Mobile

T-Mobile ranks No. 1 for 5G, download speeds, and coverage in Q1: Leading network carriers with extra 5G capacity can grow 5G subscriptions and solidify a foothold in the MVNO space through prepaid partnerships.

The internet will have 4.55 billion users worldwide this year, up 2.6% over 2021. This amounts to 57.4% of the general population.

In 2021, social audio app Clubhouse registered a total of 6.7 million downloads in the US. About 42% of those downloads occurred during Q1 2021, when the app received extraordinary media buzz. But as established platforms created copycat features, Clubhouse’s downloads decreased.

Can Twitter fend off Elon Musk’s takeover bid? The future of Twitter’s board, shareholders, and employees hangs in the balance as the standoff escalates and the social media company opens to acquisition.

WhatsApp looks to take group messaging to a new level: Communities feature allows separate groups to unite with encrypted communications.

Under investor pressure, Peloton overhauls its business model: The connected fitness company is slashing equipment costs while betting that loyal subscribers will stomach price increases.

Meta’s risky move to grow its metaverse: The metaverse was conceived as an escape from mobile apps and PCs, but Meta is now risking it all by pushing the web and mobile version of Horizon Worlds. Why?

Telecom equipment facing supply scarcity, price increases: COVID closures in China, inflation, and supply chain hiccups mean ongoing uncertainty and likely delays for broadband and wireless projects waiting on materials.

Meta has to do more with the metaverse than move beyond VR: Its social game Horizon Worlds is coming to phones and browsers, where Fortnite and Roblox reign supreme.

In March, just over half of email opens worldwide came from Apple devices using Mail Privacy Protection (MPP), a feature released in September 2021 that prevents email senders from receiving data on Mail app users’ device usage, among other information. About one-third of opens came from webmail, while the remaining slice was split fairly evenly between desktop and mobile.

China’s tech manufacturing hubs are in lockdown: Coronavirus upswings could bring widespread Apple factory closures, reducing iPhone and Mac output and leading to lower profits in the coming quarter.

Meta’s Horizon Worlds features can monetize VR: Creators will be able to sell items “in-world,” with Meta taking up to 47.5%. Will creators balk at the cost of business in the metaverse?

Google Fi and other prepaid carriers can offer more-affordable 5G subscriptions using T-Mobile’s spectrum. Partnerships can drive down connectivity costs while ramping up 5G adoption.

We detail why the new tech could help it gain ground on competitors like Apple.

Google continues to court consumers with a new visual shopping feature: The tech giant’s multisearch capability helps fend off competition from social media platforms by simplifying product discovery.

TSMC’s resilience leads to record revenues: The leading chip manufacturer now has the opportunity to seize more market share as competitors falter in the face of lockdowns.

On today's episode, we discuss the next normal for retailers, digital ads in refrigerated aisles, what the point of the Oscars is, the potential NFL+ streaming service, regulators coming for the app stores, what makes American cars unique, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Blake Droesch and Dave Frankland and director of reports editing Rahul Chadha.

Google enforcing tighter controls on Android apps: Updating old apps will improve security and privacy, but Google’s tighter control could be detrimental to developers who don’t play by its rules.

Influencer payouts on social media are fickle, but creators have little choice: Instagram and others are getting criticized for opaque monetization rules.

US mobile gaming ad revenues will reach $6.26 billion in 2022, up 14.0% from $5.49 billion in 2021. Healthy double-digit growth will continue through 2024.