Tech and platform developments: Page 2

Apple offsets iPhone slump with services growth

Until the release of an iPhone with a 5G chip, as is expected next year, the smartphone is unlikely to see a significant upgrade cycle.

By Robert Williams • July 31, 2019

Post-it digitizes note taking with new Android app

3M's line of sticky notes aims to help mobile users capture, organize and share ideas offline and on-the-go.

By Robert Williams • July 31, 2019

Facebook ranks lowest among social media sites for customer satisfaction, study says

Snapchat debuted on the American Customer Satisfaction Index, receiving high marks for mobile quality.

By Robert Williams • July 30, 2019

Pinterest rolls out browseable catalogs alongside Pins

Fresh efforts to streamline shopping on the platform come as a new report finds it's the most efficient digital channel for retail brands.

By Barry Levine • July 30, 2019

TikTok's parent company readies smartphone plans

ByteDance said it will make the mobile devices after it struck a deal with hardware developer Smartisan Technology.

By Robert Williams • July 30, 2019

Uber cuts 400 jobs from marketing team

The ride-hailing giant aims to reduce costs and simplify operations after its IPO.

By Robert Williams • July 30, 2019

DOJ settlement on Sprint/T-Mobile deal pledges fast 5G buildout

The planned merger cleared another regulatory hurdle, with the two mobile providers and Dish pledging a fast rollout of 5G service to U.S. customers.

By Chris Teale • July 29, 2019

General Mills' Box Tops go digital with fresh mobile app

Requiring users to scan receipts could help the food giant gather insights into shopping habits to inform future marketing.

By Robert Williams • July 29, 2019

Twitter's ad refresh pays off in Q2, but slowdown could be coming

Monetizable Daily Active Users, a new audience metric reported in lieu of monthly active users, was up 14% year-over-year.

By Peter Adams • July 26, 2019

Opinion

Influencer marketing should focus on conversational health, not vanity metrics

Instead of asking for an influencer's top posts, assess the best conversations — ones that show excitement and receptivity that could take a campaign to the next level, writes Captiv8's Vishal Gurbuxani.

By Vishal Gurbuxani • July 25, 2019

Walmart, CVS and Hallmark pilot Contobox's shoppable ads

Early campaigns found that users were 4.5 times more likely to begin browsing products within the interactive ads than click through to a brand's website.

By Natalie Koltun , Robert Williams • July 25, 2019

Ad Age: Amazon courts Colgate, L'Oréal and Lululemon for 'audio ads' test

Attached to Amazon's new music streaming service, the format could also be a bid to shore up Alexa's strength as the audio space heats up.

By Peter Adams • July 25, 2019

Facebook's Q2 revenue jumps 28% as mobile ads power growth

Mobile video made up over half of video revenue in Q2, reflective of how the social giant believes "thumb-stopping" creative must hook users within three seconds.

By Robert Williams • July 25, 2019

Study: 57% of consumers would use voice for cheaper goods, not big ticket items

Only 18% said they would pay for a vacation or book flights via voice tech.

By Robert Williams • July 25, 2019

NYC weighs ban on sale of mobile location data

The city would be the first to forbid the controversial sale of geolocation data to third parties.

By Robert Williams • July 24, 2019

Pinterest's 'compassionate search' forgoes targeted ads

Mental health resources arrive on the platform in the latest sign that companies are addressing negative effects of digital media on users' emotional well-being.

By Robert Williams • July 24, 2019

Snap adds record 13M users in Q2 as revenue jumps 48%

Improvements to Snapchat from Q1 appear to be gaining momentum, which could give marketers more confidence to advertise on the app.

By Robert Williams • July 24, 2019

HotelTonight debuts FOMO-themed campaign promoting Daily Drop feature

The "A Hard Deal to Deal With" campaign plays up missed opportunities for the app's tool across GIFs, digital video, TV ads and more.

By Dianna Christe • July 24, 2019

OpenTable moves into delivery with new app feature

The reservation platform partnered with Uber Eats, Caviar and Grubhub to offer the service to more than 8,000 restaurants in 90 U.S. metro areas.

By Julie Littman • July 24, 2019

Mobile web usage overtakes time spent on Facebook app by 3%, study says

Mobile app usage has become more fragmented as consumers spend more time on YouTube, Gmail and Instagram.

By Robert Williams • July 23, 2019

Starbucks to license out exclusive mobile tech with new partnership

Brightloom, formerly eatsa, will create a platform that includes the coffee giant's mobile and loyalty systems and will be available to the wider industry.

By Julie Littman • July 23, 2019

TD Ameritrade's voice-powered financial tools hit connected cars

Through Google's Android Auto or Amazon's Echo Auto, drivers can hear market summaries, industry updates and real-time quotes while on the go.

By Robert Williams • July 23, 2019

BBC News unveils Merrill-sponsored progressive web app content hub

Readers benefit from an app-like experience while BBC's advertisers get greater viewability and flexibility in the creation of sponsored mini-verticals.

By Robert Williams • July 23, 2019

Perfect Corp. rolls out makeup AR tool for small businesses

With the technology, small businesses can introduce AI and AR to help customers make beauty purchasing decisions.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • July 23, 2019

Pampers links with Alphabet unit on connected baby monitoring system

Lumi by Pampers includes sensor-equipped diapers and an app that monitors activities to help parents raise "quantified babies."

By Peter Adams • July 22, 2019