VENTURE CAPITAL POST

Starbucks sees the potential of its fast-growing China business to one day overtake the U.S. market. The company plans to open more stores in the next five years, half of which will be in the U.S. and in China as the brand remains attractive for the retailers.

Apple Pay is targeting China as its largest market. The mobile payment system was released Thursday and was hoping to convince retailers to use the system since there are hundred million users of Apple. A lot of banks will support Apple Pay including the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.

Didi Kuaidi ride sharing service announced that it allows third party apps to access its ride-hailing service. Previously, the Chinese ridehailing company published that it has achieved more than one billion rides.

Recently, Apple has been having problems with the iOS download leaving iPhone devices to crash and Apple fans deeply frustrated. Some were lucky enough to get the new operating system, but others were unfortunate.

Giant South Korean web portal operator Naver Corp is yet to decide on when put its messenger app unit Line Corp on Initial Public Offering (IPO) due to the present volatility of the market.

WeChat announced Wednesday its new fitness channel called WeRun, which is a step counter app. WeChat is China's most popular messaging app that has more than 600 million users. The WeRun is not the first time WeChat moved into fitness. Tencent, WeChat's parent company, launched the WeChat Sports in February.

The countdown begins for the 2016 Summer Olympics kicking off August 5, 2016. It may be too far off still for most of the 200 million Americans or more to watch this exciting event with different games. Not for marketers, technology firms, and media companies whose goal is to capitalize on the interest and attention that the 2016 Olympic Games will provide.

In a multi-billion dollar dogfight with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd for leadership in China's online entertainment market, mobile messaging app WeChat is Tencent Holdings Ltd's trump card.

Facebook Inc (FB.O) on Wednesday opened up its Messenger service for developers to create apps and for shoppers to communicate directly with retailers, as the Internet company seeks to expand its reach.

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (BABA.N) is investing $200 million in photo-messaging app Snapchat, a source familiar with the deal said, striking its latest Silicon Valley deal as the Chinese ecommerce company builds up mobile services.

Mobile messaging apps Line and Kakao Talk are busy trying to conquer overseas markets such as Southeast Asia and India. But they may do well to keep a close eye on their home turf of Japan and South Korea as China's WeChat amasses more users.

Ford Motor Co (F.N) wants Tencent Holdings Ltd (0700.HK) to tailor its popular chatting app for the firm's cars in China, as automakers in the world's largest market vie for drivers that care about high-tech features as much as engine size.

The National Basketball Association and Tencent Holdings Ltd said Friday the Shenzhen-based Internet giant will be the only company in China to stream the league's online content.

Chinese internet heavyweight Tencent Holdings Ltd apologized on Monday for rewarding WeChat app users who sent a message with the English phrase "civil rights" with a screen full of fluttering U.S. flags.

China's Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (BABA.N), the world's biggest e-commerce company, is piloting a mobile messaging app aimed at marrying social networking with business, an Alibaba spokeswoman said on Friday, as the company expands its enterprise services.