WTIA: Entries for Asia Smart Apps Awards 2018/2019 Is Accepted till 15th April

HONG KONG, April 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of the innovation and excellence of smart applications and the continued development of the industry, the Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association (WTIA) organised the Asia Smart App Awards 2018/2019 (please refer to Annex 1 for an introduction) Launching Ceremony cum Smart App Seminar in Tuspark Hong Kong on 2 April 2019, which is sponsored by Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), to publish the details of the award.

The Asia Smart App Awards (ASA) are designed to recognise the best mobile apps and their developers in Asia. The launching ceremony held on 2 April was honoured to have Ms. Fiona Lam, Acting Head of CreateHK, HKSAR and Mr. Charles Mok, JP, Legislative Councillor (Information Technology), HKSAR, as the Guests of Honour. The officiating guests also included Mr. Roy Law, Chairman of WTIA, executive committee members of the WTIA and representatives from various co-organisers and supporting organisations were invited to eulogize and witness the launching ceremony.

To provide valuable opportunities for app practitioners and professionals in further understanding the latest trend and business potentials, WTIA hosted a "Smart App Seminar" right after the launching ceremony. Mr. Terence Wong, Senior Manager (Business Development & Customer Service) of Cherrypicks, Ms. Jacqueline Chong, Chief Strategy Officer of Green Tomato & GT Group, Mr. Keith Li, Co-founder of Innopage and Mr. Keith Tsa, Vice President of TeamNote, were invited to share their insights regarding how the usage of app change our lives and future development and business opportunities of app sectors in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area with fellow attendees.

Ms. Fiona Lam thanked the WTIA for organising the ASA again and encouraged the Hong Kong's app practitioners to enrol for the award. Mr. Charles Mok, JP, said that the event served as an excellent platform for sharing industry insights, which no doubt would enrich the growth of app industries in Hong Kong and Asian regions. 

Mr. Roy Law, Chairman of WTIA, spoke on the same occasion that app innovation had seen significant impacts on global economy and people's daily lives and ASA aims to promote the sustainable development of app industry in Hong Kong. "Global app's industry size is expanding at a stunning speed. The turnover of global app store sales is anticipated to reach US$122 billion in 2019. Hong Kong app industry should take the advantage of being the regional centre in Asia. With the back-up of the Mainland, the second largest consumer market in the world, Hong Kong provides an excellent platform for the development of app business. We hope to embrace the global opportunities together with the local practitioners by holding ASA," he said.

Mr. Law also introduced various awards of ASA 2018/2019 during the launching ceremony. "To recognise the outstanding achievements of app talent, there are three award categories in ASA 2018/2019, namely the Public Sector Distinction Category, the Business and Commercial Category, as well as the Lifestyle, Social and Entertainment Category."

WTIA is accepting entries for "Asia Smart App Awards 2018/2019" and opens to all app brand owners, software developers and content providers based in Hong Kong and Asian regions. The deadline for enrolment is 15 April 2019 (Monday). Grand award presentation ceremony shall be held on 20 June 2019 (Thursday) in Hong Kong.

For further information and application form, please visit: https://contest2019.bestasiaapp.hk/.

About Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association

Wireless Technology Industry Association (WTIA), established in 2001, is a not-for profit, politically-neutral trade association dedicated to the wireless and mobile industry. The Association acts as a platform, an aggregator, and community for industry professionals to learn and drive emerging wireless and mobile technologies, governance, and standards. It facilitates networking between like-minded professionals, boost interoperability between networks and devices, and strives to help all organizations apply these technologies to existing or new businesses. WTIA also represents and is supported by digital industries pertaining to mobile such as digital entertainment, digital marketing & media, and start-up sectors. To know more about WTIA, please visit www.hkwtia.org.

About Asia Smart App Awards

The Asia Smart App Awards (formerly known as the "Asian Smartphone App Contest") were first held in 2012 and have five editions so far. It aims to recognise the excellence of innovative smart app development and provide a platform for top smart app professionals in the region to meet, share, collaborate and learn from each other, Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association (WTIA) follows up on the successful Asia Smart Apps Contests to organise the Asia Smart App Awards 2018/2019. The 2018/2019 awards categories include Public Sector Distinction Category, Business and Commercial Category, Lifestyle, Social and Entertainment Category, each award category has gold, silver, copper and merit awards. Winners would have the opportunity to develop and establish business partnerships with smart application agents in the local and Asian regions at the different events of the awards. Entrants from outside Hong Kong who are selected as the top three finalists of each category will be entitled to a set of four-day three-night round trip air tickets and accommodation to attend the grand award presentation ceremony of the Asia Smart Awards in Hong Kong.

By joining forces with the co-organisers from the Mainland, Israel, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, WTIA will bring this timely event to further facilitate the growth of the burgeoning smart app sector in Asia. ASA website: https://contest2019.bestasiaapp.hk/. 

About Create Hong Kong

Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) is a dedicated office set up by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to spearhead the development of Hong Kong's creative industries.  Set up in June 2009, CreateHK co-ordinates the Government policy regarding creative industries, focuses Government's resources catering for the promotion and speeding up of the development of creative industries in Hong Kong, and works closely with the trade to boost the development of creative industries. CreateHK sponsors the Asia Smart App Awards (formerly known as the Asia Smartphone Apps Contest) since its inception in 2012. CreateHK website: http://www.createhk.gov.hk/.

Disclaimer: The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the project only, and does not otherwise take part in the project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials/events(or by members of the project team) are those of the project organizers only and do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Communications and Creative Industries Branch of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, Create Hong Kong, the CreateSmart Initiative Secretariat or the CreateSmart Initiative Vetting Committee.

Annex 1

"Asia Smart App Awards 2018/2019" Introduction

Asia Smart App Awards 2018/2019

• Dedicated Award Scheme for App Industries in Hong Kong and Asian regions.

Objectives:

• To recognise the outstanding achievements of app professionals and talent for their development and market their app to the commercial world;
• To develop a platform for local and overseas app professionals and talent to meet together and share industry insights for further facilitating the growth of various local app sectors; and
• To facilitate local outstanding app professionals and talent to expand business connection and enhance market exposure.

Award Categories:

1.  Public Sector Distinction Category

• This includes all solutions that target the public services within or outside the organisation that use information and communication technology to increase efficiency, and/or improve access to or the quality of services, communication and information within public sector.
  
  This also includes all solutions that target non-profit organisations, social enterprises, and corporations that adopt information and communications technology to improve the common good.

2.  Business and Commercial Category

• This includes all solutions that target the businesses and enterprises adopting the innovative use of information technology in different industries both internally and externally.

3.  Lifestyle, Social and Entertainment Category

• This includes all digital media served by the smart device platform for lifestyle and social aspects. This also includes various digital media served by the smart device platform for information, edutainment or for pure entertainment, as well as other related applications.                                                 

Timeline:

Winners' Benefits:

• Gold, Silver, Copper and Merit awards will be granted to winners of the three awards categories at the Asia Smart App Awards Presentation Ceremony;
• Winners will have opportunities to explore and establish business collaboration with local and overseas app agents at the presentation ceremony;
• Entrants from outside Hong Kong who are selected as the Top Three Finalists of each category will be entitled to a set of four-day three-night round trip air tickets and accommodation to attend the grand award presentation ceremony of the Asia Smart Awards in Hong Kong.