Meta expands footprint of its virtual avatars: Digital designer clothing shop looks to open for business in Asia-Pacific as online personas expand to WhatsApp.
European Commission probes Broadcom’s VMware acquisition: Investigations could derail consolidation and spur the UK’s CMA and the US' FTC to undertake their own antitrust queries, possibly delaying the merger.
Samsung’s savvy supply chain strategy: Lower component costs for locally sourced parts result in higher profit margins, giving Samsung an advantage over competitors struggling to diversify supply chains.
Turns out creators like consistency: YouTube Shorts’ new revenue-sharing program begins in February, but creators and publishers are already lining up.
Microsoft’s attempt to acquire Activision Blizzard in what could essentially create a video game monopoly has many, including the Federal Trade Commission, keeping a close eye on the gaming industry. The $68.7 billion acquisition would give Microsoft a leadership position with franchises like Call of Duty, Candy Crush Saga, World of Warcraft, Diablo, and Overwatch.
FTC’s biggest antitrust test: Successfully blocking Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard could define Lina Khan’s tenure in the FTC. A legal skirmish with Big Tech will be long and expensive.
Waze is the latest victim of Big Tech’s austerity: Google Maps and Waze are too similar to be separate, so Google is integrating them. This could mean dominating the mapping app segment at the cost of consumer choice.
Government resistance against TikTok intensifies: The list of states banning TikTok on government devices keeps growing. Could intensifying scrutiny lead to an all-out US TikTok ban?
The dark side of Lensa: The popular app collects user images to create highly polished digital avatars, but there are serious concerns on privacy, copyright infringement, and the creation of NSFW content.
McDonald’s wants more customers to order via app: The fast-food chain is offering a chance to win free McDonald’s for life with every mobile order as it seeks to increase loyalty and grow sales.
Consumers’ brand loyalty is declining: We share insights from our recent report on how retailers can create successful loyalty programs that retain increasingly price-conscious consumers.
China eases COVID-19 mandates: Restrictions are lifting as Beijing softens its stance on zero-COVID, but uneven implementation, worker shortages, and production migration could prolong economic recovery.
What does the future hold for loyalty and rewards programs? We share insights from our recent report’s findings.
Microsoft is considering a super app: If the company proceeds with its plans, it could drive more advertising revenue—but that’s a big if.
Android’s fragmentation breeds vulnerability: Millions of devices from Samsung, Xiaomi, LG, MediaTek, szroco, and Revoview have had security keys leaked—leaving all the data available to attackers.
On today's episode, we discuss the various chapters of social media, teens' relationship with the medium, and what this tells us about its future. "In Other News," we talk about how people view companies that advertise on the current version of Twitter and sneak a peek at one of our 2023 social media trends. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Debra Aho Williamson and Jasmine Enberg.
US chip production accelerated by uncertainty in China: TSMC is fast-tracking plans to ramp up to 4-nanometer chips and will build an additional fab in Arizona. The tech gap between the US and China widens.
Have smart speakers peaked? Amazon’s Alexa team has been hit by layoffs, Apple can’t get HomePod sales to soar, and Google can’t find ways to serve ads on its speakers, indicating the segment could be fading.
We unpack the biggest takeaways and action items from our US Mobile Banking Emerging Features Benchmark.