencent Games business has not fully recovered, with revenue continuing to record a YoY negative growth in the fourth quarter. The businesses of Online Advertising, Tencent Financial Technology, and Enterprise Services maintained growth momentum, with the segment of integration of digital technologies and the real economy accounting for more than 30% of Tencent’s revenue for three consecutive years and becoming the largest contribution to Tencent’s revenue since 2022. Behind the growth of these segments lies the same contributor: WeChat Channels.

Having been launched for four years, WeChat Channels has now grown into the “Hope of the Tencent“. In its latest financial report, Tencent stated that services including WeChat Channels and Search Ads, Game Applet platform service fees, and Channels merchant technology service fees contributed to an increase in Tencent’s gross profit & operating profit that exceeded its revenue growth. Tencent’s Q1 gross profit increased by 23% YoY, with gross profit margin rising from 45% in the same period last year to 53%; operating profit reached RMB 52.6 billion, increased by 38% YoY.

In the first quarter of 2024, the total user’ usage duration of WeChat Channels increased by over 80% YoY. By expanding product categories and encouraging more KOLs to participate in live streaming, Tencent strengthened the retail streaming ecosystem on WeChat Channels. WeChat Channels is bearing greater commercial value, and its future potential should not be underestimated.

II. Four-Year Transformation for WeChat Channels: Commercialization Exploration and User Value Enhancement within WeChat

The growth of WeChat Channels is inseparable from the strong support of WeChat. According to MoonFox iApp data, in the first quarter of 2024, WeChat’s monthly active user(MAU) base reached 1.02 billion, an YoY increase of 4.122 million. In terms of user stickiness, WeChat’s average daily launches per user in the first quarter was 21.9 times, an YoY increase of 2.1 times.

Changes in WeChat MAU and Average Daily Launches per User in Q1 2024

MAU

Average Daily Launches per User

January 2023 – March 2023

1.014 billion

19.8 times

January 2024 – March 2024

1.018 billion

21.9 times

Data Source: MoonFox iApp;

Data Period: January 2023 – March 2023, January 2024 – March 2024

As a member of the WeChat ecosystem, WeChat Channels has been constantly drawing on WeChat’s strong vitality over the past four years, inheriting and expanding WeChat’s massive and deep user base. The continuous enrichment and optimization of WeChat Channels’ commercial functions have also brought about an increase in user engagement and interaction frequency, which in turn has contributed to the growth of WeChat’s user base and activity levels.

Regarding the exploration and expansion of WeChat Channels’ commercial functions, it initially facilitated private connections by integrating with WeCom, building a convenient communication bridge between users and enterprises. Later, with the addition of the “Products” tab, WeChat Channels introduced a brand-new shopping experience for users. Subsequently, the launch of content marketing functions transformed WeChat Channels into an efficient advertising platform for advertisers, while also providing users with more diverse content choices.

Timeline for WeChat Channel Launching Key Commercial Functions

Private Connection

January 2021: WeChat Channels integrated with WeCom (WeChat Work) November 2021: New version of WeCom enabled sending/receiving and
watching live streaming on WeChat Channels

E-commerce

May 2021: “Products” tab added to WeChat Channels homepage November 2021: WeChat launched “11.11” WeChat Channels Live Streaming
Shopping Festival

Content Marketing

June 2021: WeChat Channels Advertising Platform launched May 2023: Tencent Advertising’s full UV(Unique Visitor) bidding platform
upgraded, Auction Ads mechanism launched on WeChat Channels

Knowledge
Monetization

January 2022: Paid live streaming allowed replay viewing on WeChat Channels April 2022: It launched a knowledge live streaming column on WeChat
Channels

Local Life
Services

May 2023: It tested local life services on a small scale on WeChat Channels,
while adding the function of group purchase, voucher redemption in live
streaming rooms

Source: Public information, compiled by MoonFox Research Institute 

In 2022, WeChat Channels took a step further into knowledge monetization by introducing paid live streaming, allowing creators to monetize their premium content while satisfying users’ demand for high-quality content. In 2023, WeChat Channels set its sights on the local life services sector, testing local life services and providing users with a more convenient and practical living experience.

III. Initial E-commerce Dividends, Multiple Operational Initiatives Accelerate WeChat Channels’ Commercialization Process

In 2024, the commercialization layout of WeChat Channels is accelerating, and the e-commerce business, as its important component, is unleashing enormous dividends. Previously, WeChat officially disclosed that in 2023, the GMV (Gross Merchandise Volume) of WeChat Channels achieved nearly a threefold increase, its number of orders grew by over 244%, and the product supply increased by approximately 300%. Among these, the proportion of brand GMV on WeChat Channels reached 15%, with brand GMV growing by 226% and the number of brands increasing by 281%; The growth of service providers scale was also very rapid, with over 3,000 ecosystem partners, and their GMV grew by more than 4.5 times within a year, contributing to over 35% of the overall GMV share. Compared to numerous competitors, WeChat Channels is currently in a period of UV dividends, with relatively low UV costs, which easily attracts a large number of small and medium-sized generic brand merchants to join the platform.

E-commerce Performance of WeChat Channels in 2023

GDP Growth

300%+

Order Growth

244%+

Product Supply Growth

300%+

Brand GMV Growth

226%+

Brand Number Growth

281%+

Number of Service Providers

3000+

Source: Public information, compiled by MoonFox Research Institute

WeChat Channels continuously roll out and refine various commercialization functions, gradually building a diversified e-commerce ecosystem and releasing more and more dividends for content creators, merchants, and users. The e-commerce business of WeChat Channels not only provides merchants with a new sales channel but also offers users a more diverse and convenient shopping experience. With the launch and optimization of more innovative functions in the future, WeChat Channels is expected to become an important platform connecting users, merchants, and content creators, further promoting the development and prosperity of the e-commerce business. It is reported that WeChat Advertising is currently testing a new capability that allows direct access to WeChat Channels Shop from Moments and Ads, bringing new UV growth paths for merchants operating the Shop.

Key Stages in the E-commerce Development of WeChat Channels

Function Updates – Building E-
commerce Infrastructure

Regulation and Governance –
Governing the Ecosystem
Environment

KOLs Operations – Resource
Support

May 2021: Added “One-
click to open the store”
function on WeChat
Channels, streamlining the e-
commerce process;
November 2021: Optimized
user experience, allowing
WeChat Channels users to
view their “Orders”;
December 2021: WeChat
Channels e-commerce
updated basic functions,
tested the “short video
shopping cart” through gray
box testing.

July 2022: Introduced
optimized rules for using
WeChat Channels
Storefronts, updating the
ecosystem rules for WeChat
Channels e-commerce;
February 2022: Released a
new batch of Storefront
product quality inspection
standards, conducting
product quality inspections;
March 2023: To rectify
irregularities in the WeChat
Channels ecosystem, non-
core products were removed
from WeChat Channels
Shop.

June 2023: To enhance
privacy protection, Tencent
initiated testing of virtual
account for WeChat
Channels Shop;
July 2023: Launched the
Basic Tutorial for WeChat
Channels Merchant to
Increase Sales official guide
and upgraded the KOLs
incentive plan, entering the
resource support stage;
January 2024: Tencent
Advertising released the
Guide for WeChat Channels
Merchant to Create Best-
selling Products and
Generate Massive Orders.

Source: Public information, compiled by MoonFox Research Institute

IV. Venturing into Local Life Services, New Blue Ocean Battle with Meituan and TikTok

On April 29th, WeChat Channels released policies for local life service merchants to join the platform, including two top-level categories of dining, tourism & hotel, with nine second-level categories such as full-service restaurants, fast food, bakeries & snacks, accommodation, and scenic spots. Currently, only chain restaurant brands are allowed to join the dining category, and there are also restrictions for the tourism & hotel category, such as the scenic spots in only AAAA-level and above to be permitted to join. In terms of fees, local life service merchants joining WeChat Channels in 2024 can enjoy a preferential 0.6% technological service fee for the entire year, which will later be restored to 2.5%, relatively lower than the 2% to 5% fee range for most e-commerce categories. The security deposit for categories is RMB 20,000, and the floating security deposit is charged based on a certain percentage of the total transaction amount within 30 days.

As the engine driving WeChat’s commercialization and Tencent’s revenue growth today, WeChat Channels shoulders the critical task of expanding its reach. The reason why the local life services sector has re-entered the sights of internet giants after the “thousand-team battle” and the “food delivery battle” have quieted down is quite simple: it is almost the last “blue ocean” in the domestic consumer internet market.

The appearance of WeChat Channels has intensified competition in the local life service sector. The advantages of WeChat Channels lie in its massive user base and the convenience of WeChat Pay. WeChat Channels can leverage WeChat’s social network to provide local life service merchants with more exposure opportunities. At the same time, the widespread adoption of WeChat Pay also makes it more convenient for users to consume on WeChat Channels. However, WeChat Channels also faces challenges. First, it need to find its positioning between TikTok and Meituan to avoid being caught in the middle of the competition. Second, it needs to figure out how to transition users from WeChat’s social scenarios to local life consumption scenarios. Finding its advantages in the competition and providing better services will be the main challenges that WeChat Channels is facing.

V. How Rapidly Growing UV Leads Brand Advertisers to Tap into Opportunities? 

Fundamentally, all internet businesses are ultimately UV businesses. Especially as mobile internet dividends peak and UV costs continue to soar, finding new “blue ocean” has become a consideration for many brands, and WeChat Channels is precisely that rapidly growing market.

In the first quarter of 2024, the UV dividends of WeChat Channels allowed advertisers to see a new “blue ocean”. Previously, Tencent had mentioned that advertisers had a strong demand for WeChat Channels Ads, and it would gradually increase the advertising share of WeChat Channels in the future. According to the data released by Tencent, advertisers seem to favor WeChat Channels as well. In 2023, Tencent’s advertising business revenue reached RMB 101.5 billion, a YoY increase of 23%. Tencent stated in its financial report that the growth in advertising revenue was driven by new ads inventories from WeChat Channels and WeChat Search, as well as the continuous upgrades of its advertising platform. Among these, advertising revenue from consumer goods, internet services, and the healthcare industry increased significantly. Apart from WeChat Channels Ads, its live streaming is another potential arena, and compared to platforms like Kwai and Douyin, WeChat Channels is still in the early stage of development and has yet to produce its own top-tier KOLs. However, in the early stage, this also presents an opportunity for many small and medium-sized advertisers to overtake others, attracting a large number of mid-tier KOLs and brands to cash in on WeChat Channels.

At the same time, the official WeChat Channels team continues to roll out various incentive policies like introducing more UV. With a series of actions, the development of WeChat Channels will be further accelerated. For advertisers, this may present an opportunity to overtake others in live streaming e-commerce. With the upcoming 618 Shopping Festival, all parties are competing to layout their strategies, and it is expected that WeChat Channels will also introduce various incentive policies in succession, which will also be an opportunity for it to further flex its muscles and demonstrate its capabilities. This battle may attract more brands to join the platform. For the future, let’s wait and see what kind of results WeChat Channels will deliver in the next quarterly financial report.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/moonfox-analysis–how-wechat-channels-burdens-of-tencents-hopes-for-the-future-amidst-rapid-commercialization-302160386.html

SOURCE Aurora Mobile Ltd

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Pillsbury Notice of Data Breach

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NEW YORK, July 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP (“Pillsbury”) was among many law firms targeted by sophisticated social engineering attempts in an incident last year. While the firm quickly detected and blocked the activity, an unauthorized actor was able to access some of the firm’s documents during a short window of time. Pillsbury notified any impacted clients last year and undertook a detailed process to review the accessed documents for personal information. Pillsbury then began notifying individuals whose personal information was affected. That process is now complete, and today, Pillsbury is publishing substitute notice as a final step.

For more information, please visit the substitute notice on our website at https://www.pillsburylaw.com/en/breach-notice.html

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pillsbury-notice-of-data-breach-302828892.html

SOURCE Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

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From Remote Racing to Embodied AI: Fibocom and Intedigo Bring 5G Bidirectional Data Transmission into Real-World Applications

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SHANGHAI, July 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — From July 17 to 20, Fibocom and Intedigo will jointly present a cross-regional, beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) teleoperation demonstration at Booth H3-C408 during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) 2026. Visitors will be able to enter a remote driving cockpit and control a real race car located at HURA PARK in Jiading, Shanghai, steering, accelerating, and braking in real time while experiencing how 5G connectivity enables remote operation.

More than an immersive driving experience, the demonstration provides a live validation of 5G bidirectional data transmission for embodied AI teleoperation. The vehicle continuously sends live track video, vehicle status, and operating data to the remote cockpit, while control commands are transmitted back to the vehicle, creating a closed-loop teleoperation system. Stable, low-latency, and highly reliable connectivity is essential for high-dynamic maneuvers such as high-speed cornering, precision braking, and continuous lane changes.

Developed by Intedigo, the remote driving system connects a real race car with an immersive remote driving cockpit. It supports 1080p@60Hz video transmission, glass-to-glass (G2G) video latency of less than 80 ms, and control latency of less than 10 ms. The demanding racing environment magnifies differences in video continuity and control responsiveness, making communications performance directly perceptible, measurable, and verifiable.

At the joint demonstration, Fibocom’s FM160 5G module provides cellular connectivity for the system. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon™ X62 5G Modem-RF System, the FM160 supports SA and NSA network architectures as well as 3GPP Release 16. On the downlink, it supports NR Carrier Aggregation (NR CA) with bandwidth of up to 120 MHz, delivering peak speeds of up to 3.5 Gbps in NSA mode and 2.5 Gbps in SA mode. On the uplink, it supports UL MIMO and delivers peak speeds of up to 900 Mbps in SA mode. These capabilities support the continuous transmission of HD video and vehicle status data, along with reliable delivery of control commands.

As embodied AI moves into factories, data centers, logistics operations, and industrial parks, robots are becoming increasingly capable of performing tasks autonomously. Yet complex environments, unexpected events, and edge cases still require Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) remote intervention to help ensure safe and reliable operation.

Daniel Liu, CEO of Intedigo, said:

“5G represents the pinnacle of human communications and the starting point of machine communications. In the past, communications connected people to people; in the future, they will connect people to robots and robots to robots. Remote racing is simply the easiest entry point for people to understand this concept. What we are truly validating is a communications system capable of supporting remote collaboration for embodied AI. HURA makes low-latency remote driving a tangible experience, while RoBOX extends this capability to robots and a broader range of intelligent terminals. Together with Fibocom, we hope to enable more machines to receive remote assistance whenever needed while remaining continuously connected and operating reliably.”

Simon Tao, VP of Wireless Solutions Business Group and General Manager of MBB BU at Fibocom, said:

“As embodied AI enters real-world industrial environments, reliable connectivity will become the foundation for telemetry feedback, remote control and operational management. Fibocom’s 5G solutions, represented by FM160, provide the cellular connectivity required for continuous on-site data transmission and reliable control command delivery. Fibocom will continue collaborating with ecosystem partners such as Intedigo to bring cellular connectivity to more robots, autonomous machines and mobile intelligent terminals, enabling embodied AI systems to stay continuously connected and respond reliably in real-world applications.”

From remote race cars to robots, unmanned equipment, and mobile intelligent terminals, 5G is evolving from connecting people to connecting machines. This joint demonstration makes the capabilities of 5G bidirectional data transmission directly perceptible, experiential, and verifiable, helping pave the way for embodied AI to scale across real-world applications.
 

About Fibocom

Fibocom, founded in 1999, is China’s first wireless communication module company listed on both the A-share and H-share markets (300638.SZ, 0638.HK). As a global leading provider of wireless communication modules and AI solutions, Fibocom leverages wireless communication and artificial intelligence as its core technologies to provide integrated hardware and software solutions that empower industry applications. These solutions accelerate the transformation from “Connect Everything” to “Intelligent Connectivity” across diverse industries.

Fibocom’s one-stop solutions encompass cellular communication, AI, automotive, and GNSS modules, as well as AI toolchains, supporting industry-side and mainstream large model integration, and providing AI Agent, global connectivity, and cloud services, driving the digital intelligence upgrades in industries such as robotics, consumer electronics, low-altitude economy, intelligent transportation, smart retail, and smart energy.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/from-remote-racing-to-embodied-ai-fibocom-and-intedigo-bring-5g-bidirectional-data-transmission-into-real-world-applications-302828996.html

SOURCE Fibocom Wireless Inc.

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DR. PHONE FIX ANNOUNCES SECOND TRANCHE CLOSING OF NON-BROKERED CONVERTIBLE DEBENTURE UNIT FINANCING

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/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES/

EDMONTON, AB, July 18, 2026 /CNW/ — Dr. Phone Fix Canada Corporation (“Dr. Phone Fix” or the “Company”) (TSXV: DPF) is pleased to announce that, further to its news release dated May 19, 2026 and June 24, 2026 (the “Prior News Releases”), it has closed the second tranche of its non-brokered private placement (the “Offering”) of convertible debenture units of the Company (each, a “Unit”). The Company issued 726 Units, at a price of $1,000 per Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of $726,000. Each Unit is comprised of (i) one $1,000 principal amount unsecured convertible debenture of the Company (a “Convertible Debenture”) and (ii) 3,125 common share (“Common Share”) purchase warrants of the Company (each, a “Warrant”). Additional detail on the Offering, including terms of the Convertible Debentures and Warrants, is set out in the Prior News Releases.

In connection with the Offering, the Company paid a finder’s fee consisting of an aggregate cash fee of $50,820 and issued an aggregate of 317,625 common share purchase warrants of the Company (each, a “Finder’s Warrant”) to certain qualified arm’s length parties. Each Finder’s Warrant is exercisable to acquire one Common Share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.22 prior to the date that is 24 months from the date of issuance.

All securities issued pursuant to the Offering, including any Common Shares issuable upon conversion of the Convertible Debentures or exercise of the Warrants and Finder’s Warrants, are subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day from the closing of the Offering, in accordance with applicable securities laws and TSX Venture Exchange (the “TSXV”) policies. 

The Offering remains subject to final acceptance of the TSXV.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described in this news release in the United States. Such securities have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act, or any state securities laws, and, accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of persons in the United States or “U.S. Persons”, as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from such registration requirements.

About Dr. Phone Fix

Dr. Phone Fix is a national, award-winning, eco-friendly, and customer-centric leader in Canada’s cell phone and electronics repair and certified pre-owned device industry. Founded in 2019, the Company now operates 44 retail locations nationwide through a standardized and scalable operating platform designed to support consistent execution across multiple markets, delivering fast, reliable, and environmentally conscious repair services alongside a curated selection of certified pre-owned devices and premium accessories. Dr. Phone Fix maintains strong partnerships with OEMs and certified suppliers, ensuring consistently high-quality standards across its national footprint. With a focus on responsible device lifecycle management, customer service, and operational discipline, Dr. Phone Fix continues to set the benchmark for device care and resale in Canada.

www.docphonefix.com

NEITHER THE TSXV NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSXV) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.

Forward-Looking Information and Cautionary Statements

Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as “may”, “should”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “potential”, “believe”, “intend” or the negative of these terms and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements relating to: the final acceptance of the Offering by the TSXV; and the expected use of proceeds following the closing of the Offering. Forward-looking information in this news release is based on certain assumptions and expected future events, namely: the Company’s financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events; the TSXV will provide its final acceptance of the Offering; and the Company will be able to obtain the financing required in order to develop and continue its business and operations. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including but not limited to: the Company’s inability to obtain TSXV final acceptance for the Offering; the potential failure to complete the balance of the Offering or to raise the full anticipated gross proceeds; market conditions and investor demand for the Company’s securities; the Company’s inability to deploy the proceeds as currently intended; and general economic and market conditions. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and reflect the Company’s expectations as of the date hereof and are subject to change thereafter. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.

 

SOURCE Dr. Phone Fix

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