In this Meet the Analyst Webinar, Yory Wurmser, our principal analyst, discussed the top four mobile trends to watch in the months ahead
Apple responds to AirTag tracking complaints by making alerts louder: Updates make tracking people without consent harder, but the move might not be enough to deter stalkers and thieves.
The pandemic made QR codes more essential and ever-present. They have become an attractive tool for marketers, thanks to their ease of use and higher adoption rates.
DoorDash was once again the most downloaded US food and drink app in 2021, racking up 37.0 million downloads, 5% fewer than in 2020. McDonald’s jumped to second on the list with 24.0 million downloads, 33% more than the year prior. Meanwhile, Uber Eats dropped to third place with 21.0 million downloads.
Dozens of SpaceX Starlink satellites destroyed in geomagnetic storm: 40 satellites were rendered inoperable a day after launch, calling into question whether low-orbit satellite internet service is viable long term.
Microsoft meets regulators in the middle as it seeks approval for Activision Blizzard deal: The tech giant published a list of principles in a bid to allay antitrust concerns.
Twitter’s wide net of new features yields mixed earnings results: The platform has tested a bevy of fresh features and revenue streams, but growth is slowing.
Chime was the most downloaded US mobile banking app in 2021, with 12.8 million downloads, up 16% from 2020. Other neobanks had a huge year as well: Current posted 67% growth in downloads, and Varo skyrocketed to 10th place with a 529% increase. That said, traditional banks took the rest of the top five positions.
New Samsung devices haven’t changed much from old Samsung devices: The key difference is deeper integration with popular services such as Google Duo, Microsoft OneDrive, and Snap add more value for users.
In 2021, 233 mobile apps crossed the $100 million mark in consumer spending worldwide, and just under 75% of them were games. That’s down from about 82% in 2020, as more nongaming apps passed that milestone than their gaming counterparts. Still, games continue to drive much of the consumer spending in the multibillion-dollar mobile ecosystem.
TikTok strengthens its content moderation policy: After criticism about its effect on minors and connection to the Chinese government, the social media platform makes changes.
A Peloton acquisition may face regulatory scrutiny: While Amazon, Apple, and Nike are each reportedly interested in buying Peloton, they need to examine whether the benefit is worth the hassle.
New iPhone SE could complete Apple’s transition to 5G: Likely to be announced next month, Apple’s latest SE would rely on older components but carry millions over the 5G threshold.
Find out how the financial services industry is accelerating its adoption of mobile-first marketing
Snap and Pinterest reported profits, sidestepping other social platforms’ woes: Both companies are banking on augmented reality and social commerce to lift them above competitors.
TikTok was the No. 1 mobile app in the US last year, with 94.0 million downloads, a 6% increase over 2020. Runners-up Instagram and Snapchat reached 64.0 million downloads and 56.0 million downloads, respectively, meaning the three most downloaded apps in the US were all photo- and video-sharing platforms.
Roblox is an early metaverse success story, but stumbles elsewhere: As tech firms look to it as an example, they should also heed its missteps.
Meta’s future is muddled by declining Facebook users, slow metaverse adoption and a beleaguered ad model: In response to TikTok's success, Meta will shift focus to video, but will the reactionary move be enough to recover losses?
Mental health M&As have been firing up—and Calm joins along: The mental health app is acquiring Ripple Health to diversify its mental health offerings. We unpack what it means for its business strategy and how it's part of a larger trend.
Gopuff fine-tunes its retail media network play: While other rapid-delivery startups stumble, Gopuff hopes improvements to its advertising platform will ensure longevity.