Microsoft Edge Reaches 10.75% Market Share, But Its Still Struggling Against Chrome

Microsoft has been trying to gain a foothold in the desktop browser market for quite some time now because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up diversifying its services. Edge has been the latest example of its web browsers, replacing the widely ridiculed Internet Explorer. Based on the data that was recently published by Statcounter, it appears that Microsoft Edge now holds a 10.75% share of the desktop browser market.

In spite of the fact that this is the case, it is still lagging far behind Google Chrome and Safari with all things having been considered and taken into account. Google Chrome gained 2.17 points to reach 63.33% in July after experiencing a decline from 65.88% to 61.16% in June.

Safari is only available for macOS users, but with all of that having been said and now out of the way it is important to note that it still holds a 13.13% share. This is a 1.35 point dip from the previous month, whereas Edge has seen a 0.03 point downturn in the same period. Coming in fourth is Firefox with 5.96%, followed by Opera with 4.51%.

If we were to zero in on the mobile browser market, things look largely the same. Indeed, Google and Apple have even more control in this arena, with Google Chrome holding a 64.81% share of the market whereas Safari is holding on to 24.76%. However, one major change is that Microsoft is nowhere to be seen as far as mobile browsers are concerned.

Instead, Samsung Internet holds third place with 4.3%, with Opera coming in fourth with a meager share of just 1.95%. Rounding off the top five list is UC Browser which also has a very small share of 1.79%.

All in all, Microsoft is not seeing considerable growth. Safari’s restricted access is still allowing it to cling on to second place, and it will be interesting to see if anything changes in the near future. The mobile browser market is unlikely to see any major players emerge unless something drastic changes.

Read next: 88% of Firms Are Worried About VPN Vulnerabilities
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Google Enhances Its AI Search Results With New Features And Better Performance

Just as you thought that tech giant Google’s efforts regarding its generative AI searches have gone down the drain, here comes some more exciting news on this front.

The tech giant wants the world to know that it still has what it takes to enhance its AI searches in a manner that provides better performance and quicker turnaround speed. Above all, users can make the most of its latest lineup of features too.

We agree that the firm has not really lived up to the great hype and expectations many may have had regarding its long list of projects but we feel things are getting more polished on that front.

The list is expansive and we’re seeing the core undergoing massive change to entail pictures and video inside text. This simply combines several search modes into a single layout. Moreover, Google says it’s delivering pictures to assist with the illustration of topics on this AI result front.

It’s like providing the right context for animals and objects that get named in your replies for search. Similarly, video-based results would also be included now, especially in those cases where a demo can end up benefiting far greater than something that’s static in nature.

These aren’t very familiar features for anyone that makes use of the Search offering on a daily basis but it’s a clear sign that shows how the company is growing on its AI front and could soon produce unique results that go above and beyond the usual search.

We’ll be seeing the tech giant launch this embedding of images and videos to search results as early as next week. But remember, only those that have joined its Labs initiative can benefit in terms of generative AI results on Google’s Search Engine.

It’s been hard for Google to really provide the best AI context to its replies but it did reveal how the goal was centered around this since day one. But now, we feel the matter is clearly getting resolved to a much greater extent than before through the addition of source links on the actual source or by linking websites where the data was printed.

But to really provide users with the best content out there today and to ensure they can rightly judge how timely the results are, the firm is adding publishing dates too near those links. This just makes it so much simpler to comprehend how outdated the data may be and whether or not it serves any more useful purpose.

Last but not least, we’re hearing more about the search engine giant celebrating success after attaining great AI overviews. The new list of changes is doing wonders as they’re reducing the time taken to generate results by 50%. And that means saying hello to quicker user delivery.

This certainly equates to less server costs simultaneously and makes it so much simpler to scale it to a wider audience.

People that had AI search ticked in the past few months have noticed how they’ve had little to no problems regarding slow delivery. It’s actually quite fast and no speed increase was observed too.

But what critics do feel can help make the experience better is when search results don’t jump from one place to the next after the delivery and display of the AI results. Still, we can simply see how hard tech giant Google is working to make the user experience more refined than ever with the help of AI tools.

For now, we’re waiting for the launch of these features for the masses and the response they attain.

Read next: Google Search Is Getting Smarter As Company Makes Minor Changes For Better User Experience
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Google Search Is Getting Smarter As Company Makes Minor Changes For Better User Experience

There’s nothing more convenient in this world than finding the answer to something that you’re in search of through Google.

It’s no wonder why the tech giant has always been on the lookout to better or enhance the user search experience in a manner that best serves us all. And if that means making some minor tweaks or edits along the way, then so be it.

Google says that its search is getting smarter and by that, we mean allowing users to attain anything and everything without losing focus and time. Through a simple click of a button, Google vows to make the search experience a delightful affair through features like Journeys on Chrome and even Touch To Search. And that just shows how closely the two are linked.

Now, more changes are on the way that comprises four minor edits that promise to take the search to a whole new level. It is also designed to help you save up on time and produce the right results along the way as well.

And when you happen to be going through web pages and reading a certain article, you’ll notice how the next search-based question tends to be intertwined with the data you just came across. For example, finding the best laptop would be followed up by laptops trending with a specific feature and more.

Now, Google is giving this a revamp by updating the Search Suggestions tab for its Chrome browser. Hence, you’ll be able to see another tab called Related and it would entail results that are linked to the question in demand.

All suggestions that are linked to your question would be on display on the Chrome browser. You can make the most of this by clicking on the address bar for Chrome after you are done searching for any websites that share similar support.

This feature would go on to save so much more time and effort than simply retyping something that is on your mind. Moreover, people are also known for using Search to track down the latest happenings related to current affairs around the globe. And that would cater to a certain individual’s demographics as well.

Therefore, Chrome on Android users’ devices will entail new features where the company puts all of its trending searches in a single place and that’s found in the tab for suggestions. Whenever you press on the address bar, you’ll find it getting labeled in a clear manner for Chrome. And the whole experience would be launched to all iOS users by the end of the year, the company adds.

In other news, Chrome users that have Android devices are also familiar with how Google puts out ten suggestions whenever they click on address bars across the browser. And that’s instead of the classic six bunch. You’ll see how this ends up taking major advantage of bigger screens that are seen on modern devices to some degree. But at the same time, it makes it so much simpler to move on to the next query when you can find something you’re looking for with very little effort.

The change would be rolled out for iOS users on the Chrome browser.

For years, Touch to Search has really been of great help and use for Android users too, going as far back as the year 2015. It provides the best results on Google Search and even some great suggestions regarding text put on websites when you open up Google Chrome.

Now, the endeavor is getting leveled up to a whole new degree and you’ll find so many searches on the tab for suggestions with scrolling carousels that work horizontally.

Users can tap on any phrase on the Chrome browser and you’ll find searches linked to it. This saves up your effort big time in terms of typing queries in the old-fashioned manner.

As a whole, we can see why Google is at the top of the game when it comes to search. Such little changes might seem small but go a long way in the end.

Read next: Google Rolls Out New Option On Chrome For Website Permissions
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Just 13% of Firms Are Complying With California’s Strict New Privacy Laws

The protection of consumer privacy has been a prime concern for governments around the world, but the American state of California is enacting some of the most stringent regulations of all. These include the California Consumer Privacy Act and the California Privacy Rights Act, or the CCPA and the CPRA for short respectively.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that just 13.33% of non-compliant firms have begun the process of manual compliance. The deadline came and went on the 1st of July 2023, but in spite of the fact that this is the case, Cytrio’s recent report reveals that the majority of firms are very slow to adapt to the new normal.

Out of the firms that were opting for manual compliance, 6.67% have made a shift towards automated solutions for compliance with all things having been considered and taken into account. As for completely non compliant companies, 14.67% have started working on either manual or automated compliance that can help them get the job done faster than might have been the case otherwise.

Larger companies appear to be more hesitant about compliance based on the data that can be seen in this report. 15.33% of companies that earned less than $100 million in revenue opted for manual compliance, with 8.67% moving towards automated solutions.

Business to business firms are also marginally more likely to comply with the new regulations, with 14% going from non compliance to manual compliance, and 8% going from manual to automated. As for consumer facing organizations, 12.67% of them started with manual compliance after non compliance, with 5.33% making the shift to automated compliance from manual.

This still leaves an enormous chunk of firms that are not even trying to comply with the laws as of right now. It will be interesting to see what sorts of consequences it brings, since these privacy laws are not going to become any less lax moving forward. Indeed, California’s tough policy on consumer privacy and protection may become a thorn in the side of businesses operating there.

Read next: 88% of Firms Are Worried About VPN Vulnerabilities
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

22% of Employees Are Regularly Using AI at Work

Ever since AI broke onto the scene, it was only a matter of time before people started using it to get things done at the workplace. A new report released by McKinsey’s AI focused department, QuantumBlack, revealed that AI use is already becoming commonplace in organizations around the world, and further growth could come faster than might have been the case otherwise.

This is based on a survey of just under 1,700 individuals that McKinsey conducted. With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that 79% of the people that responded to this poll stated that they are using AI to some degree in either their work life or their home life.

22% went so far as to say that they are frequently using AI specifically in the work place, indicating that this brand new form of tech is here to stay with all things having been considered and taken into account. Other surveys conducted by separate entities revealed that 70% of firms are using generative AI to up their creative potential.

Workers who are based in North America appear to be leading this charge, with a 28% adoption rate in the workplace so far. Europe comes in second with 24%, followed by the Asia Pacific region with 22%. China is lagging behind here, since just 19% of survey respondents that hailed from this East Asian nation stated that they are regularly using AI to complete various tasks that were assigned to them by their employers.

One might expect that tech oriented industries would be the fastest to adopt AI, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Rather, a combination of tech, media and telecom companies are at the top of the list with 33% because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up facilitating their needs in broad strokes.

Financial services came in second with 24%, followed by business, legal and professional services with 23%. It will be interesting to see where things go from here on out as AI continues to grow.

Read next: 87% of Businesses Plan to Invest in AI in 2023
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

88% of Firms Are Worried About VPN Vulnerabilities

VPNs can often be useful because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up allowing you to protect your privacy online. They can also serve to aid users in accessing content that might otherwise be blocked by the governments that they are beholden to. In spite of the fact that this is the case, the relative lack of safety of certain VPNs is making them more concerning for organizations than might have been the case otherwise.

According to a recent study conducted by Zscaler, 88% of organizations said that they have concerns about the vulnerabilities that could be created by VPNs. With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that phishing turned out the be the biggest concern of all, with 49% of organizations citing it as a prime issue for the future.

40% also mentioned ransomware as a particular worry that might come about due to compromise VPNs. This is unsurprising given that 33% of organizations have already suffered from ransomware attacks directed towards their VPNs with all things having been considered and taken into account.

Perhaps the most significant danger associated with the use of VPNs is the type of detrimental impact that it can have on the entire supply chain. When working with third party contractors, it can be challenging to unify or streamline security protocols. Hence, the use of a vulnerable VPN at any point in the supply chain could compromise every single entity that is a part of it, and organizations will be at great risk if this were to occur.

Experts are recommending that businesses adopt zero trust architecture in order to use VPNs as safely as possible. While there are some concerns about choosing the right partners to establish your zero trust framework, it is nonetheless a critical component of what maintaining an appreciable level of security. Some are even suggesting that brands and companies should avoid using VPNs altogether so that there are absolutely no cracks in the system that malicious actors would be able to exploit.

Read next: The Alarming State of Email Security Worldwide
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Snapchat Launches New Lens Creator Rewards Program For AR Lens Makers

In the world of social media apps, there’s one integral component that users fail to see. And that’s linked to the manner by which creators on these platforms get rewarded for their hard work and efforts, in an attempt to better the app.

Therefore, keeping that very notion in mind, Snapchat has decided to further reward its creators through the rollout of its Lens Creator Rewards program. The latter will be reserved for AR lens makers, the firm added.

The news was revealed through a recent FAQ session where the organization detailed more about the program and how it’s a pilot scheme that runs for as long as Snap wants it to. And by the looks of it, it appears like only a single creator would be chosen every month and they would be earning close to $7200 depending on how much engagement they attain in regions like the US, Mexico, and even India. But obviously, the figure rewarded would depend on the performance.

Snap mainly has its eyes on just three nations and they’re designed to evaluate the performance of the program. However, that does not mean other nations won’t be allowed to participate.

This includes Algeria, Saudi Arabia, the UK, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, Netherlands, Canada, Argentina, Sweden, Jordan, Spain, and so many more.

Snap also outlined how any Lens Creators out there today would probably benefit by paying Lens Studio a great visit and seeing if they meet the desired checklist of eligibility. Moreover, those creators that do offer their Lenses for submission and become applicable for a reward will now receive push alerts on the app and payments via the company’s Hyperwallet collaborative partner.

This decision made by Snap is one that encourages creators for Lens to roll out more entries so that it can benefit from winning rewards. In the same way, we’ll see it attracting a lot of attention from everyone that is still hesitant to produce content on the app.

As a whole, we feel this new initiative is going to be a great choice for all of the creators that use lenses and continue to submit more and more each day. Hence, it just serves as an incentive to do better when you know that at the end of the day, you’ll be rewarded for that. And there’s no better feeling.

Read next: Snapchat’s Q2 Performance Report Displays Increased Users And Recovery In Ad Business
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World