In fact, according to statistics, smartphone penetration in the country was estimated at only 31 percent in 2017, and was projected to increase to 40 percent in 2020. (more on that in the “Where is Zalo Popular?” section below). Moreover, Zalo has started to drive interest from smartphone users from other countries, including Korea, China, Singapore, Taiwan, The app has really caught on with the locals, as the company hit 2 million users in just one year after the release (many of which reported loving its unique features like Funny Icons).
Khai’s ambitions led him to create his own company, VNG, which released Zalo in late 2012 when messaging apps like WhatsApp and Viber were already in the market for at least a couple of years.Īt that point, it was created to challenge the competitors at the Vietnamese market and provide fast and reliable messaging on the local unreliable 3G infrastructure as well as cheap smartphones. Shortly after that, he offered Khai a job at EPT. He wanted to know how Khai managed his hack, and when he finally understood what the young developer did, he was very impressed. Instead of calling on the IT teams to increase the security and firing a lot of people, the chief of EPT did an interesting thing. Quang Khai, the person behind Zalo, has begun his journey is a common “tech” way by showing his superior expertise in an extraordinary fashion. Like many other companies before, Zalo has a special story that began with its developer hacking into the network of Vietnam’s largest IT company, EPT. It’s called Zalo (the name is a combination of “Zing” and “Alo” (which is the Vietnamese equivalent for hello on the phone), and it was introduced to the world at least several years before the major market players but has already gained impressive followership.Ĩ0 Percent of Smartphone users in Vietnam have installed #Zalo #App on their phones. Well, there’s an app that’s currently on its way to challenge the dominance of these platforms in Southeast Asia, and this time it’s real. This is exactly what’s happening in the mobile messaging market now.Ĭan someone even question the dominance of apps like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Viber, right? When they do, it’s usually a fascinating case of a great product winning over the hearts of customers with something they’ve never seen. When a few companies have established their positions in the market by gathering millions of followers all around the world, gaining a small share, let alone dethroning them is almost impossible. “Su Ong” is an affectionate Vietnamese term meaning “Grandpa Monk."Īccording to his wishes, Nhat Hanh will be cremated and his ashes will be scattered at Plum Village centers and monasteries around the world.Being a latecomer is an extreme challenge.
“I am happy and feel at peace that I could come to Hue to say farewell and meditate with ‘Su Ong’ for the last time,” said Do Minh Hieu, a follower of Nhat Hanh's who traveled from southern Ho Chi Minh City with his family for the funeral.
#CIRCLE PAY APP VIETNAM FULL#
Surviving a stroke in 2014 that left him unable to speak, Nhat Hanh returned home in October 2018, spending his final years at the Tu Hieu Pagoda.ĭuring the seven-day wake, Nhat Hanh was laid in state in Tu Hieu Pagoda's full moon reception hall, where his disciples came to pay respect in silence and practice meditation as a tribute to his teachings. He was only allowed back into the country in 2005, when the communist-ruled government welcomed him back in the first of several visits. His campaign against the Vietnam War in the 1960s led to him being barred from returning to both North and South Vietnam. Born Nguyen Dinh Lang in 1926 in Hue and ordained at the age of 16, Nhat Hanh distilled Buddhist teachings on compassion and suffering into easily grasped guidance over a lifetime dedicated to working for peace.