China unicorn* announces top 10 rankings in the Google Play store for Wi-Fi crowdsourcing app

Source: Play Store.

WiFi Master Key, a free Wi-Fi hotspot-crowdsourcing app, is seeing a surge in popularity in Southeast Asia as it helps a growing community get online in the region.

When a user shares a Wi-Fi hotspot with the community, other users can use the shared information in the database to get online for free. To protect privacy and security, the app does not reveal any shared Wi-Fi passwords; instead, it encrypts and stores the shared information in its cloud database.

Wifi.com, the Shanghai-based startup, which lets users easily and safely connect to free Wi-Fi hotspots shared by other users, was ranked 10th on Google Play's tools app chart in the Philippines for the week of October 19. In Indonesia, it is also ranked 10th, for tools apps.

The app became the No. 1 tools app in Malaysia last month, while also becoming the No. 5 most popular free app in the country. In Vietnam, it became on September 22 the No. 1 tool app, and the No. 5 free app in general.

Wifi.com founder and CEO Chen Danian said in a recent speech that WiFi Master Key has become an important tool for many on-demand services in China. He said: "WiFi Master Key will help more and more people get online for free, while providing better mobile services as we dig deep into our expanding data pool."

Launched in September 2012, Wifi.com set the record of being China's youngest unicorn mobile Internet company to achieve a billion-dollar valuation earlier this year, after closing a US$52 million Series A funding. As of August 2015, the app has connected a total of 700 million users, 360 million monthly active users, and an average of close to 30 million connections daily. WiFi Master Key set up regional headquarters in Singapore in May to tap into fast-growing markets in the region. 

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*A unicorn is a startup which is valued at more than US$1 billion. The figure is fairly rare, just like the legendary unicorn.

NEXT Hotel Brisbane offers smartphone-based room access

SilverNeedle Hospitality’s flagship NEXT Hotels brand is redesigning the guest experience with DOCOMO interTouch, offering guests more freedom and control with mobile guest services through the NEXT App mobile app. 

Part of that new freedom includes enabling the first NEXT Hotels property in Brisbane's Queen Street Mall to allow guests to open their room doors using their smartphones as room keys. NEXT Hotel Brisbane, which accepted guests from 24 September, is the first hotel in Australia to offer such a service.

Source: Next Hotel Brisbane website.

"Our NEXT Hotels brand is dedicated to providing the ultimate guest experience, and that requires us to effectively combine the use of space, technology and service to ensure that every moment is memorable and stress-free," said Iqbal Jumabhoy, Managing Director and Group CEO of Singapore-based SilverNeedle Hospitality. "It's all about giving travellers the freedom to choose how they want to experience our hotels.”

SilverNeedle Hospitality is also launching the NEXT App, which contains the "room key". The NEXT App, available in both Android and iOS versions, works with free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel to allow guests to request hotel services through their smartphones – from making a room reservation, entering the room, controlling in-room gadgets and ordering room service, to checking out of the hotel. 

Prior to arriving at NEXT Hotel Brisbane, guests can check in using the NEXT App; select their preferred rooms or accept the pre-assigned rooms; and receive their own room key codes on their smartphones, bypassing the conventional check-in process to get to their rooms.

"The NEXT Hotels are truly innovative in their delivery of guest technology and they have been a real pleasure to work with," said Charles Reed, CEO of DOCOMO interTouch.

The NEXT App interconnects all the systems and services with the hotel so guests do not have to be physically in their hotel rooms to manage their stay. The integrated NEXT Technology allows them to change the TV channel, set the mood lighting, adjust the room temperature or order their next meal. If they don’t want the housekeeping staff to freshen up their rooms, they can activate the ‘Do Not Disturb’ indicator even when they are away from the hotel. Guests can also watch their favourite movies and stream their desired content securely on the Samsung Smart TV available in every room.

Guests who prefer not to use their own smartphones during their stay can use the NEXT App on Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphones as part of the NEXT Connect service that is provided in every NEXT Room at no extra charge. This NEXT Connect App also has features that can be used outside the hotel. The HotSpot feature provides free WiFi for guests’ smartphones and laptops outside the hotel, for example. 

The phone system also provides access to free local calls and cheaper international calling rates with no additional roaming charges. Plus, the NEXT Service offers online concierge assistance to book a taxi around the city, order room service on their way back to the hotel or make an in-room massage appointment.

The NEXT App can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. For further details or to make a booking, please activate the NEXT App or visit nexthotels.com/brisbane.