Super apps in Asia, such as WeChat, Alipay, and mobile messaging app Line, have dominated ecommerce and online services in the region for years. Now, some Western apps are trying to build their own super apps by creating marketplaces next to their core financial, social, or delivery services. Most of these apps use a combination of monetization methods, including commissions and ad serving.
Tech’s reshuffling makes spending tough for marketers: The industry is refocusing on advertising, which is still shaky from a year of changes.
China’s economic woes squeeze smartphone growth: The largest market and producer of smartphones, rocked by monthslong lockdowns, is holding back global production and sales for the remainder of the year.
Tech wrestles with an era of uncertainty: As 2022 hits the halfway point, we look at how various technology companies navigate expected and unexpected challenges that could alter the business landscape.
Right-to-repair bill blocked in California: Will the setback ignite renewed consumer pressure to be able to fix their own devices or embolden manufacturers to block attempts at regulation?
US smartphone in-app purchase spending will hit $42.31 billion this year, up 13.0% over 2021. Growth will slow to the single digits over the next few years, and spending will pass the $50 billion mark in 2025.
Sheryl Sandberg is leaving Meta at a crossroads: Departure of No. 2 exec comes as company faces major business challenges.
Twitter is back at square one after shelving new projects: Newsletters, podcasts, and more are taking a back seat to user growth and personalization.
Apple dominates surging smartwatch sales, but Google is entering the fray: Growing interest in smartwatches and headphones in emerging markets like India indicate potential for Google and partners to grow Android’s ecosystem with devices like the new Pixel Watch
Sony’s future gaming fortunes are in PC titles: The PlayStation maker is betting big on ports of its games on Windows PCs, a market where console rival Microsoft is already a dominant player.
Apple raising worker pay by more than 10%: It’s the latest Big Tech company to take steps to retain talent during the Great Resignation, a move that could set the tone for various industries.
Broadcom boosts software with VMware buy: The $61B deal allows the chipmaker to rely less on chips for growth while assembling parts for massive cloud, edge computing, and IoT expansion.
Sony’s service game push could be good for advertisers: The lucrative model could be a platform for its rumored ad program
Meta clashes with Apple over AppTrackingTransparency: The change damaged Meta’s profits, but Apple’s ad business is soaring.
Online health consultation startups tackle doctor shortages in MENA: Esaal is leading the charge of health startups in the Middle East and Africa, where innovation is solving poor doctor-to-citizen ratios, obesity, and a growing mental health crisis.
T-Mobile joins the private 5G race: The private 5G segment is facing growing competition in a $109 billion market expected to be the next connectivity battleground.
Google encroaches on Apple in wearable-based clinical research: A study in partnership with the University of Oregon hopes to learn how smartphone use impacts wellbeing. We detail how it helps Google make inroads into health studies.
Snap’s investor warning is a worrying sign for social media: The ad-relient industry is feeling the effects of piling changes and weakening economic conditions.
The first American video game union is here: A subsidiary of Activision Blizzard voted to unionize following years of debate about labor in the industry.
US smartphone gamers will spend $18.83 billion on virtual goods this year, a massive sum compared with the $0.78 billion they’ll spend on subscriptions. These intangible assets make up a growing industry in the gaming world, especially as more companies—from Nike to Spotify to Chipotle—enter the metaverse via games like Roblox.