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.

Read next: Russia Tops List Of Countries Most Breached Online As Hacked Accounts Rose By 136%
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.

Read next: Twitter Will Soon Provide Users Verification Codes Through WhatsApp
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.

Read next: Only 5% of plastic went down to be recycled in 2021 in the U.S
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.

Read next: WhatsApp is releasing a new blur tool for WhatsApp beta on Desktop
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.

• Also read: Russia Tops List Of Countries Most Breached Online As Hacked Accounts Rose By 136%

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.

Read next: Top 10 workplace apps with the most confusing features
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.

Read next: Elon Musk Has Finally Purchased Twitter And Goes Straight To Work By Firing Its CEO
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.

Read next: Apple’s Head For Software Engineering Calls iMessage For Android An Obstacle To Innovation
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World