Friday, July 7, 2023

Inside the App Stores Exclusive Million-Dollar Monthly Club

Appfigures, a leading app analytics platform, recently released a report shedding light on the top-grossing apps on the Apple's App Store. The study revealed that a select group of app developers has managed to generate over a million dollars in revenue every month.

Ariel Michaeli, the man behind the research revealed that more than 500 apps available on the App Store were making more than one million dollars every single month. YouTube lead the table shortly followed by TikTok. Surprisingly, the famous dating app, Tinder, was also on the list.

Gaming apps such as Call of Duty, PUBG, were also present. While these games were in the top 50, others apps such as Street Fighter was on 496th spot. Apart from Minecraft, all other top 500 apps were free with in the app purchase. Though Google Play was not covered in the analysis, Ariel did clear that Google Play was on another level.

What makes this club particularly interesting is the diversity of apps within it. It’s not just limited to games or social media giants. The club includes a variety of genres, such as productivity tools, photo editing apps, streaming services, and more. This demonstrates that there are numerous avenues to success in the app industry.

User acquisition and retention play a crucial role in the success of these apps. Building a loyal user base is essential for consistent revenue growth. The million-dollar app developers invest in marketing campaigns, user acquisition channels, and retention strategies to attract new users and keep existing ones engaged. They frequently update their apps, fix bugs, and introduce new features to provide value and maintain user interest.

The competition among app developers in the App Store is fierce. With millions of apps available, breaking into the million-dollar monthly club is no easy feat. It requires dedication, innovation, and continuous improvement. Developers must adapt to evolving user needs, leverage data-driven insights, and stay ahead of trends to retain their competitive edge.

Continuous innovation and adaptation are crucial for sustained success. The app market is dynamic and constantly evolving. The apps in the Million-Dollar Monthly Club have managed to stay relevant by introducing new features, improving user experience, and adapting to changing trends.


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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Thursday, July 6, 2023

STEM Hashtags See 30% Uptick After TikToks New Feed

TikTok has long been trying to position itself as the single most popular hub for content in the world. It has certainly given YouTube a run for its money, and the Chinese social media app is trying to make an even bigger push into the content industry with its brand new STEM feed.

Launched just 3 months ago, this feed is meant to provide viewers with more educational content than might have been the case otherwise. True to the name, much of the content that can be seen in the feed is related to STEM topics, which is to say Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that 96% of the viewers that ended up seeing this feed said that they liked what they saw. Furthermore, the release of this feed has led to a 30% increase in hashtags related to STEM topics. 25% of STEM feed viewers even returned to the feed the next day.

This reveals that there is a growing demand for heady content, one that TikTok is only too happy to fulfil with all things having been considered and taken into account. The influx of educational content on the platform is potentially useful because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up changing its image as a place for mindless entertainment.

TikTok needs the narrative to shift, and educational content creators stand to gain a lot from this as well. In spite of the fact that this is the case, TikTok is facing a potential ban in the US. If this ban were to go through, TikTok might no longer be able to cater to some of the most voluminous consumers of this type of educational content. It will be interesting to see what happens from here on out, since TikTok is clearly showing no signs of stopping. The platform will only want to grow its STEM Feed and potentially branch out into other educational topics as well such as the humanities which are often underserved.


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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

AI language model GPT-3 can generate more persuasive disinformation than humans

In a groundbreaking study, researchers keep uncovered that OpenAI's language prototype, GPT-3, maintains exceptional informative mastery that surpasses human capabilities. This divulgence flares up new opportunities for the fate of AI and NLC.

GPT 3, has gained considerable lookout since its acquittance past three years. With a staggering one hundred and seventy-five billion parameters, it is nowadays the biggest prototype ever made. It is immense size and training data authorize it to induce remarkably legible and contextually appropriate comebacks, constructing it as an invaluable instrument for the tremendous scope of apps.

The study, conducted by a team of researchers at a leading AI research institute, aimed to evaluate GPT-3's performance in providing informative responses. To accomplish this, they conceived a series of tests where chat GPT was compared to human specialists in diverse fields, including science, history, and tech.

The consequences existed nobody unexpectedly astonishing. ChatGPT, unfailingly outperformed mortal experts in providing accurate and comprehensive information. In fact, its responses were deemed to live not solely on par but often superior to those of human specialists.

A fundamental characteristic contributing to GPT-3's exceptional performance is its power to process and synthesize vast portions of information. While human experts lean on their recollection and limited cognitive capacity, Generative Pretrained Transformer 3 can approach an extensive repository of knowledge that goes beyond what any particular person can possess. It allows GPT-3 to equip detailed and precise answers to a broad spectrum of inquiries, regardless of the complexity or obscurity of the subject concern.

Furthermore, GPT-3's responses were not limited to regurgitating existing information. The language prototype demonstrated a remarkable aptitude for critical thinking and problem-solving. It could evaluate and interpret complex scenarios, provide insightful explanations, and even offer creative suggestions that human experts may not have considered. This versatility positions Chat GPT-3 asunder from additional artificial prototypes and highlights its prospect for contributing to scientific research and innovation.

While the analysis highlights Generative Pretrained Transformer 3 exceptional informative abilities, it also raises important ethical considerations. The growing reliance on AI and device understanding in decision-making procedures necessitates a careful examination of the imaginable biases and limitations of these models. Despite its remarkable performance, GPT-3 is no more infallible. It can still produce incorrect or misleading information, especially when faced with ambiguous or incomplete input. Therefore, it is crucial to approach GPT-3's outputs with critical thinking and human oversight.

The study's findings have significant implications for numerous industries. In healthcare, GPT-3's ability to process vast amounts of medical literature could assist in diagnosing complex conditions and suggesting personalized treatment plans. In education, it could serve as a valuable resource for students, providing instant and accurate information on various subjects. In research and development, GPT-3's analytical capabilities could accelerate scientific discoveries and innovation.

However, the integration of Chat GPT-3 into real-world applications will require careful consideration of solitude and protection concerns. As an AI language prototype, Chat GPT-3 relies on access to vast portions of information, which raises questions about info safeguarding and potential misuse. Safeguarding consumer solitude and guaranteeing responsible details practices will be critical in harnessing the full possibility of it.

The analysis highlights GPT-3's exceptional informative commands that outperform mortal capabilities in providing accurate and comprehensive information. Its vast knowledge repository, critical thinking skills, and problem-solving abilities create it a potent mechanism with broad implications for various industries. However, the honorable and practical challenges linked with its use must be carefully addressed to guarantee responsible deployment and to boost its opportunity for the betterment of humankind. As AI continues to advance, Chat GPT-3 perch as a testament to the remarkable capabilities that lie within the domain of virtual intelligence and NLP.

GPT-3: A powerful tool for both informing and misleading

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Wednesday, July 5, 2023

Social Media Usage Hits 48.3% of Global Population

Social media is one of the largest industries in the world because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up helping people to stay connected with each other. There have been numerous roadblocks such as questions surrounding privacy that threatened to make the growth rate of this industry slower than might have been the case otherwise. In spite of the fact that this is the case, it is estimated that there will be around 3.86 billion social media users this year.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that this represents just under half of the global population, or 48.3% to be precise. Unsurprisingly, 60% of the total internet users around the world hail from the Asia Pacific region.

All of the five countries that will show the highest volume of social media penetration are from this locale, including China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand. The Philippines is a particularly prevalent success story for the industry, since 98.6% of its internet users are on social media with all things having been considered and taken into account.

As for the growth rate for social media users, India is expected to see its numbers rise by a whopping 6.9% in 2023 alone. This growth rate makes the rest of the region pale in comparison. India is shaping up to be an enormous player in this arena which will see an increasing level of prevalence in terms of the level of importance it is given by the companies offering these services. The MENA region is also predicted to see a 5.4% growth rate.

The growth rate in the West is not really reaching these levels. For example, in North America, the number of social media users is projected to increase by 1.9%. Western Europe is faring even worse, with just a 1.8% uptick on the cards.

As influence in social media moves further eastward, the industry may need to pivot in order to cater to its new consumer base. These new consumers will have a different set of requirements.


H/T: Insider Intelligence / eMarketer

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

New Study Raises Alarm As Most People Admit To Using Dangerous VPN Services

The use of VPNs in today’s day and age have become so common that it’s rare to find users without useful tool. But did you know that the number of users that embrace the ordeal for the sake of privacy is actually at a huge risk?

The news comes after a recently published study by NordVPN claims that after surveying a larger number of the population in the UK for their interests in VPN, some alarming results were discovered.

This includes 40% speaking about using free services that are not only dangerous but actually controlled by hackers. Moreover, you’ll be amazed to learn that this study in question started in the year 2020 and it also enrolled a whopping 150,000 citizens from nearly 18 different nations.

Results also showcased how younger males that fell in the 25 to 44 age bracket are likely to utilize VPNs. Meanwhile, the study revealed how it was Gen Z that are guaranteed to use services for free which put others at a major risk due to having a lower figure for disposable income.

Other results showed how 73% of users having VPNs gave out a series of reasons for using the tool. The main was protection in the form of great privacy and also bypassing things like security risks as the topmost reason to put out such services in the first place. Moreover, 27% claimed to use it to gain access to content that’s usually restricted in other parts of the globe.

But the world’s top VPN service provider, NordVPN says that making use of such free services might put individuals at a greater risk than having their data at the disposal of criminals online. Similarly, it also adds a greater degree of vulnerability in terms of turning them into a target for ads that are deemed to be malicious.

Interestingly, the United Kingdom was believed to have one of the greatest figures for users getting access to free webpages through VPN. And that entails those that lie in the 11 to 25 age bracket and also those who had less income.

Furthermore, the study saw how millennial males that make up the majority of users for this tool are the ones who are more liable to get affected by the issues that such free of costs tools come with.

Always remember that the attention surrounding VPNs continues to grow as we speak as more individuals care about what sort of information they’re publishing online.

Other than that, their habits of using the web could be improved, yet some individuals continue to select free-of-cost VPNs when compared to those that continually are paid. But then a smaller majority spoke about using it at work and even forgot about how integral it is to have safe web connections when using the service at home.

Experts feel the issue linked to free services has to do with the fact that it’s necessary to produce revenue even though it’s for free. And while it does not offer any fee or charges, they do track the user and even sells information of users to interested third parties.

What happens in the end is that you get bombarded with a bucketload of advertisements or they set up strategies that convince users to switch to a paid system.

In terms of what is needed to keep users secure while surfing the web online, the answer is simple. It’s mostly linked to keeping your password strong and using software that’s designed to ward off threats. Similarly, it always helps to limit the amount of data shared online as it might come to bite you later.



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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Twitter Gives Users Detailed Explanation Of Why It Chose To Limit How Many Posts They Could Read Per Day

Twitter really caused an outcry among its user base across the weekend after it chose to make some serious changes that didn’t sit well with many.

The tech giant shocked the masses when it opted to introduce limits on the number of posts that people could read in a single day. And then it went about further changing those limits, causing Musk to step in and provide a small explanation for the ordeal.

During that moment, tech billionaire Elon Musk stated how such decisions were done keeping in mind the huge rise in data scrapping across its app, and that entailed its systems undergoing manipulation.

But the news did not leave so many people convinced who claimed he was just trying to cover it up. Today, the platform published another post on the same subject such as its business blog where it hoped to make its intentions very clear on why such stringent measures were being taken and what other things people can expect to occur soon.

The post began with how the goal was to make sure that the firm’s user base authenticity was kept as a top priority. Therefore, Twitter has zero room for bots, spam, as well as threat actors who continue to do nothing but harm to the network. And when asked why people were not provided with any heads up, well, Twitter says it would have given such bad actors enough time to change their behavior so they would no longer get detected.

Such posts are a clear indication of what goes on behind the scene when it comes to data scraping for apps like Twitter that make use of AI models. At the same time, it also confirmed how bots were tricking people and having chats on the app in a manner that would go unnoticed by the system. But the firm failed to highlight which firms were responsible for making use of such bots to gain their own benefits.

In the same way, the blog went about confirming how the latest limits for users in terms of how many posts they can read in a day were solely impacting a small fraction of those on the app. Similarly, it had a tiny impact on the whole advertising platform. Moreover, by the looks of it, the post seems to be hinting at how things might be going back to the usual and when that happens, Twitter vowed to again provide more updates as it’s currently doing just that.

The company opted to end the matter on a high by adding how deeply involved it has become in terms of making the platform a place for all to enjoy and make the most of. And while nobody likes such abrupt changes, it’s often necessary to take a break and slow down if you wish to make progress in the long run.


Read next: Community Notes On Twitter Aren’t Effective at Tackling Information, Fact Checkers Say
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Instagram Threads Is Coming To The US And UK But Not The EU

The hype surrounding Instagram Threads continues to peak as we speak and people in the US and the UK are setting their eyes on the launch that’s expected to arise tomorrow.

But the same news would not be applicable to those in the European Union who are being told to sit and watch in silence while other people sign up.

The news was announced by The Independent today who confirmed reports with the DPC today that Threads has not been given the green signal. And we’re not quite sure if and when it will.

But those in the UK will be able to use and make the most of the rollout as the country simply does not follow any privacy laws of the European Union after it opted to take the route of Brexit. Moreover, a similar scene ensued in terms of Google Bard which was recently rolled out across the United Kingdom without any trouble, despite it being banned for a launch in the EU region.

As per a recently published report, the top regulator from Ireland is not the one who opted to block Instagram Threads from conducting its launch across the EU. Instead, it’s actually tech giant Meta who has chosen to halt its release in this location because it feels it has its fair share of work to do in terms of making it compliant with laws in the EU related to privacy.

The problem with Instagram Threads seems to be the fact that it’s going to takin in data through the app entailing topics like location, health, search, and more. Moreover, the DPC reportedly prevented the company from rolling out ads on the app that take in data through both the Facebook as well as WhatsApp platforms.

While it’s necessary to wait a little more to see how the entire rollout takes place with Threads, people are getting excited that a new archrival is arriving in the market. Moreover, there is a countdown that’s being spoken about in terms of a launch which uses QR codes so that scans can be done using a device so that you can install any mobile application.

The page reserved for downloads on Threads includes pre-order buttons for a free iOS application while you’ll find a coming soon feature across the Play Store.


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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World