Spotify didn’t need to copy TikTok: Despite being in better shape than similarly aged competitors, Spotify has caved to too many buzzy trends.
Senate bill to ban TikTok gets White House support: Pressure mounts for TikTok to prove it operates independently from Beijing. Increased bans will give TikTok’s US competitors a window to seize market share.
Spotify's upgrades aim to attract more podcasters: The latest tools launch amid a slowdown in podcast growth.
On today's episode, we discuss how social media engagement is changing, whether TikTok is the new Google for young people, if the "deinfluencing" trend is here to stay, whether YouTube Music can compete with Spotify and Apple Music, what the road to electric vehicles looks like, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our director of reports editing Rahul Chadha, director of forecasting Oscar Orozco, and analyst Max Willens.
Meta getting ready for more layoffs: Thousands of jobs could be lost as the company tightens its belt before Zuckerberg goes on leave. The cuts could spur other Big Tech companies to continue shedding headcount.
US-China tech tensions near a boiling point: Beijing gave the US a stern warning to back off on tech restrictions. Companies should prepare for confrontation through cybersecurity and supply chain resilience.
Paramount’s potential BET sale could be a win-win: A deal could allow the media giant to focus on its streaming services and advertising innovation
Investors have faith in the future of gaming: Ex-Riot Games execs have secured $55 million in Series A funding to create a hit.
Record viewership for women’s sports is finally making brands take notice: A coalition of brands and sports leagues is pressuring networks to give women’s sports primetime slots.
The true cost of the CHIPS Act: Chipmakers participating in US incentives need to decide if they can survive the next decade without China. The ultimatum gives other countries an opportunity to attract future factories.
What do you get when you cross a $35 billion ad platform with a 160 million viewer streaming service? A snapshot of Amazon’s US retail media connected TV (CTV) potential. Luxury brand Movado is leveraging that potential to push video campaigns for Amazon Prime and Freevee viewers.
US gov’t puts onus on Big Tech for cybersecurity strategies: Long-term national cybersecurity is now spread out across Big Tech; civil society; and local governments at a time of heightened ransomware, but lack of oversight threatens to delay progress.
Consumers grow bored with VR headsets: Meta Quest 2 headsets purchased during the holidays are sitting idle. We don’t expect VR adoption to skyrocket this year, dimming the metaverse’s outlook even further.
EU eases regulation on Activision Blizzard buy: Microsoft’s licensing deals with rivals appeases the European Commission’s initial antitrust concerns. Can Microsoft carry this momentum forward to other regulators?
Will streamers band together to create a sports broadcast hub? ESPN is trying to persuade competitors to jump on board, and revenue pressures could sway them.
Klarna is about more than BNPL: Its Kosma open banking platform is growing as the company creates new revenue streams on the back of its banking and payments infrastructure.
US plays catch-up to China’s tech dominance: Decades of sporadic tech funding have caused the US to fall behind China. With tensions rising, the stakes are high and progress slow.
YouTube rises in the music streaming ranks: Alphabet is showing diverse revenue potential beyond Search. Bundling subscriptions and offering AI cloud tools help offset pressure to release a blockbuster Bard.
TikTok offers a teen time limit as US ban talks boil over: Talk of serious action is heating up, and TikTok is waving olive branches to prevent the worst.
China’s semiconductor industry stockpiles: Chipmakers fill several large warehouses in anticipation of tighter economic restrictions. This might result in artificial global scarcity that could haunt the chip sector for years to come.