Technology

Hover Launches Instant Design: AI-Powered Home Visualization in Seconds

Published

1 year ago

February 26, 2025

App empowers home improvement pros and homeowners alike to transform ordinary photos into professional quality, photo-realistic home designs instantly, no design skills needed.

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Hover, a leader in 3D property data, today announced the launch of Instant Design, an AI-powered design product that construction pros and homeowners can use to instantly visualize any home remodeling or new construction project.

Leveraging years of development in machine learning, and proprietary advances for generative AI built with Hover’s 3D spatial database of millions of residential properties, Hover Instant Design is at the forefront of a new era in home design – bridging the gap between construction pros frustrated with complicated design software and today’s homeowner, who increasingly expects to see what a project will look like before moving forward.

Bringing the Visual Economy to Home Renovation

While previously, homeowners might approve a construction project based on sketches or sample boards, today we live in a visual economy where seeing is believing. According to Hover’s 2025 Design Sentiment Survey, two thirds of construction professionals say that homeowners have higher design expectations than just five years ago.1 Yet despite these expectations, less than one third of projects ever receive a visualization2.

Even for pros who are visualizing projects, current options are lacking. To date, design software has generally been challenging to learn and time consuming to use, which may be why nearly half of pros (46%) still rely on outdated methods such as product samples and photos of past projects, instead of more advanced solutions.3 Speed is also a painpoint, with 1 in 3 pros saying it currently takes too long to show a design to a homeowner.4

“Home renovations are expensive and emotional, and homeowners today expect to see what they’re buying before they commit,” said A.J. Altman, founder and CEO at Hover. “While industries like e-commerce, automotive, and real estate have embraced the visual economy, much of home improvement has lagged behind. For pros, their time is money. They can be reluctant to learn how to use complicated design software to visualize projects, but that leaves homeowners stuck in a ‘buy and hope’ scenario. Hover changes that, making it easy for pros and homeowners to see exactly what their project will look like before paying for it – in real time.”

When homeowners can see their renovation before they buy, everyone wins.

Unlimited Inspiration From a Single Photo, in Real Time

With a decade spent amassing 3D spatial property data, combined with proprietary advances for generative AI, Hover turns the phone in anyone’s pocket into a powerful yet user friendly design solution. No design skills needed.

Key Benefits of Hover Instant Design:

Instantly Generate Designs – Upload a single photo of a home’s exterior or interior, and generate professional-grade, photo realistic designs in multiple styles – from coastal to contemporary, and everything in between – in seconds. Users can upload as many photos as they like to design one room or a whole house.Visualize Real Products & Colors – Virtually try-before-you-buy siding, roofing, windows, flooring, paint, cabinets and more with real materials from leading manufacturers such as James Hardie, GAF, Pella, and others.Easy to Use and Customize – Designed for people with no formal design skills and tested with real consumers, Hover Instant Design is built for intuitive use by anyone. Unlike other AI design apps, Hover makes it easy to edit any element with just a few clicks.Quick Communication for Better Collaboration – With Hover, construction pros can invite homeowners to view and edit projects, speeding up the time-consuming back and forth communication and approval cycle, and reducing potential confusion throughout the lifecycle of a project. The visual interface ensures that homeowners and pros are on the same page with their ideas and changes.Pros Win More Jobs, Faster – Whether it’s to provide confidence before signing a contract, quickly visualize final choices before moving to production, or upgrading to premium materials, Hover speeds up the process at every step.

“We know that one of the biggest hurdles of any home renovation is just getting started,” said Sumeet Howe, VP of Product at Hover. “From the earliest stages of finding inspiration from a wide variety of designs, to narrowing those down with real products, we built Instant Design to enable construction pros and homeowners to translate homeowners’ dreams into reality, more confidently and quickly than old school product samples ever could, and so much more effortlessly than legacy, complicated design software.”

Proven Success: Contractors Are Already Winning with Hover

Early adopters of Hover Instant Design are already reporting higher close rates, higher project values, and fewer change orders. “Homeowners can’t make a big decision based on color chips – it’s too much money and not enough certainty,” said Paul Trautmann, Hover customer and founder of Timberland Exteriors. “This tool helps me empower homeowners to make decisions they like, and opens up more collaboration. It also opens up more opportunities with the client, because when they see their home designed in different styles or materials, they get excited to invest in more. With Hover, we’re building wow moments.”

Hover Instant Design is already deployed at a growing number of the country’s largest and most well known manufacturers of exterior home products. “This tool is a total game-changer — it has helped by building an emotional connection to a homeowners vision,” said Rebecca Hicks, spokesperson at Pella. “Since embedding Hover on the Pella site, we’ve seen higher intent homeowners schedule more in-home consultations and close on higher ticket projects. Windows can be hard to visualize, but with Hover we can show the homeowner exactly what their home will look like.”

Free to Try, Easy for All

Hover Instant Design is completely free for homeowners. Pros can get started with up to five free projects per year, and can then upgrade to a paid subscription. Learn more about Hover Instant Design here.

About Hover

Hover brings a transformative digital experience to the built world. With a mobile app that designs, measures, and estimates home improvement and construction projects all in one place, Hover provides a faster, easier, and more transparent experience for homeowners and drives workflow efficiencies for contractors. With stunningly easy-to-use 3D visualizations, reliable measurements, and precise project estimates, Hover offers contractors solutions and customizable automation for exterior and interior trades, jobs, or teams.

Every three seconds, a property is captured with Hover. Over 300,000 contractors and home improvement professionals, and over 500,000 homeowners have captured millions of properties and modeled billions of square feet using Hover’s technology. For more information, visit Hover.to.

Press Contact:
Sam Blumenthal
Hover
pr@hover.to

1 Hover 2025 Design Sentiment Survey
2 Ipsos and Hover Home Renovations Expectations Report, March 2024 to 500 U.S. adults
3 Hover 2025 Design Sentiment Survey
4 Hover 2025 Design Sentiment Survey

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SOURCE Hover

Technology

Meridian Singapore Immigration Launches New Website to Simplify the PR Application Journey for Foreigners in Singapore

Published

3 hours ago

April 30, 2026

New online platform provides clear, structured guidance for Employment Pass and S Pass holders navigating Singapore’s residency and Permanent Residency pathways

SINGAPORE, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Meridian Singapore Immigration Pte. Ltd. has officially launched its new website at meridianimmigration.sg, a resource built specifically for foreigners living and working in Singapore who are exploring Permanent Residency or long-term residency options.

The platform arrives at a time when Singapore’s expatriate and foreign professional community is growing rapidly, yet many EP and S Pass holders report struggling to find clear, reliable information on the PR application process. Singapore’s immigration framework is among the most structured in Southeast Asia, with eligibility criteria, documentation requirements, and submission windows that change frequently. For individuals navigating this process without professional guidance, the stakes are high and the margin for error is narrow.

Meridian’s website was built to address that gap directly. The platform offers detailed explanations of available immigration pathways, structured consultation options, and educational resources developed by the firm’s team of immigration specialists. Rather than presenting a services catalogue, the site walks users through the considerations relevant to their specific situation, whether they hold an Employment Pass, S Pass, or are planning for their family’s long-term residency in Singapore.

“We built this platform because we saw how overwhelming and confusing the immigration process can be for people who genuinely want to build their lives here,” said a spokesperson for Meridian Singapore Immigration. “Our goal is to be the trusted partner that walks them through every step with clarity and integrity.”

Singapore’s continued attractiveness as a regional hub for multinational corporations, financial institutions, and technology firms means the pipeline of foreigners seeking long-term residency options remains substantial. At the same time, the ICA’s PR application framework has grown more nuanced, with factors such as economic contributions, family ties, and community integration weighed during assessment. Applicants who proceed without a clear understanding of these criteria often submit applications that are either premature or structurally incomplete.

Meridian’s approach centres on preparation and transparency, helping applicants understand where they stand before they apply and what supporting documentation strengthens their case.

Meridian Singapore Immigration Pte. Ltd. is a professional immigration consultancy dedicated to guiding individuals and families through Singapore’s immigration process. Specialising in Permanent Residency (PR) applications, residency pathways, and compliance support, Meridian offers clear, structured solutions tailored to each client’s unique circumstances. Founded on the values of Guidance, Integrity, and Success, Meridian is committed to making immigration simple, transparent, and accessible for everyone. For more information, visit meridianimmigration.sg or contact info@meridianimmigration.sg / +65 8873 1113.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/meridian-singapore-immigration-launches-new-website-to-simplify-the-pr-application-journey-for-foreigners-in-singapore-302757392.html

SOURCE Meridian Singapore Immigration Pte. Ltd.

Technology

Socomec, Daitron team up to meet Japan’s growing power demands

Published

3 hours ago

April 30, 2026

TOKYO, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Socomec, a century-old electrical group specialising in mission-critical energy, and Japan’s Daitron, an electronics components distributor, have signed a partnership to deliver power conversion solutions and service backup power and electrical-switching systems across Japan.

The deal combines Socomec’s equipment with Daitron’s on-the-ground engineering team, which has more than 74 years of experience in the Japanese market. The two companies will handle everything from project delivery to ongoing maintenance and spare parts.

The partnership covers three product areas: uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), which keep facilities running during outages; power conversion systems, which ensure the availability and continuity of high-quality energy; and static transfer switches, which automatically reroute power loads between sources without interruption.

Beyond equipment sales, the agreement includes training, spare parts, long-term service contracts and a full range of expert services covering prevention, measurement and analysis, consultancy, deployment and optimisation. Socomec will provide product and technical training to Daitron’s team, while Daitron handles installation, servicing and day-to-day client support in Japan.

The target market spans data centres, semiconductor plants, industrial facilities, hospitals and green buildings, all areas where even brief power interruptions can prove costly. Data center demand in particular is surging, driven by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure, with colocation and enterprise facilities among the primary targets.

“Daitron knows the Japanese market inside and out. They have the people, the relationships, and the hands-on experience, and we bring the technology to match,” said Socomec Asia-Pacific CEO O’Niel Dissanayake. “It’s a natural fit, and together we can offer something neither company could deliver alone.”

“Japan’s data centres, chip factories and industrial plants all require power systems they can count on,” said Masaharu Kato, corporate officer of Daitron. “Socomec’s technology is exactly what these customers need, and our job is to make sure it’s installed, maintained and supported properly. That’s what we do best.”

The partnership comes as Japan faces a step change in power demand. Electricity consumption is expected to grow 5.3% over the next decade, driven by data centres and semiconductor factories, according to the country’s grid operator. Industrial energy demand alone is forecast to rise 18.3% over the same period.

That growth is creating strong demand for reliable power infrastructure. Data centres, for example, run around the clock and cannot afford downtime, making backup power and efficient energy management essential. Socomec’s systems are designed to reduce power consumption without sacrificing reliability, a balance that is becoming increasingly important as operators look to manage both costs and environmental commitments.

Both companies say project planning and bids are already underway, with a long-term goal of expanding the partnership’s reach across Japan as demand grows.

About Daitron

Daitron Co., Ltd. is a Japanese engineering and trading company founded in 1952 and headquartered in Osaka. Listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TYO: 7609), Daitron sells and manufactures electronic components, semiconductor processing equipment and power supply systems. The company has more than seven decades of experience serving Japan’s electronics and manufacturing industries.

SOCOMEC: When energy matters

Founded in 1922, SOCOMEC is an independent industrial group of more than 4,800 experts spread across the world in 30 subsidiaries. Our vocation: design, manufacture and sale of electrical equipment, with a strong expertize in critical power applications. In 2025, SOCOMEC achieved a turnover of 997 million euros (not yet audited).

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SOURCE Socomec

Technology

Multi-Destination Travel Surges Across Asia-Pacific This Labour Day, Trip.com Group Data Shows

Published

3 hours ago

April 30, 2026

Multi-city travel across Asia-Pacific grew 35% year-on-yearMulti-city travel outpaces single-destination growth by more than 2xSoutheast Asia sees strong double-digit growth, with Thailand up to 52% YoY

SINGAPORE, April 29, 2026 /CNW/ — Multi-city travel across Asia-Pacific grew 35% year-on-year this Labour Day period, according to data from Trip.com Group. Several Asia-Pacific markets including Japan, South Korea, parts of Southeast Asia and Mainland China celebrate Labour Day, driving strong cross-border and domestic travel flows across the region.

Over 30% of international trips now span multiple destinations, highlighting a continued shift towards more complex, itinerary-led travel. This shift reflects a growing preference to maximise time and value with multiple destinations within a single trip rather than a single location.

Multi-destination trips become a defining travel pattern

While single-destination travel continues to account for most bookings, growth is increasingly driven by more complex itineraries. Multi-destination bookings are growing at more than twice the pace of single-destination travel, reflecting stronger demand for flexibility and deeper exploration.

Travellers are increasingly structuring trips across multiple cities to maximise both time and value, with popular combinations including:

Tokyo – Osaka – Kyoto (Japan)Seoul – Busan (South Korea)Bangkok – Phuket (Thailand)

These itineraries reflect a growing preference for multi-stop journeys that blend urban experiences with leisure destinations.

Southeast Asia sees fast growth in multi-destination travel

Across Southeast Asia, demand for multi-destination travel is rising steadily, with strong growth across key markets of Thailand: 52%, Malaysia: 40%, and Singapore: 17%, according to Trip.com Group data.

Top outbound destinations across Southeast Asian markets include Japan (Tokyo, Osaka), South Korea (Seoul), China (Shanghai, Beijing), Thailand (Bangkok), Indonesia (Bali).

In other parts of Asia such as Hong Kong SAR, multi-destination travel also grew by over 50% year-on-year, highlighting growing preference for more complex itineraries over traditional single-destination trips, particularly in well-connected urban markets.

In Mainland China, domestic travel remains a strong base, while overseas journeys are increasingly shaped by multi-destination itineraries, with over 40% of outbound trips spanning multiple destinations and continuing to grow.

This suggests that travellers in this region are increasingly combining multiple cities within a single trip, supported by strong regional connectivity.

Japan’s domestic travel momentum on the rise

Japan is also seeing shifts in domestic travel behaviour, even as outbound demand continues to grow.

In Japan, domestic travel is growing rapidly, indicating rising interest in travelling within the country, accounting for one-quarter of all flight bookings, and to cities such as Tokyo, Sapporo and Okinawa.

Intra-Asia travel dominates Labour Day demand

The Labour Day holiday period continues to be driven by regional travel within Asia-Pacific, with travellers favouring destinations that offer ease of access, diverse experiences, and flexible itineraries.

The Group’s data highlights the continued strength of short-haul travel, supported by strong connectivity and shorter flight durations.

More broadly, the way people travel across Asia-Pacific is evolving. Travellers taking a more deliberate approach to how they plan their trips. While cross-border journeys are increasingly shaped by multi-city itineraries, domestic travel remains a strong and steady part of the landscape. Together, these patterns point to a more flexible and value-conscious mindset, as travellers look to make the most of both time and budget.

About Trip.com Group

Trip.com Group is a leading global travel service provider comprising of Trip.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Qunar. Across its platforms, Trip.com Group helps travellers around the world make informed and cost-effective bookings for travel products and services and enables partners to connect their offerings with users through the aggregation of comprehensive travel-related content and resources, and an advanced transaction platform consisting of apps, websites and 24/7 customer service centres. Founded in 1999 and listed on NASDAQ in 2003 and HKEX in 2021, Trip.com Group has become one of the best-known travel groups in the world, with the mission “to pursue the perfect trip for a better world”. Find out more about Trip.com Group here: group.trip.com.