Mobile

Slowing consumer demand rocks tech’s ivory tower: Apple, Alphabet, and Amazon turned in disappointing quarterly earnings. Expect further austerity measures, including layoffs, which could prove costly.

Musk’s 100 days at Twitter sink in: Its workforce is greatly reduced, users and advertisers are fleeing in droves, and now third-party developers are gone. What’s next for the beleaguered social network?

TikTok’s future is anything but guaranteed: While the app remains king of video for now, Meta and Google are making strides to steal market share.

Meta’s vow of efficiency marks renewed optimism: Meta shares rally after analysts upgrade stock due to Meta’s new, leaner direction. Meanwhile, the company continues to spend billions on an unrealized metaverse pivot.

Pressure to drop TikTok from app stores intensifies: Following the removal of TikTok from various government and educational institutions, US senators are urging app stores to drop the controversial app.

Gen Alpha is still a nascent generation, but technology is already a constant in their lives: 36.0 million US children are active internet users, exceeding teen internet users by 11.4 million, per our forecast. This is the data you need to understand the future Gen Alpha.

Samsung unpacks incremental upgrades: Galaxy smartphones aimed at filmmakers and low-light photographers, plus a slew of high-end notebook PCs, are not the products consumers are looking to buy today.

Can airborne 5G networks fill connectivity gaps? A new antenna technology can deliver 5G coverage from high-flying aircraft, showing the versatility of mobile networks in areas terrestrial networks can’t cover.

Cruise and Waymo on notice in San Francisco: Repeated incidents of idled robotaxis are delaying buses and impeding emergency workers. Complaints could stall countrywide expansion.

US, allies put pressure on China’s chipmaking efforts: Key producers of equipment critical for advanced chip design won’t be exported to China, which could lead to reprisal or wider geopolitical retaliation.

Intel’s comeback hits a snag: One of the first technology companies to resort to layoffs and restructuring last year is bracing for billions of dollars in losses and a longer runway to recovery.

Google bows to regulatory pressure: The European Commission demanded Google’s services provide more transparency for consumers. The move is a win for regulators pushing back on Big Tech.

Troubling signs in the smartphone space: Smartphone shipments drop to the lowest level in a decade. Innovation has stagnated, foldables have failed to take off, and the market for 5G handsets has reached saturation.

Constrained chip supply continues: The yearslong chip crisis isn’t getting any better, and some markets aren’t expecting relief until 2024. But dwindling consumer demand could lead to oversupply and stagnating innovation.

Apple privacy moves draw sharp industry ire: The IAB harshly condemned Apple’s advertising policies, increasing chances for regulator intervention.

PC slump slams peripheral and accessory market: The ripple effects of reduced consumer spending are creeping beyond PCs. Webcams, which were backordered during the pandemic, saw a 50% decline in sales in Q4.

Apple’s partners on board for exodus to India: Foxconn, Pegatron, and Wistron are among the Taiwanese suppliers that will ramp up fabs in India, accelerating Apple’s move away from China.

TikTok bans in colleges go viral: The fallout from students and teachers could be indicative of wider pushback against banning the app.

API vulnerabilities strike again: Cybercriminals took the data of 37 million T-Mobile accounts. API vulnerabilities, which are responsible for 50% of all data breaches, are becoming a serious security issue.

Twitter’s balance sheet is looking rough: The company lost more than 500 of its top advertisers, and Q4 revenues tanked 35%.