January 1, 2018 / Fortune Asia / Volume 177 / Number 1

FEATURES

How High Will Bitcoin Go?
By ROBERT HACKETT and JEN WIECZNER
We’ve never seen anything like the mania surrounding Bitcoin. What’s driving the crypto craze預nd how long can it last?
PAGE NO. 24

BUSINESS BY DESIGN
Has Apple Lost Its Design Mojo?
By RICK TETZELI
A generation of peerless products made it the world’s most valuable company. Now some are questioning if the magic is still there. Don’t believe the naysayers.
PAGE NO. 34

Companies That Get Design Right
To stay ahead of waves of disruption, smart firms are turning to design to find a competitive advantage. Here are two dozen (joining Apple) in the vanguard.
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DEPARTMENTS

FOREWORD

3 The Quest for ”Just Right” Creative companies are tackling a mystery that no algorithm can: how to get into the heads and hearts of their customers.
By CLIFTON LEAF

LETTERS

4 Readers respond to stories in our latest Investor’s Guide.

BRIEFING

5 I.O.U.S.A.
Americans are racking up more debt than ever. When will it be time to panic?
By ERIKA FRY

8 This App Could Be the Future of Television
What Vice TV is to 60 Minutes, HQ Trivia is to Jeopardy. But it has competition.
By ROBERT HACKETT

9 The Incredible Shrinking Store
It’s not just margins that are getting smaller at U.S. retailers.
By PHIL WAHBA

10 The Ball’s in Your Court, HR
The concrete steps corporate America can take to help women at work.
By LEIGH GALLAGHER

11 Disney, Fox, and the CEO Who Can’t Quit
The marriage of two media giants will supposedly be Disney CEO Bob Iger’s last hurrah. We’ve heard that before.
By MICHAL LEV-RAM

12 The 10 Best Workplaces for Diversity
Plenty of companies claim to be inclusive. This bunch really delivers.
By CHRISTINA AUSTIN

FOCUS

VENTURE

13 Air Metal
Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson brings the intensity of his stage performances to the aviation business.
By PHIL WAHBA

INVEST

15 Filling Retail’s Empty Spaces
Fundamental changes in the way people shop have driven retail stocks down to clearance-sale lows. But the chains that survive today’s shakeout could pay off big.
By RYAN DEROUSSEAU

17 Investors Look to Asia
A rebound in Japan and fast-growing middle-class populations throughout the region are making Asian stocks look like smart bets.
By LUCINDA SHEN

TECH

19 The Gift of Gab
The future of secure authentication is your voice, thanks to artificial intelligence.
By JENNIFER ALSEVER

20 A Revolution of Haves and Have-Nots
High-skill technology jobs are concentrating in few places, even as their impact sweeps across the nation.
By VAUHINI VARA

PASSIONS

22 Meister Singer
When money is no object, a classic Porsche 911 can become anything you want it to be.
By JACLYN TROP

BACK PAGE

LAST BYTE

60 Leading the Way in A.I.
The A.I. revolution is coming預nd one research firm has identified the most promising startups.
Text by BRIAN O’KEEFE; graphic by NICOLAS RAPP

COVER DESIGN BY PAUL MARTINEZ

[IMAGES]

Apple design chief Jony Ive
COURTESY OF APPLE

AARON FERNANDEZ

ｩ Time Inc.