The bike rental bubble popped a long time ago. Now, a new group of companies are taking a different approach to their predecessors.
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[Updated] Mobike jumps on hongbao bandwagon with “Mobike, mo’ money”
Mobike announced yesterday (in Chinese) that their app will now include the option to ride for hongbao (红包 or “red envelopes” in English). Similar to Pokemon GO, users can “hunt” for Mobike red envelope bikes (摩拜红包车). After riding one of the “Bonus Bikes,” as the company calls them, for at least 10 minutes, users are then […]
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ofo announces $866 million funding round led by Alibaba amid cash strain rumors
ofo raises $866 million in latest funding round led by Alibaba
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Mobike joins ofo in Singapore with official launch
Months after dropping a hint for taking its services to overseas market, China’s top bike-rental startup Mobike announced today the launch of its hugely popular bike-sharing service in Singapore, the first stop of Mobike’s global expansion. Mobike’s operation in Singapore features its typical scan-and-go service. Singapore residents can now ride a Mobike by downloading the […]
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Mobike teams up with China’s largest thin-film solar cell manufacturer
Bike-rental startup Mobike and China’s largest thin-film solar cell manufacturer Hanergy Holding Group (汉能) announced yesterday a strategic partnership that will see the latter’s thin-film solar panels integrated into the body of a Mobike bicycle so as to meet the electricity demand of its smart locks. The tie-up will give the bike-rental service a bigger […]
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Mobike announces support for Apple Pay, iPhone iOS 11 camera to accelerate globalization drive
The bike rental war between Mobike and its rival ofo is still ongoing in China, with no end in sight. The pair has been waging an all-out war in terms of bike quantity and technology on and beyond their home turf. Now they set their sight on user experience. Mobike announced yesterday that it has […]
Posted inHeavy Hitters
Didi launches bike rental feature for blowing the whistle on ‘uncivilized’ users
So far, more than 1,000 user accounts have been frozen for periods of time ranging from five to 90 days.
Posted inOn the Cusp
Ofo starts selling ads on bikes and in apps
Chinese bike rental giant ofo has started selling advertisements on its bikes and apps (in Chinese) in an attempt to boost revenues amid increasing cash strain. The company will launch custom-designed bikes and the bike-body ads will appear in bike wheels, saddle and baskets for clients to reach the public with their messages. Rumors of ofo’s failure […]
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[Podcast] China Tech Talk 03: Bike sharing business models – Mobike and ofo
John and Matthew go deeper on bike sharing and respond to some listener feedback. Questions they answer: How many bikes are on the streets? How many users do Mobike and ofo have? How much are these two companies worth? How do they generate revenue? What are some potential monetization strategies? How do Mobike and ofo […]
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Updated: Alibaba rumored to deepen involvement in bike-rentals with upcoming $1 bln Hellobike investment round
Updated 23 Jan 2017: TechNode Chinese has reached out to Hellobike, Fosun Capital and Hellobike’s early-stage investor GGV, but neither has confirmed the news. Chinese bike rental firm Hellobike (哈罗单车) is going to complete $1 billion worth of round from Ant Financial (an affiliate company of Alibaba Group), Fosun Capital, and some other existing investors, people familiar […]
