Where Should You Focus Your SEO Efforts In 2023? This New Report Has All The Insights You Need

We are just months away from the year ending and with 2023 around the corner, it makes sense as to why people are worried about the state of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for the new year.

If you’re wondering where to focus your SEO efforts in 2023, then this new data report from Search Engine Journal is sure to provide you with insights on which strategies to adopt for success. So let’s take a look!

See, it’s so important to realize what the most happening events in this SEO industry have been in 2022 before we jump into what you should do for 2023. Similarly, how are the professionals of the industry going about the situation and how did they behave to factors like a change in consumer behavior patterns and amendments to technology?

A staggering 3,600 professionals were surveyed for the study and they gave out insights regarding their experiences in the past year and what people can expect in the near future.

More than 25% of those studied spoke about having two or even less experience than that in the Search Engine Optimization industry. These responses hint at how the demand for such professionals is large.

Places like the US, Australia, and Canada had SEO professionals take on some great career opportunities that would make them advance and enter the world of high-salary figures. And about 31% of them would have such little experience but would still end up earning a mega $75,000.

It’s a huge value but still a fall from those figures outlined in 2021. This might be due to the large influx of new professionals and how much growth SEO had in various global regions.

But for next year, people are really worried about getting the right type of talent on board. This coupled with issues like the ongoing recession and new policies arising from places like the US are more concerns worth a glance at. So as you can tell, it’s going to be a major challenge for those arising in the world of SEO and those seeking better job opportunities.

Most people surveyed spoke about the SEO activity that they spent the most time being involved in. And the results for the highest priority went to Technical SEO which led the pack, followed by SEO Strategy, Keyword Research, and then SEO done On-page. This might be related to Google putting certain factors on priority like stability, speed, and security.

In February of this year, we saw a new Page Experience update come forward and it really had been at the top of the list for several SEO experts.

Then a lot of companies were seen refocusing on things like technicalities after a mega growth in digital channels taking place in the past few years. This further leads us to the likes of great focus on researching and building strategies. So as marketers found it a struggle to keep up this year, SEO experts really took the time out to reflect on the need of the day and how to approach things in a more technical manner.

In case you needed a reminder, the world of SEO is not easy and it takes a while to really get a hang of things. So many stats and metrics are present that measure targets for campaigns and match things like tracking up performance.

After digging into the nitty gritty details of the report, you’ll notice how SEO experts were required to produce services that aren’t exactly aligned with the trend in the report. Top metrics were reserved for the likes of Keyword Rankings but it came third in terms of demands from employers.

Next up, qualified leads took up the fifth position and it was really tracked well. But the demand for this service from employers was high. They really wanted people to carry it out. And lastly, while pageviews arose as a number on the metrics list, the topmost requested feature had to be web traffic.

With such a huge number of people taking part in the study, we found it interesting that around one-fourth of them didn’t know what to say about their experience. They were not happy or unhappy in 2022. But previous records are showing how the last few years were quite challenging.

It’s starting to make a lot of sense why firms and Search Engine Optimization experts are having trouble examining results as the world keeps evolving and industries are similarly changing. And that’s where such metrics really count as you need to track them down very carefully.

Next year, it’s all about AI technology and machine developments and the great challenges that arise with them. So if you’re in this field, you need to focus more on GA4, removing third-party cookies, and Performance Max.

Similarly, advertisers will resort to these endeavors to help better their offerings as algorithms need to be better-paid attention to.

Read next: 5 in 10 of millennials have ordered food or visited a restaurant after seeing it on TikTok
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

This Study Shows the Severe Impact of Inflation on Global Consumers

Prices have been rising drastically over the course of this past year, and consumers are worried about it because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up making their income less valuable than might have been the case otherwise. First Insight has published a report that sheds some light on how inflation is impacting consumers in various markets, and it turns out that German consumers are the most fearful about how severe inflation might become in the future.

Around 86% of German consumers reported a lower than usual level of confidence with respect to spending and purchasing power. UK based consumes are also similarly unconfident with all things having been considered and taken into account, with a reported 83% of consumers feeling this way. With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that American consumers are also feeling the burn, with 79% of them showing concerns about decreased purchasing power.

Other countries in Europe are reporting lower spending caused by inflation, with 84% in Spain and Italy saying the same. 67% of American consumers reported that their groceries are becoming too expensive, with 64% stating similar sentiments for gas prices

Interestingly, while 46% of German consumers and 43% of American consumers are feeling the sting of inflation while eating out, this number dropped to just 31% in France and the UK. This indicates that the inflation effects are not consistent across the board, with consumers in various countries feeling them in different areas.

US based consumers are using a variety of methods to combat the effects of inflation and reduce the financial burden. 40% are now trying to look for more discounts and deals while online shopping, and 42% are creating a budget and sticking to it. 29% of consumers have decided to cut their spending down to save money, and 22% are trying to buy items when they are out of season to take advantage of the lower price points with all things having been considered and taken into account.

Read next: The smartphone market was at its lowest in the third quarter due to the global economic crisis
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Elon Musk Goes Right To Work On First Day As Twitter’s Chief By Quietly Changing The App’s Homepage

It’s been less than a day since the news broke out about Elon Musk taking control of Twitter. But this billionaire means business and he has already decided to alter the platform’s homepage, as reported by TheVerge.

The Twitter Chief was seen issuing a new request for logged-out users on the app about how they needed to be redirected to a new page on Explore that displays all trending happenings like Tweets, stories, and more. These facts were detailed by employees that are familiar in regards to the matter.

In the past, any logged-out user visiting the website would show a signup form that promoted account creation so users could better view Tweets.

The instructions put out by Musk on Friday encouraged the likes of VP involvement that would override measures like code freeze that stopped staffers from making amendments while the process of acquisition occurred.

For now, Elon Musk is yet to shed light on details as to why the change is taking place as a few employees have observed it so far. But it’s quite clear what message was being rolled out and that’s related to how there’s no room for sacred crows anymore.

If this was the old Twitter, decisions like this would be argued over with various teams for a while now. However, this is the new world of Twitter and Musk wants everyone to know that.

So three days into his reign and Twitter’s homepage is getting changed already. So he wants changes and he wants them quick. And while he may be starting his plans for planned layoffs and creating new oversight boards to better the entire content moderation policy, one thing is for sure. He knows the direction he wants to head in.

While he wants to lay off a huge portion of employees in the next few days, the changes are being fast-tracked to the app. There is some major news about Twitter now forcing subscribers to pay a subscription fee called Super Follows and which would now be labeled as Subscriptions.

Then there are some plans to utilize Starlink which is the billionaire’s internet service at the company SpaceX. This would allow the app to be easily accessible in nations that are having trouble accessing the platform.

Those members of the Twitter workforce that were given the task of working with Musk are now being forced to go home late and sacrifice weekends to make a list comprising team members that need to be fired.

The whole reason is to prevent the firm from paying out millions in stock which would be given to them. Hence, that’s why Musk has fired the executives for the cause.

Some major layoffs are predicted to occur before the first of November and there’s a huge percentage of people who are expected to get stock grants. While Musk fails to acknowledge all of this news regarding firing employees, it is definitely a thing people are preparing for.

For help, Musk is placing great reliance on his personal inner circle. He feels who better to make him understand than them. We just hope he makes the right decision because getting rid of top executives in a firm like this can be risky.

Read next: Elon Musk Cannot Reverse Any Twitter Account Bans Without Approval From Content Moderation Council
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Here’s What Consumers Are Expecting From Retailers This Year

Consumer sentiment has been diminished due to rising inflationary pressures, but in spite of the fact that this is the case retailers are still hopeful that they can make adjustments to meet their needs and drive a solid rate of sales in the coming year. Emailed offers have been seen as more appealing by consumers according to surveys, with 19% of them preferring email offers this year as compared to 10% saying the same last year with all things having been considered and taken into account.

This doubling of preference when it comes to emails is interesting because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up modifying retailer strategies moving forward. With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that social media has managed to surpass emails in terms of popularity, with 21% of consumers saying that they prefer it.

Cost is still a big factor at play here, with 47% of consumers saying that they want lower costs to entice them into becoming buyers. 77% of these consumers have already started shopping around for the best offers, and retailers who are willing to meet them halfway might see a higher rate of sales than might have been the case otherwise.

Payment plans and financing that allow consumers to make purchases and pay for them in instalments are preferred by 71% of consumers, although 25% admitted that they had never used a plan like this before. 73% of consumers also stated that they will be focusing more on budget brands, and these brands may be able to generate a higher sale volume due to their organically lower price points.

A lack of money is a major concern for consumers this year, with 34% fearing that they might run out of money before they get all of their buying done. 36% also spoke out about fears that their favorite gift items would be more expensive this year which might make them financially unviable, and it remains to be seen if the holiday shopping season would go smoothly.

H/T: Oracle Study.

Read next: The ransomware attack is growing increasingly these past few years
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

90% of Workers Reuse Passwords Despite Security Protocols

Workplace accounts that get compromised by malicious actors can be dangerous because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up allowing these hackers to gain access to a company’s wider system. Reusing old passwords repeatedly can make it easier for accounts to get compromised, but in spite of the fact that this is the case around 90% of workers admitted that they have reused account passwords in the past.

This comes from a report released by Bitwarden that involved a survey of 800 top level IT professionals in the UK as well as the US. With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that 84% of the people who responded to this survey said that they use a password manager, but there are quite a few insecure methods that are still being used. 54% of people store their passwords on documents on their systems, and 45% try to remember them by memorizing them which can make their systems far less secure than might have been the case otherwise.

The sharing of passwords is necessary for most companies so that workers can collaborate and use shared accounts, but the means by which these passwords are shared are highly risky. 41% of people apparently send each other account passwords through emails, and 38% use shared online documents that contain the passwords. These modes of password sharing can be easily intercepted by malicious actors, and they can put a company’s sensitive data and IP at risk.

There is good news to glean from this report as well, including that the number of people using multi factor authentication has increased to 92% from 88% last year. Password hygiene is a real problem in workplace culture, with some mistakes including the use of overly simple passwords such as numerical sequences or common phrases. Using the same password across numerous accounts is also a big mistake, as is sharing these passwords with people who don’t need to access the accounts such as friends or members of one’s family.

Read next: What Brand Gets Impersonated the Most During Phishing Attacks? The Answer Might Surprise You
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Video Call setups creating delays in businesses meeting

The pandemic has brought many people to its knees and created hurly-burly in the daily lives of business people. People have started taking different approaches after the remote working scenarios, and one of the few changes is turning up to video calls. To attend an important meeting with clients abroad, one needs to have a faster internet connection and good video quality.

The lag in connecting video calls has taken more time than expected, and many have agreed that this could be a deal breaker. A recent study by MAXHUB concluded that more than 2,000 Britons faced an issue regarding video calls. 59% of people take approximately ten minutes to set up a video meeting call.

Let’s suppose an average person connects with his employees through video calls every week, and it takes up to 200 minutes per month to connect conference calls with them. Overall if we see the results of lagging video calls, it seems that they lose forty hours a year. 34% of workers said they deal with the issue of poor connection to video calls every day.

Moreover, there has been a contrast between younger users and adult users, and it seems that young workers take less time to connect to video calls as compared to adults. 78% of people between the ages 18 to 24 need only ten minutes to connect the call in contrast with the 55 to 64 years old people. The problem doesn’t lie in technological deprivation, but it could be the case that younger users are more conscientious when it comes to technology, whereas adults face issues connecting to the calls.

The majority of employees, according to the study, are dissatisfied with the audiovisual calls setup. 28% claim that they are not provided with the appropriate tools for working under pressure. 23%, on the other hand, claim that this is a deal breaker for us because tech giants are failing to address their difficulty connecting with remote employees.

Additionally, 54% of respondents said that not having the right tools would be a problem when starting a new job, especially for those between the ages of 18 and 24, whereas 74% said that it would create complications for them later in life.

The new epoch enables people to connect with each other more easily, but the study says otherwise. According to Tony McCool of MAXHUB, businesses have suffered as a result of remote employees and flexible working arrangements since the pandemic. But the problem lies with the company not fixing the issue of lagging video calls. During this rapidly changing environment, companies need to work fleetingly to improve the quality of video calls.

Furthermore, MAXHUB asserted that a lack of sufficient technology for hybrid working is hindering workplace collaboration. Because people are more comfortable dealing with remote and in-office employees in person rather than choosing a platform where they have to wait for another person to get a stable connection on their video calls.

MAXHUB showed additional research on the technology behind video conferencing and found that comfort is the top priority for 48% of people. Additionally, 37% of respondents stated that successful hybrid work requires immediate meetings that begin without interruptions from technology. For meeting clarity, a good microphone was also rated as essential 37% of the time.

Read next: How to have fewer (and better) work meetings
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Over 155K Minecraft Players Get Infected With Malware

The rate of growth of the gaming industry has spurred many cyber attackers to use these games as a platform for launching malware campaigns, and it turns out that Minecraft is one of their most popular choices with all things having been considered and taken into account. Over 131,000 Minecraft users on PC were infected with malware, and 26,000 mobile users were also infected which brings the total number of Minecraft players who were attacked by malware past the 150,000 mark.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that malicious actors seem to be disproportionately targeting players who prefer Minecraft. The second highest number of malware infections belonged to Roblox with just under 39,000, so Minecraft users are over four times likelier to get infected by malware than Roblox players.

In the world of mobile gaming this disparity is even more pronounced. Roblox came in second again, but with only 1,186 infections reported so far. That is only a small fraction of the 26,000 Minecraft players who had malware infiltrate their systems which suggests that playing Minecraft could expose a user to far more cyber attacks than might have been the case otherwise.

Around 90% of the total malware infections seen in mobile games went to Minecraft users, and 76% of all the malware was from the notorious RedLine Stealer malware family. It works by stealing browser data and skimming passwords because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up allowing malicious actors to lock users out of their own accounts.

It should be mentioned that the downloading of so called cracked games might be contributing to this trend. These games are free since they can be downloaded through piracy, and the people who are offering these free downloads often include malware in the source code. This can allow malicious actors to spy on users without them realizing it, and if users started using 2FA more frequently such forms of malware might become less useful to cyber attackers and hackers in the future.

H/T: Securelist

Read next: The smartphone market was at its lowest in the third quarter due to the global economic crisis
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

How a NextGen SIEM Platform Supports Fledgling Digital Transformation Efforts

While there are no recent surveys on how many organizations are yet to embrace digital technologies, it is safe to say that a majority of companies are pushing efforts toward digital transformation. According to a survey by Gartner, 91 percent of businesses are engaged in some form of digital initiative, with 87 percent of senior business leaders saying that digitalization is a priority.

It won’t be a stretch to presume that ten to thirty percent of organizations are still far from having full-on digital transformation efforts. Some may already be on the way but are still figuring things out, too inexperienced to get things done efficiently.

To make matters worse, there’s the problem of cyber threats. Being new to the digital world does not excuse anyone from hacking and other cyberattacks. Digital transformation is essential in the modern way of doing things, and it should come with meaningful efforts to address risks and threats.

NextGen SIEM

SIEM is an acronym for security information and event management. As the phrase suggests, it is about managing security information and incidents. It deals with security alerts, notifications, and other data as well as the corresponding responses to this information, especially when security events such as data breaches and malware infections are detected.

NextGen SIEM is the progression of a SIEM platform (a conventional one, that is) into a system that is more capable of handling the more aggressive and complex cyberattacks at present. It usually entails the use of artificial intelligence, automation, and an emphasis on greater effectiveness and efficiency.

A NextGen SIEM platform typically consolidates multiple security tools under a comprehensive interface that significantly simplifies operations and makes processes more efficient while reducing the overall costs of cyber defense activities. These consolidated tools include user entity and behavior analytics (UEBA), threat intelligence platform (TIP), and network detection and response (NDR).

Next-generation SIEM brings together various advanced security technologies to ensure better protection. It provides machine learning correlation, flexible data sourcing, and sensor-driven data collection. Additionally, it enables multi-modal threat detection, purpose-built data normalization and enrichment, deterministic incident response, and automated threat hunting.

These details may already sound technical and intimidating, but they are a part of the necessary difficulties organizations should face. Even those that are having their initial dip into digital transformation must be aware of the threats and the suitable solutions. NextGen SIEM is of particular interest because of its role in addressing the latest attacks, especially in optimizing existing security solutions.

NextGen SIEM in new digital transformation

Why should organizations that are still familiarizing themselves with buzzwords like business process automation and low-code/no-code apps care about NextGen SIEM? The answer is simple: because it is one of the best ways they can protect themselves, especially as they are likely using a slew of security tools as part of their cybersecurity efforts.

While Anton Chuvakin of Gartner, the organization that introduced SIEM, submits that SIEM is not the best threat detection technology there is, he opines that it is "indeed the best beginner threat detection." The log-centric nature of SIEM makes it easy for organizations with minimal experience in comprehensive cybersecurity to undertake sensible and efficient security monitoring.

So why not conventional SIEM? Why the need for the next-gen iteration? It’s because legacy SIEM is quickly losing its effectiveness in dealing with threats as threat actors become more aggressive and sophisticated. The technology has been updated to keep up with the worsening threats modern organizations are facing.

The main benefits of NextGen SIEM can be summed up as follows:

• Meeting security and regulatory compliance requirements without the need for additional resources
• Automated identification of crucial threats resulting in more efficient threat detection and response
• Rapid deployment and scalability

Compliance

Compliance is one of the major points many organizations that are new to digital transformation fail to take into account. They try to make the most out of their digital tools and connectivity without realizing that there are rules to follow. Data privacy regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Healthcare Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) can spell serious problems to organizations that become unwitting violators.

IBM says that “SIEM solutions are a popular choice for organizations subject to different forms of regulatory compliance.“ SIEM is designed to automate data collection and analysis, making it a valuable tool for the collection and verification of compliance data throughout an organization. SIEM platforms, especially the NextGen iterations, can produce real-time compliance reports for HIPPA, GDPR, SOX, and PCI-DSS compliance.

Efficient threat detection and response

Next-generation SIEM offers a multitude of features and functions that make it easier and faster to detect and stop threats. For one, it supports flexible data sourcing, wherein security data from various existing security tools are consolidated to achieve broad security visibility. This can be done automatically with the help of sensor-driven data collection and purpose-built data normalization and enrichment. Hence it significantly reduces the burden on cybersecurity teams.

In addition, it harnesses machine learning correlation to contextualize data and achieve more accurate assessments. NextGen SIEM also provides multi-modal threat detection that employs supervised and unsupervised machine learning and AI-driven threat hunting. It can also implement deterministic incident response through predefined response actions or customizable threat response playbooks.

These functions have significant contributions toward the goal of becoming highly efficient in detecting and responding to threats. Organizations that have only started fully digitalizing understandably have very lean cybersecurity teams. Some do not even have one. The availability of NextGen SIEM is a boon for these organizations.

Scalability and rapid deployment

Moreover, NextGen SIEM is designed to be highly scalable and easy to deploy. Organizations do not need to adopt a system with a fixed set of features and functions to address specific situations. Instead, they get to choose what security tools to have or integrate into the SIEM platform depending on their needs. They can also decide to go cloud-scale and work with Big Data once they are ready for these advanced technologies.

SIEM is also suitable for multi-tier, multi-tenant, and multi-site setups. This enables organizations to deploy the platform and their data anywhere, be it on-premise, in the cloud, or under a hybrid arrangement. It also supports the setting of granular access controls and custom tenant structures to match specific needs.

Organizations that have only recently undertaken significant digital transformation tend to be the ones that seek to expand and operate agilely. As such, they require a platform or solution that affords them the scalability and rapid deployability they require.

In conclusion

Digital transformation guarantees that organizations will significantly expand their cyber-attack surfaces. At the same time, it shoves organizations into unfamiliar territory, especially when it comes to cyber threats. Unfortunately, most organizations do not have the resources to operate cybersecurity teams with the most proficient members and access to the best security products.

NextGen SIEM offers an excellent solution for fledgling digital transformation programs, most of which are likely unprepared for the overwhelming cybersecurity challenges. It addresses three vital aspects, namely regulatory compliance, effectiveness and efficiency, and rapid deployment and scalability.

Image: freepik/rawpixel
by Web Desk via Digital Information World

5 in 10 of millennials have ordered food or visited a restaurant after seeing it on TikTok

Nowadays, everything goes viral within seconds after being uploaded on social media. The same is the case with restaurants and their foods. After getting promoted or simply receiving good reviews from influencers on TikTok, people start coming to that particular restaurant, and their business flourishes in this way.

TikTok is highly beneficial for all businesses, and these days’ restaurateurs are making use of it in a good way. The marketing agencies that specifically cover the food and restaurant business said that more than thousands of people prefer food if they have seen it doing rounds on social media. Among those agencies include MGH, Utz, and 16 Handles.

These days’ people are more interested in getting to know the reviews of the food beforehand rather than visiting the place themselves. Because influencers are doing that for them, whether it is Generation Z or millennials, they prefer ordering food after seeing the video on TikTok. Millennials are more likely to order the food they see online as compared to Gen Z.

MGH reported that 38% of people are traveling a long distance from their homes to try TikTok-recommended food. 28%, on the other hand, are spending half of their pay on trying new foods.

MGH media marketer director Ryan Goff said that TikTok has taken the world of food by storm. People used to ignore such apps at first, but now a majority of people are getting influenced by the app. They prefer food, fashion, and other stuff shown in the 20-minute reel on TikTok. TikTok has changed the mindset of people and influenced their every move. For instance, where to spend their weekend and where to spend their money.

Many companies have decided to take advantage of TikTok’s marketing strategy. Food and beverages are promoting their brand on social media. For example, Taco Bell has created a video on TikTok to spread the news that they are bringing back their Mexican pizza. The clip alone gets 57 million views in one day. TikTok not just promotes the brand but also brings more revenue to the restaurant.

Moreover, people have started consuming stuff that has been shown on TikTok. TikTok's rise to prominence as a search engine has contributed a great deal in promoting restaurant names. People of all ages are searching for nearby best restaurants on their apps to grab a bite. They have grown dependent on the app’s review. Other than that, TikTok is trying to test a new feature that will enable people to find restaurants easily in their vicinity.

Also, instacart integrations allow people to make a shopping list if they want to make the same dish at home. It has become accessible for people to find the food of their taste easily by just seeing a video online.

Read next: Amid Economic Uncertainty, Advertising Sales Suffered a Rapid Break Down
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

26% of US Young Adults Now Get News from TikTok

TikTok’s rise to prominence has been quite a sight to behold, but the social media platform has managed to turn into a lot more than just a simple hub for content with all things having been considered and taken into account. According to a study that was just published by the Pew Research Center, adults between the ages of 18 and 29 are now getting much of their news updates from TikTok because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up helping them stay well informed about current events.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that about 26% of US adults who are between the ages of 18 and 29 receive their news from TikTok based on the findings in this report. That has increased from 18% in 2021, which itself was double that of 2020 when only 9% of US adults in the same demographic got their news content from this social media platform.

Interestingly, adults over the age of 30 are starting to take TikTok more seriously as a news source as well. Back in 2020, only 2% of adults between the ages of 30 and 49 got their news from TikTok, but this year it is being reported that this proportion has increased to 10%. In spite of the fact that this is the case, the overall numbers for TikTok hover at around 10%, and that means that it is not as popular of a news source as Twitter or even Facebook.

This indicates that TikTok has an uphill battle if it wants to become a more popular source of news than might have been the case otherwise. The trends are definitely interesting, and as the current generation of young adults grows older the trends will continue to develop. However, at this time TikTok’s value as a news source is somewhat limited, though the potential possibilities of the future are exciting to say the least and they might further alter the paradigm of industries that are related to news and content.

Read next: Amid Economic Uncertainty, Advertising Sales Suffered a Rapid Break Down
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Telegram CEO Says New App Store Rules Are Ruining Lives And Crushing Entrepreneurship Chances

The CEO of Telegram is speaking out boldly against Apple’s new rules at the App Store.

Pavel Durov was quick to shed light on how changes in terms of in-app purchases were really taking a toll on the lives of others. He used the terms crushing dreams and ruining entrepreneurship as the company opts to take a 30% commission on various in-app purchases from developers making more than $1 million in revenue a year.

He found that to be unfair as such talented professionals really work hard and it was just not fair to grab a hold of their profits because it felt the need to do so.

The statements were reflected across his channel on Telegram where Apple recently informed the app that it can’t allow its creators to utilize third-party means to conduct payments for sales. That’s a huge blow to the messaging platform as it’s known to give greater access to more channels or separate posts via such means as a paywall instead of the usual in-app systems for making purchases via Apple.

As you can probably imagine, Apple was not happy to see the app’s creators gain more money through its efforts without the additional 30% tax while Telegram was stated to have zero choices but to turn off all of its paid posts seen on Apple’s apps.

Durov likened the behavior to monopoly and abuse at the expense of others in the market who are working hard to gain fruitful benefits via its efforts. Hence, people’s efforts are going to waste and the way they should be treated is beyond insane as a new clause for Apple’s commission is unfair.

Now, the Telegram CEO is calling on regulators located in places like India, the European Union, and more as they needed to take stricter action against such behavior before it got late.

Using third-party systems versus the traditional one laid out by Apple makes sense on Telegram as they got 100% of the profits that were provided by subscribers which is wonderful news.

But seeing Apple get upset over creators not providing a share of the commission laid out by the tech giant, they were left with zero choices but to disable all types of iOS paid posts.

Apple’s monopoly was outlined to be worth a trillion dollars and its leading position bring out its worst side where people are struggling with a tax that it calls out to be the biggest ever witnessed in terms of VAT by the government.

Telegram really wants to get to the bottom of the matter and it hopes regulators will overlook matters and find a solution that bypasses such unfair terms in Apple’s ecosystem.

The relationship observed between Apple and Telegram in the recent past has been nothing less than disappointment. In August of this year, the CEO was very adamant to claim that Apple really painted an obscure image of the rules and regulations seen on the App Store.

Read next: What Brand Gets Impersonated the Most During Phishing Attacks? The Answer Might Surprise You
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Google’s Group Chats On The Messaging App Makes Way For RCS-Based End-End Encryption

Google is paving the way to a more secure messaging connection by adding RCS E2E to its group chats across the texting platform.

Moreover, this is seen as a huge advancement in terms of the regular MMS group texts that arise unencrypted and hence pose a threat to users.

At the same time, the introduction of this new advancement will pave the way for RCS standards to come up to speed with the usual Signal protocol that apps like WhatsApp and Signal use.

Reports seen on Reddit outlined how Google is ready for a global launch so that the offering can be more widespread and accessible to all users. As recently seen by several people on Google Messages subreddit, Google Messages is working hard to introduce this endeavor across various RCS Groups.

Examples have proven that the feature is failing as viewers can’t open up texts. Moreover, a generic statement pops up claiming how E2E is yet to go live for everyone in the group and how texts can’t be seen as they’re encrypted.

So right now, things are being deemed more complicated than ever for group chats as they don’t only comprise Google Messages but also a few entailing Samsung texts. The latter is also seen showing support for RCS.

When you dig down deep further, Redditors realized that the Messages application of Google had the feature already enabled.

It was confirmed through the evaluation of Phenotype Flags which outline how E2E encryption gets enabled for some people out there. For now, it’s not quite clear which variant of Messages this happens to be at the moment. So experts do feel the platform needs to revert back to the original as unencrypted messaging as this would help stop anyone from being excluded from a chat.

The fact that subreddit and Messages comprise enthusiasts, we can predict that a lot of such people are utilizing beta versions of the chatting platforms and that in turn causes such behavior to arise in the first place.

At the start, Google made huge promises to bring ahead E2E via group chats that are encrypted to Google Messages when the Google 2022 I/O. Here, all of the one-on-one texts get encrypted. So you do end up seeing which chats are getting the feature and which are not. This is seen by the lock that pops up near the screen displaying delivered messages at a recent time.

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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

The blood oxygen sensor in the Apple watch is as reliable as the one on any medical grade device

Two years ago, tech giant Apple released its Apple Watch with a built-in blood oxygen sensor. According to the latest report, this sensor is as reliable as the one available in oximeters used in healthcare facilities.

The study, carried out by researchers was added to the Digital Health Journal. The main idea behind this was to compare the blood oxygen sensor reliability with an official oximeter.

To perform the comparison, twenty-four healthy individuals were asked to participate. Every individual had a series 6 watch strapped to their left hand and an oximeter attached to the middle finger of the same hand. The device used for this was the Radical 7 Masimo.

The readings were collected at every 30-second interval and consisted of three stages. The first stage, named the stabilization stage, lasted for two minutes. In this stage, the individuals breathed in the surrounding air, followed by a desaturation stage in which they inhaled the gas mixture with low O2, which resulted in a low blood oxygen level. And then the final stage, termed the stabilization stage, is which individuals take the surrounding air again to bring their blood oxygen level back to normal. All these readings were taken with both the Apple Watch and Radical 7, simultaneously.

The contrast between the two devices, namely the Series 6 watch and the oximeter, for the six percent oxygen level was expected to be ninety to a hundred percent, and for the 8% blood oxygen level, recordings were expected to be no greater than ninety percent.

The unfairness between the two gadgets was found to be 0.00% at all intervals. The results of the test confirmed that the series 6 watch can be trusted with blood oxygen levels.

The feature made its debut on the same watch, and since then, every other Apple watch following series 6, which includes series 7 and 8, and the Ultra, all have this sensor as a built-in feature. Even though it’s a big achievement for the company, they still didn’t advertise much about this feature, which would show Apple challenging the official medical devices. This is why, in the later series, the company didn’t highlight any adjustments made to this sensor.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

The smartphone market was at its lowest in the third quarter due to the global economic crisis

As global economic tension gets tighter, the aftereffects are visible in several aspects. Recently, Counterpoint pointed out the 12% downfall in YOY mobile phone shipments. The report was based on the third quarter of the ongoing year.

According to the market monitor of Counterpoint, in the third quarter, the shipment of such devices went down to almost 301 million units. Even though tech giants Apple and Samsung were the only two companies in the second quarter who managed to recover the loss in the second quarter, the third quarter couldn’t be saved by them.

Harmeet Singh Wali, the senior analyst at Counterpoint, shared his views while focusing on the entire dynamics of this market. According to Harmeet, global politics, including the ongoing Russia war, China, and the United States having a standoff, has already caused problems. With such conditions already leading to an economic crisis, the national currency's getting weak further fueled the crisis and made things worse than ever. He further added that while phones from the middle and lower end experienced declines in shipments, tech giant Apple was the only company that successfully managed to maintain its growth during the third quarter.

Samsung, on the other hand, saw a decline in demand for devices, including their latest flip and foldable handsets, despite experiencing high demand in Q3 of the current year. Unfortunately, the shipping industry fell by 8% in the year-over-year report. For Chinese smartphone manufacturers, things didn’t go quite well as they couldn’t make much larger sales. However, with tech giants leaving Russia as soon as the war started, Chinese smartphones helped their parent company cover the loss.

With all eyes on Apple's latest iPhone 14, analysts anticipate that it will aid in the return of overall mobile shipments to normal. Though the stats may not reach the level observed in previous years, analysts are still positive that upcoming years will be focusing on shipment growth. Before COVID-19, smartphone shipments were at 400 million units, but the trend has continued to decline.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Amid Economic Uncertainty, Advertising Sales Suffered a Rapid Break Down

Data shows, advertising sales and revenues are suffering a constant breakdown for the past few months.

Ad revenues play a vital role in the sales of any media industry. These are the net sales generated by advertising the company's relevant products, services, and promotional messages. According to a report, one of the largest media market capturers, Google, earns 200 billion dollars annually through advertising revenue.

According to the latest reports, Alphabet, the parent company of Google, suffered a significant breakdown in advertisement sales, surprising the whole world. Alphabet is a product and service-providing company that hosts services for Maps, Gmail, Google Cloud, YouTube, and many more. The breakdown in the company's ad sales is an alarming situation for all direct and indirect competitors.

Google is one of the largest media owners, with an annual advertisement sale of 200 billion dollars. Recently, in 90 days, Google's ad sales turned down to 3%. The following figures are by far the lowest since 2009. With the following facts & figures, Google is heading towards alarming situations.

The major reason for the ad sales slowdown is the globalized economic uncertainty. Due to the economic crisis, advertisers have minimized their budgets for advertising, resulting in a decline in growth. The recent report also highlights that the US faced a fall of 5% in ad expenditures.

The economic recession has badly affected all types of media and their businesses. According to a source, year-over-year growth in advertising expenses in the US in the digital media sector was 24% in Q1 of 2022. Whereas, in Q2 and Q3, it dropped down to 10% and 5% respectively.

Besides this, all media growth was also affected inadequately. In the first quarter of 2022, the growth was reported at 14%. Meanwhile, it declined to 2% and -6% in the second and third quarters respectively. The television media industry also faced a rapid breakdown. In Q1 of 2022, the ad expenses growth was 2%. Meanwhile, it abruptly shifted to -9% and -23% in other quarters of the year.

To conclude, economic uncertainty played a vital role in the advertising department of major organizations. After the COVID outbreak, it is the second time that the US is facing a decline in ad sales. Besides this, advertising expenses were also affected by this outbreak. Now, organizations and certain departments have high hopes to cover losses with different strategies in the coming time.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Twitter Tests A New NFT Integration Comprising Links Offering Previews Of NFT Artworks

Twitter is experimenting with another new feature and this time around, it’s related to the world of NFTs.

The new feature in question puts NFT artworks as preview displays whenever a link is publicly shared for digital products at specific marketplaces.

For now, Blue subscribers on the app can be seen putting their NFTs for public viewing across profile pictures. It’s now also providing a lot more options in terms of artwork for NFTs that don’t cost anything since they’re made from URLs, not exactly a crypto wallet.

This would assist Twitter in feeding a lot of things into its surrounding community discussions across the app.

So as you can see, this is part of Twitter’s new range of presentation experiments. The app is putting out several new links on the preview for a number of specific publications. They include bigger images, different font sizes, and some prominent CTAs that drive more clicks. This is done so that Twitter gets equipped with the best publishers out there through more traffic that’s referred its way.

It’s quite similar to a new process linked to NFT listings. This would assist Twitter to lean into the world of NFT discussion that many felt had disappeared a while back on the app. Remember, a lot of people felt NFTs had disappeared but there is still a huge chunk of the community that still adores them and sees the great potential in them.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that a lot of the NFT enthusiast community is interested in connecting with so many people that share similar interests. They want to spend funds and put their community on display.

This might be one reason why Twitter and a few other social media apps are going through painstaking efforts to make such endeavors possible. See, the goal is to have NFT discussions and build the NFT community to a point where engagement through such means gets possible.

We see this as one of Twitter’s main focus points and whether or not the platform will lean further into the crypto world and the era of Web3, only time can tell. But this is definitely a smart start. Remember, the decisions are coming at a time when you’ve got CEO Elon Musk being the new owner of Twitter. And he has already made plenty of startling shakeups in the firm on day one.

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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

App Store Guidelines By Apple Force Telegram To Remove Paid Posts From the iOS App

This past year, we saw the popular messaging platform Telegram bring forward a new paid subscription for its users. The whole idea was to unlock an array of unique features for users that wouldn’t be available otherwise. But now, we feel the app is on a unique mission to generate more revenue through the messaging service.

What’s even more interesting has to do with the platform adding a new mode for payments across iOS so it can bypass any in-app purchases seen on the App store.

A recently published statement by the app went into detail about how the firm no longer tests features linked to paid posts. They are now more keen on having creators use third-party donations and other features like bots that are ‘pay-to-view’.

Yesterday, the company’s CEO went public with how he felt the app hasn’t ever charged any of its users for different transactions done through such bots. As news spread, the company also requested the tech giant to eliminate the feature through the iOS app.

Thanks to social media enthusiast Matt Navarra, we’ve got the news that some channels on the app are already making the most of the feature, enabling creators to make extra funds by charging users that wish to look at particular texts. While the feature isn’t something that’s been announced officially by the company so that means it’s still in its trial phase.

But what we did find interesting is how the story shed light on paid posts being found on the platform’s app across iOS devices. Here, the app is making sure users utilize their own systems for payment instead of the in-app purchase system by the App Store.

It’s still not clear if Apple is aware of plans for Telegram but that’s a far-stretched reality because in-app content through alternative systems for payments is not in line with the App Store’s policy.

Those developers that do offer paid forms of content across apps are needed to do so via the company’s in-app purchase offers. There is a clear exception for those arising in the theme of ‘reading’. They are told to redirect users to pay for different subscriptions on external websites. Meanwhile, in places like South Korea, Apple continues to be forced with the task to enable developers to utilize alternative modes for payments, which won’t be seen with Telegram.

Obviously, Telegram will be trying to bypass the rule on the App Store’s system which prevents it from paying the standard 30% commission fee for each sale across Apple.

But the news is not too shocking for tech experts around the globe. We’re seeing a major battle take center stage between both tech giants Apple and Telegram.

Telegram CEO Durov has criticized the Cupertino firm on numerous occasions relating to the strict rules found on the App Store. Meanwhile, updates linked to Telegram’s app on iOS devices were seen being rejected by the tech giant for making so many violations of the firm’s guidelines like copying the emoji design for iOS.

For now, there is no confirmation regarding when the update is going to be up for grabs for the majority. However, if Telegram is really keen on putting out some paid posts without the App Store’s famous ‘in-app purchases’ then we’re definitely going to be seeing a new battle arise sooner than later.

Hence, we’ll be keeping an eye out for that and will keep you updated accordingly if and when that happens.

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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

WhatsApp is working to add captions while forwarding a document and making profile pictures a part of the group conversation

The famous instant messaging application, WhatsApp, is continuously working to add features to its platform. Either these new features may provide new tools to give a much better user experience, or they are just cosmetic features meant to enhance the interface of the application.

According to the latest discoveries by WABetaInfo, the company is working to add two new features for its users. The first one is meant to add captions or messages while sending a GIF or any kind of document. The other is to include images of the group members in a group conversation.

Starting with the ability to add a caption, the upcoming 2.22.23.15 version will have the ability to insert a message or text whenever a user is sending out a gif or video. Initially, documents didn’t have any such option, and it became difficult to find an old document in the conversation. But now, things will become easier as by just searching the caption, the document can be found. A few weeks back, the company announced that it was working on it, and now they’ve officially announced that some of the beta version users will be selected to try this feature out. Currently, it has been marked for its compatibility with the Android beta version.

Moving on to the second update. Unlike the first one, the second one is only to make the chat look more fun. According to WBI, the company is working to make the display pictures a part of the group conversation.

Currently, only the names of the members are displayed during an ongoing discussion, but as per the screenshot shared by the article, the upcoming update will have pictures right next to the names, which will make it easier for the readers to know who sent the message. If someone has saved the names of two people with the same spelling, having a picture by their side will make it more clear.

Furthermore, if a user doesn’t have any display picture or if they hide it for privacy reasons, then by default icon will be displayed.

The feature is still in its initial phase for the iOS beta version, hence no release date has been revealed by the developers.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Twitter Will Soon Provide Users Verification Codes Through WhatsApp

Twitter enthusiasts have spotted the app working on a new update that provides users verification codes through texting platforms like WhatsApp.

This will allow them to get verification codes on the messaging platform in a manner that’s quite like getting a regular text as reverse-engineered by avid Twitter user @alex193a.

This new offering will reportedly pave the way for more profile creation as at this particular moment, every phone number outlined has a fixed amount set. Taking the leading messaging app on board would definitely make room for more. But that does not mean experts aren’t concerned about the whole matter.

According to them, it just might end up being an unreliable affair if provided with some more types of backups like more phone numbers or even email IDs, then we could be talking about success.

It’s very clear now that we have ended up entering into a new era where verification is the call of the day and many leading social media apps like TikTok are giving rise to new features. For instance, say hello to the ‘Adults Only’ option on TikTok.

This is reserved solely for the likes of live broadcasting where users speculate the feature and make use of the app as their go-to alternative to OnlyFans.

In the next few weeks, the popular video-sharing app hopes to get on board with creators and provide them with a manner to reach only adult audiences via the option for LIVE.

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They feel some offerings like comedy are more age sensitive and would be more appealing to those above the age of 18. Meanwhile, hosts could end up discussing matters in a more relaxed way if they knew it was only adults listening as a part of their audience.

The app concluded how keen they were to make opportunities on the LIVE a more fruitful endeavor without putting users’ safety at risk.

But Twitter and TikTok are not the only people in this world who are rolling out some new offerings. We’ve got apps like Instagram trying to include songs in users’ bios, a feature that’s quite like that seen on MySpace.

Mobile developer Alessandro Paluzzi seemed to share the new findings of Instagram through his account on the Twitter app after conducting a test through reverse engineering that highlighted the new development code.

This new update is definitely super interesting and gives users the chance to include songs in their profile. It’s quite like showing the world who you are as a person and what your current mood could be or any type of song that puts you in the moment.

So if you’re a MySpace fan with an account of the sort, you’re quite familiar with adding the likes of a track that best represents your own personality, your mood, or even how you’re feeling at this particular moment in time.

Seeing something of the sort come on over to an app like Instagram is definitely very interesting and we’ll keep you updated as more details are revealed.

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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

A new Antenna by Starlink will enable people on the move to access Satellite internet

In this day and age, staying connected is one of the most important things for users all over the world. There are many ways to stay connected but recently, Satellite internet has become quite the rage. For those who don’t know, Satellite internet is wireless internet that is transmitted through beams by satellites orbiting around the Earth.

SpaceX, which has recently been expanding its horizons at a huge pace, has announced that it will now be offering satellite internet service for people who are always on the move. As we all know to transmit the internet from the satellite one needs to have a satellite dish and that would be at one’s home because one can’t very well carry it with them when one is on the move.

SpaceX came up with a very ingenious solution for this as they created an antenna that subscribers will be able to attach to their vehicle to get internet access even while on the move. Even though it is not an entirely new package or subscription tier, it will require some very new and high-tech equipment which will make it quite expensive for those who can’t afford such a thing but need it for their work purposes.

The implementation of this new antenna which is named the Flat High-Performance Starlink will enable the company to further increase the abilities of its Starlink for RVs (recreational vehicles) satellite internet service. This new antenna will be able to provide vehicles on the move with High-speed and Low-latency internet. This will be made possible by taking advantage of a broader field of view and improved GPS which will in turn give it the ability to connect to even more satellites. One thing to note is that this antenna is a bit different than the standard RV version because it is meant to be set up on a vehicle and can be made to combat the weather.

While this new antenna seems to be the solution to all the problems one suffers when traveling, it won’t be cheap. SpaceX is charging 2,500 dollars for this new antenna, but the good news is that the monthly subscription price remains the same at 135 dollars per month. However, mostly this kind of application will only be applied to specific consumers with some specific needs. But, it is great that SpaceX has kept this as an option or even as an alternative to getting mobile data which can also be costly.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Apple Publishes Its Earnings Report For Q4 Of 2022 As Revenue Reaches $90 Billion With Profits Worth $20 Billion

It’s been a tough week for many tech firms in the digital world as one by one, each went public with their earnings report.

The current state of the economic downturn really affected plenty of them and that’s why all eyes were on Apple to see how well it managed to combat the storm of unpredictability.

Apple’s report for this quarter provided an outlook of $90 billion of revenue generated while profits hit the $20 billion mark.

In case you’re wondering, the company does not like to put out the unit sales for any of its offerings but prefers to showcase revenue via every product category involved. Both iPhone and Mac sales were up. The former had a 9.8% increase while the latter was up by a staggering 25%. iPad sales however showed a decline and were reported to be down by 13%.

Meanwhile, wearables and accessories also showed a 10% increase while services were noted to have gone up by 5%.

The figures were definitely a mixed bunch and they did fare well compared to what experts had forecasted. According to them, shares would be fixed at $1.27 per stock and Apple just beat that out by a narrow margin. But the estimates for iPad and services really fell off target. In the same way, iPhone revenue also didn’t reach the forecasted value by a small margin. But as a whole, the revenue seen for various products was a huge victory for the company which managed to secure $70.96 billion versus the predicted target of $69 billion.

This has to be one of the more significant quarterly earning reports for the Cupertino tech giant as it had unveiled and launched several new offerings to the public. We saw the likes of several new iPhones get launched including the new iPhone 14 lineup and the new Apple Watch. There was also the much-anticipated Macbook Air that entered the market too.

With that being said, a lot of the products were up for grabs for several days this quarter. So since the figures are important, they’re not playing a huge role in the fiscal earnings report. What will be most important are the figures viewed in the upcoming holiday season that Apple deems to really look forward to and make the most out of.

Apple’s CEO Tim Cook took out the time to mention how he felt about the recent results. He began by talking about how committed the firm is to giving users innovation and providing improvements in the world when compared to the past. He also shed light on the upcoming festive season and how the company has some of the most powerful devices up for grabs.

A little talk about Apple’s goals of protecting the environment was also highlighted as was their top priority of protecting users’ privacy and producing products that unlock the true potential of the world.

Meanwhile, Apple’s CFO Luca Maestri also took out the time to mention how Apple was faced with countless challenges during this difficult period. They had a lot of investments taking place and more than $24 billion was generated as a part of the cash flow while shareholders and investors really got some great returns.

A lot of praise was given to Apple’s strong ecosystem and its strive to protect customers at all costs as this in turn led to record sales and the installation of new devices.

He was happy with the results and hoped to see the company succeed further in the next quarter as records continue to be broken and revenue continues to skyrocket when compared to previous years.

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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World