Niko News is a filter of the most important news items and bits of information concerning the games markets of China and Southeast Asia uncovered by Niko each week. Our multilingual analysts review dozens of news sources from several countries, and as a team Niko reduces the long list of articles to 3-4 "must read" items for you. We then provide our Niko analysis to these items, making them relevant and highlighting the importance for the market. This service is one of the many ways we help distill the confusing, conflicting information about the games markets of Asia for our clients and readers. 

Tencent announced that its mobile messaging product, called Weixin in China and WeChat elsewhere, has more than 300 million users, hitting that mark merely 4 months after achieving 200 million users. KakaoTalk is a similar product that hails from Korea, and Tencent has invested in KakaoTalk. KakaoTalk has a games channel that is quite popular on iOS and Android phones, and there is discussion of a games channel for Weixin. However, there have been reports that Mr. Zhang Xiaolong, head of the Weixin division, is opposed to Weixin becoming another games platform.  

The CNNIC has released its 31st China Internet Development Report stating that as of the end of 2012 there were 564 million Internet users in China, and 420 million mobile Internet users. 91.7% of people who use the Internet do so at home, whereas the rate of usage in the nation's I-Cafés has fallen to 22.4%. The report provides data on many aspects of Internet usage in China.  

In a move to attract mid-range consumers, Apple announced a credit facility similar to that which it offers in other countries including the U.S. The difference with the offer in China is that it allows for a lower threshold of a purchase to qualify. Essentially, any purchase of more than 300 RMB ($48) but less than 30,000 RMB ($4,800) can qualify for an interest-free loan if the buyer is a holder of a credit card from China Merchants Bank. Apple has fallen behind the Android OEMs in the mobile smartphone race in China, and one of the reasons is that it has a higher price tag for its phones. The credit facility would make the phones more accessible to more people.