Mobile

Wider wearables acceptance due to wellness benefits: Smartwatches and trackers are helping consumers track their vitals. A majority of users say the devices help improve fitness and health.

China blasts $52B CHIPS Act: Beijing is calling out the US’ efforts to boost chipmaking, citing violation of fair market practices. Manufacturers are caught in the middle of an intensifying conflict.

Netflix’s ad-supported plans have an image problem: Concerns are swirling about the value of its upcoming subscription tier.

Airbnb’s Minority Report: Preemptive tech scrutinizes renters to determine if they’re risky. The tools reportedly reduced unauthorized parties in Australia by 35% but could alienate some customers feeling discriminated against.

As Tencent slows, short video is a bright spot: The company’s ad revenues disappoint, but it’s identified a promising monetization opportunity.

July spending figures confirm the advertising downturn: The industry is pulling back from pandemic-era highs, and everyone is feeling the impact.

China’s loss is Vietnam’s gain: Apple is diversifying production into Southeast Asia as US relations with China deteriorate. Confidence in Vietnam’s production scalability could accelerate the shift away from China.

Meta doubles down on Reels: The tech giant is looking to spur more engagement across both of its social platforms.

Android 13 starts rolling out: An evolutionary upgrade brings customization, improved privacy features, and improved support for foldables, which could shape future Android devices.

It’s TikTok’s turn to be the misinformation platform: Algorithmically recommended content has once again led to the viral spread of harmful info ahead of an election.

The cost of China’s COVID shutdowns: Quanta’s “closed loop” resulted in riots and its Q2 profits cut in half. Earnings will likely take a hit in Q3, but worker dissatisfaction could be the bigger problem.

Maps are a safe space for Apple’s ad expansion: Apple has a low share of this market and can point to competitors that already sell map ad space.

Meta is going all-in on conversational commerce: The company invested in Singaporean startup Take App, which helps merchants sell on WhatsApp, as it looks to give a much needed boost to ad revenues.

TikTok’s growth could be stifled by ties to China: Intense demand and repeated scandals have the company twisted in a knot.

Spotify eyes concert ticket partnerships: The company is testing a service that lets users buy tickets without leaving its music app.

The sleep digital therapy market is very much awake: We unpack ResMed’s acquisition of mementor’s sleep app and detail what’s new in the DTx market for sleep-based therapies.

AppLovin’s bid to acquire Unity is a landmark moment: Whether the $17.5 billion deal goes through or not, there is no stopping the coming integration of ads in games.

Our 2022 US Retail Mobile App Features Benchmark report analyzes the most in-demand retail mobile app features and ranks the top 10 leading multicategory retailers based on their mobile apps.

The great disconnection: Google is imploring Apple to enable cross-platform messaging between iPhones and Android devices. But the blue bubble is the crown jewel of its walled garden.

Building on momentum from a significant pandemic bounce, mcommerce sales continue to grow, albeit at the lowest rate in years.