There appears to be two main story types on GamesIndustry.biz this year. First, there are all these record-breaking

What the hell is going on with video games? | Analysis

The app formerly known as Twitter saw its daily active users drop 16% in September, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing data from research firm Sensor Tower. The firm also said that the average time spent daily per user also fell 2% year-over-year ...

Despite usage declines, X remains 'stickier' than first thought

Dating apps have been a popular way to meet potential partners for years, but they seem to be losing their appeal. According to Sensor Tower, the global revenue of dating apps declined by 18.9% in 2023,

Why more people are quitting dating apps and finding love offline

After mobile advertising network, Unity, announced a rather controversial Runtime Fee, the number of US advertisers on the ad network dropped by 15% in a

Unity’s Runtime Fee sparks a 15% drop in US mobile app advertisers

Here’s a look at some of them. Standing tall at 721 Fifth Ave. in Midtown, Trump Tower is a 58-story skyscraper that has been a fixture in Manhattan since its completion in 1983. It serves as ...

Donald Trump’s Tower and these other NY properties could be lost in $250M civil fraud case

Friday, October 27 marks the one-year anniversary of Elon Musk's decision to buy X.com (formerly Twitter) for $44 billion. The company has seen staggering changes under Musk including changing the company's name,

X: Elon Musk's Twitter acquisition one year later

We keep an eye out for the most interesting stories about Labby subjects: digital media, startups, the web, journalism, strategy, and more. Here’s some of what we’ve seen lately.

X usage plummets in Musk’s first year as owner

Despite overall declining usage since Elon Musk's acquisition, X's hold on the microblogging market may be stickier than first thought. The app formerly

Despite usage declines, X remains ‘stickier’ than first thought

One year after Elon Musk's $44 billion purchase of Twitter, which he completed on October 27, 2022, after months of legal drama, the social media firm that Musk renamed "X" is on shaky financial ground.

Elon Musk’s chaotic first year at Twitter leaves X Corp. with shaky finances

Sensor Tower

sensor-tower

Somnis: Rumble Rush, a blockchain game developed by Overtake, has made a significant impact in the global gaming market, attracting widespread attention just three weeks after its official launch on August 20. Overtake CEO Oh Seung-hwan announced that the game’s launch has far exceeded expectations, with over 30,000 cumulative registrations within three weeks—a remarkable achievement in the blockchain gaming space, where active user bases are typically smaller. This success reflects the strong interest and growing popularity of Somnis: Rumble Rush among global gamers, following the game’s highly successful Closed Beta Test (CBT). From day one, Somnis: Rumble Rush has demonstrated impressive performance, with an average of over 10,000 daily active users (DAU). Nearly half of the registered players continue to engage with the game regularly—more than double the retention rate of standard games—highlighting the game’s exceptional player engagement and satisfaction. This consistent user activity underscores the growing demand for blockchain games that combine engaging gameplay with the freedom for players to fully manage and seamlessly trade their digital assets. Additionally, Somnis: Rumble Rush has quickly climbed the global ranks in the strategy game category. According to Sensor Tower, the game has ranked 8th in the U.S., 5th in Japan, 2nd in Indonesia, 2nd in the Philippines, 9th in Thailand, and 2nd in Brazil, marking strong performances in key markets. These rankings further solidify Somnis: Rumble Rush as not only a leader in blockchain gaming but also a competitor in the traditional gaming market, where player retention and engagement are crucial indicators of long-term success. “We achieved remarkable results at launch by enhancing the game based on the invaluable feedback from our CBT participants,” said Overtake CEO Oh Seung-hwan. “Moving forward, we will continue to offer exciting and innovative experiences through Somnis: Rumble Rush, and we look forward to your continued support and interest.” The strong reception from both blockchain and traditional gamers highlights Somnis: Rumble Rush as a pioneering example of how blockchain technology can enhance the gaming experience without compromising on entertainment value. The successful launch of Somnis: Rumble Rush underscores new possibilities for growth in the blockchain gaming market and sets the stage for Overtake’s continued success. Building on this momentum, Overtake is gearing up to expand its game portfolio with two highly anticipated releases in the coming months. Golden Guardians, a fast-paced roguelike adventure, and The Red One: Occultation, an Unreal Engine 5 extraction shooter, are poised to elevate Overtake’s presence in both the blockchain and traditional gaming spaces. With these diverse and innovative titles on the horizon, Overtake aims to captivate players worldwide and solidify its position as a leader in the next generation of gaming. Both upcoming releases will build on the strengths that have made Somnis: Rumble Rush a standout success—engaging gameplay, community-driven feedback, and the integration of blockchain technology that offers players true ownership of in-game assets. For more information please visit : Twitter |  Website  |  Discord  | Medium About Us OVERTAKE: Community Driven Game Publishing AAA Game IP + Web3 Mission Platform for Gaming + #1 Game asset marketplace + Web3 Degen = Overtake
Three game IPs led by Byoung Jae Lee, a former GM at EA Studios, who led FIFA Online series (Korea's most successful IP generating $600M yearly revenue)
Incubated by B&M Holdings, a globally leading Web2 game asset trading conglomerate with $700M+ yearly transaction volume and 30M+ registered gamers
Backed by ImmutableX, JB Investment, B&M Holdings Web3 Mission Platform for gaming Metrics Since May Launch Connected Wallets: 3,000,000 (up ~200% MoM)
DAU: Over 40k(up ~200% MoM)
NFTs Minted: 600,000 (up ~200% MoM) Somnis: Rumble Rush OBT W1 Metrics Registered Users (RU): 40,000
Daily Active Users (DAU): 12,000
D7 Retention: 60%
Daily Revenue: $3,
261 Press Inquiries: Kyung Jun Shin kjshin@ottm.io This story was distributed as a release by Btcwire under HackerNoon’s Business Blogging Program. Learn more about the program here. Somnis: Rumble Rush, a blockchain game developed by Overtake, has made a significant impact in the global gaming market, attracting widespread attention just three weeks after its official launch on August 20. Overtake CEO Oh Seung-hwan announced that the game’s launch has far exceeded expectations, with over 30,000 cumulative registrations within three weeks—a remarkable achievement in the blockchain gaming space, where active user bases are typically smaller. This success reflects the strong interest and growing popularity of Somnis: Rumble Rush among global gamers, following the game’s highly successful Closed Beta Test (CBT). From day one, Somnis: Rumble Rush has demonstrated impressive performance, with an average of over 10,000 daily active users (DAU). Nearly half of the registered players continue to engage with the game regularly—more than double the retention rate of standard games—highlighting the game’s exceptional player engagement and satisfaction. This consistent user activity underscores the growing demand for blockchain games that combine engaging gameplay with the freedom for players to fully manage and seamlessly trade their digital assets. Additionally, Somnis: Rumble Rush has quickly climbed the global ranks in the strategy game category. According to Sensor Tower, the game has ranked 8th in the U.S., 5th in Japan, 2nd in Indonesia, 2nd in the Philippines, 9th in Thailand, and 2nd in Brazil, marking strong performances in key markets. These rankings further solidify Somnis: Rumble Rush as not only a leader in blockchain gaming but also a competitor in the traditional gaming market, where player retention and engagement are crucial indicators of long-term success. “We achieved remarkable results at launch by enhancing the game based on the invaluable feedback from our CBT participants,” said Overtake CEO Oh Seung-hwan. “We achieved remarkable results at launch by enhancing the game based on the invaluable feedback from our CBT participants,” said Overtake CEO Oh Seung-hwan. “Moving forward, we will continue to offer exciting and innovative experiences through Somnis: Rumble Rush, and we look forward to your continued support and interest.” “Moving forward, we will continue to offer exciting and innovative experiences through Somnis: Rumble Rush, and we look forward to your continued support and interest.” The strong reception from both blockchain and traditional gamers highlights Somnis: Rumble Rush as a pioneering example of how blockchain technology can enhance the gaming experience without compromising on entertainment value. The successful launch of Somnis: Rumble Rush underscores new possibilities for growth in the blockchain gaming market and sets the stage for Overtake’s continued success. Building on this momentum, Overtake is gearing up to expand its game portfolio with two highly anticipated releases in the coming months. Golden Guardians, a fast-paced roguelike adventure, and The Red One: Occultation, an Unreal Engine 5 extraction shooter, are poised to elevate Overtake’s presence in both the blockchain and traditional gaming spaces. With these diverse and innovative titles on the horizon, Overtake aims to captivate players worldwide and solidify its position as a leader in the next generation of gaming. Both upcoming releases will build on the strengths that have made Somnis: Rumble Rush a standout success—engaging gameplay, community-driven feedback, and the integration of blockchain technology that offers players true ownership of in-game assets. For more information please visit : Twitter |  Website  |  Discord  | Medium About Us OVERTAKE: Community Driven Game Publishing AAA Game IP + Web3 Mission Platform for Gaming + #1 Game asset marketplace + Web3 Degen = Overtake Three game IPs led by Byoung Jae Lee, a former GM at EA Studios, who led FIFA Online series (Korea's most successful IP generating $600M yearly revenue) Incubated by B&M Holdings, a globally leading Web2 game asset trading conglomerate with $700M+ yearly transaction volume and 30M+ registered gamers Backed by ImmutableX, JB Investment, B&M Holdings AAA Game IP + Web3 Mission Platform for Gaming + #1 Game asset marketplace + Web3 Degen = Overtake Three game IPs led by Byoung Jae Lee, a former GM at EA Studios, who led FIFA Online series (Korea's most successful IP generating $600M yearly revenue) Incubated by B&M Holdings, a globally leading Web2 game asset trading conglomerate with $700M+ yearly transaction volume and 30M+ registered gamers Backed by ImmutableX, JB Investment, B&M Holdings Web3 Mission Platform for gaming Metrics Since May Launch Connected Wallets: 3,000,000 (up ~200% MoM) DAU: Over 40k(up ~200% MoM) NFTs Minted: 600,000 (up ~200% MoM) Connected Wallets: 3,000,000 (up ~200% MoM) DAU: Over 40k(up ~200% MoM) NFTs Minted: 600,000 (up ~200% MoM) Somnis: Rumble Rush OBT W1 Metrics Registered Users (RU): 40,000 Daily Active Users (DAU): 12,000 D7 Retention: 60% Daily Revenue: $3, 261 Registered Users (RU): 40,000 Daily Active Users (DAU): 12,000 D7 Retention: 60% Daily Revenue: $3, 261 Press Inquiries: Kyung Jun Shin kjshin@ottm.io kjshin@ottm.io This story was distributed as a release by Btcwire under HackerNoon’s Business Blogging Program. Learn more about the program here. This story was distributed as a release by Btcwire under HackerNoon’s Business Blogging Program. Learn more about the program here . here here

Overtake’s Somnis: Rumble Rush Surpasses 30,000 Registrations Just Three Weeks After Launch

Somnis de Overtake: Rumble Rush supera els 30.000 registres només tres setmanes després del llançament

Overtake's Somnis: Rumble Rush overgår 30.000 registreringer kun tre uger efter lancering

Το Overtake’s Somnis: Rumble Rush ξεπερνά τις 30.000 εγγραφές μόλις τρεις εβδομάδες μετά την κυκλοφορία

Somnis: Rumble Rush de Overtake supera las 30.000 matriculaciones solo tres semanas después de su lanzamiento

Overtake の『Somnis: Rumble Rush』が発売からわずか 3 週間で登録者数が 30,000 人を突破

Somnis របស់ Overtake: Rumble Rush លើសពីការចុះឈ្មោះ 30,000 គ្រាន់តែបីសប្តាហ៍បន្ទាប់ពីការចាប់ផ្តើម

Overtake의 Somnis: Rumble Rush가 출시 3주 만에 등록자 30,000명을 돌파

„Otake's Somnis“: „Rumble Rush“ pranoko 30 000 registracijų praėjus vos trims savaitėms po starto

Overtake’s Somnis: Rumble Rush надмина 30.000 регистрирани само три недели по лансирањето

Overtake's Somnis: Rumble Rush tejkalon 30,000 regjistrime vetëm tre javë pas lançimit

Olib ketish somnisi: Rumble Rush ishga tushirilgandan atigi uch hafta o‘tib 30 000 ta ro‘yxatga olinganlardan oshib ketdi

Somnis của Overtake: Rumble Rush vượt qua 30.000 lượt đăng ký chỉ sau ba tuần ra mắt

Even if you’ve never heard of Social Discovery before, you’re helping it to grow and evolve. According to Sensor Tower research, every minute users from different countries spend about $1,600 in Social Discovery apps. Let’s see how this market works and where it will move in the near future. What is Social Discovery? For users, Social Discovery is about finding people on the web and communicating online or offline. But in fact, this market is much wider than it seems. It combines technology services that help people expand their social and business connections: social networks, dating apps, games, training, and travel platforms. So, we are talking about the well-known YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Airbnb, TripAdvisor, Dating.com, Tinder, and so on. Social Nets are outdated? Nearly 5 billion people use social media, which is 56.8% of the total world population. Due to the popularity of social platforms, the question of how they affect our mental health has appeared on the agenda. And surprisingly, numerous studies have found links between social media and depression, anxiety, and loneliness. For example, a study from the says that every day we scroll through Instagram feed, compare the ideal world on the screen to our lives, and feel dismayed by not living up to it. University of Pittsburgh We have become more dependent on other people’s assessments, worry about appearances, and remake ourselves to the set standards. There are many applications like or that can change you beyond recognition with just a couple of clicks. Body Tune Perfect365 More than that, social networks are said to cause FOMO — the fear of missing out on exciting things. Most of the popular platforms do not give us much real interaction experience, and the user there acts as an observer. When we see bright trips and parties in the feed, we catch the sense of missed opportunities. On the one hand, social networks give us the opportunity to connect, but on the other hand, being in touch doesn’t mean showing attention, sympathy, and love. It’s time for the Social Discovery market to change and come up with new big ideas that will improve our social lives. And it seems to have plenty of shots in the locker. AI will cure loneliness During mass isolation, people tried to find their own cure for loneliness. Out of the shadows came the technologies that could act as a “conversation partner” and give users the attention they were looking for. If earlier we used Siri exclusively as an assistant, now more users consider it as a companion. This stimulated the emergence of a new niche in the Social Discovery market. Companies have begun to offer solutions that connect people and artificial life forms in the digital space. They allow us to build relationships with the help of AI and make virtual friends. Intuit Robotics has created the robot, dubbed the “Happy Aging Helper.” This smart technology reminds the user to take their medications and even play cognitive stimulation games with them. ElliQ A completely new form of human-AI relationship is , on of the Social Discovery Group's investments. This is a virtual companion who can become a friend or even a romantic partner of the user. It is able to hold a conversation, empathize, support, and even share its feelings as their relationship with the user evolves. EVA AI Special apps for psychological help are even prescribed to patients with depression in the USA. For example, — the chatbot that provides cognitive behavioral therapy. It tracks and analyzes the mood of users during a conversation and helps to improve their emotional state based on the collected data. Woebot Will we live in the metaverse? When Mark Zuckerberg announced that his company would be renamed to Meta, the net was flooded with articles calling metaverses the new trend of our time. These are digital spaces that simulate reality and combine content, communication, gaming, and other possible forms of communication. Metaverses offer us another level of interaction with digital reality. We stop watching and start acting: users under the avatars navigate online spaces, hold work meetings, go shopping in marketplaces, and even choose clothes from meta-fashion collections. Virtual worlds are developed by both small startups and large corporations — Microsoft, Decentraland, Roblox, and others. But a single and full-fledged digital universe does not yet exist. Mark Zuckerberg and Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney say that the force of one company is not enough to build a new digital world, they just create parts of one huge metaverse. VR and AR technologies are not mature enough for our life to move into the metaverse. VR glasses are too heavy to wear for more than 30 minutes, and the metaverse itself lacks the quality of graphics and simulation of sensations. But the statistics say we will soon see the rise of Social Discovery in virtual reality. Social Discovery Group estimates that 25% of romantic relationships will be started in the metaverse in 2026. Dating.com, the flagman company's dating platform, has recently announced a series of virtual events in the metaverse. The first event, which occurred in April, ran for two hours and featured multiple games and icebreakers, including movie and TV trivia. According to , CSO at Social Discovery Ventures, society will gradually get used to the phenomenon of the metaverse and communication with AI over the next decade. KJ Dhaliwal The gamification trend New virtual worlds should constantly surprise the user, keeping their attention. And if earlier we immersed ourselves in games in order to take a break from reality, now reality becomes a pause in the constant gameplay. Gamification has even made its way into dating apps. Here we can see another SDG investment — application, where the users get cartoon avatars instead of uploading their photos. No photos, and therefore no appearance bias. Users cannot judge each other’s appearance until they chat and both agree that they vibe. Also, every morning users receive trending icebreaker questions designed to ignite connections. These questions cover a wide range of topics, from light-hearted inquiries like "Is Elvis still alive?" to more thought-provoking ones such as "Are we witnessing the decline of social media in America?" After that, the user can open a chat with someone who answered the same way, or the opposite to have a discussion. The purpose of these icebreaker questions is to foster meaningful conversations and enable individuals to form deeper connections. What sets our app apart from others is that if two individuals discover a shared interest or vibe, they are given the exclusive opportunity to unveil each other's real photos, adding an extra layer of authenticity to their interaction. Magnet Social platforms quickly became popular and start to lose their relevance at the same speed. Users have created a demand for new features and apps to communicate in digital spaces. Therefore, metaverse, artificial intelligence, and gamification in social applications can become a cure for loneliness on the web. AI will soon be able to win the favor of users, and with the rise of VR and AR, we will no longer be limited by the screens of our devices. As a result, Social Discovery will offer us new and better forms of digital connection. Also published here .

How Social Discovery Can Help Cure Loneliness

Cómo el descubrimiento social puede ayudar a curar la soledad

Comment la découverte sociale peut aider à guérir la solitude

कैसे सामाजिक खोज अकेलेपन को दूर करने में मदद कर सकती है

社会的発見が孤独を治すのにどのように役立つか

Como a descoberta social pode ajudar a curar a solidão

Làm thế nào khám phá xã hội có thể giúp chữa khỏi sự cô đơn

社交发现如何帮助治愈孤独感

I was a novice entrepreneur once — I started an app business in 2019 — facing ambiguity and stress, having no time to learn because you should work for 3-4 different roles in the startup, not knowing what exact step has to be the next. I wish I had attended Apple Entrepreneur Camp back then. Though even now I have appealing insights from the program. Sometimes all you need is adequate guidance — that can help to clear the vision, and I got one on the course — so here is a list of my top 5 lessons. 1) Make your app inclusive for as many people as possible When creating a product for diverse users — inclusivity is essential. Consider language support, accessibility features, and cultural considerations in design. Creating an inclusive product not only aligns with ethical values but can also set your product apart from competitors and build a loyal user base. Since my team develops a kid’s learning game, the Camp made us realize the need to diversify the characters in our products to represent a wider audience, including individuals from different backgrounds, genders, and with disabilities. 2) Always be user-centered Sometimes you get lost in your business processes while you move fast, building your company. Well, to create a successful product, it is crucial to prioritize the needs of your users above all else. Conducting user research, testing and iterating on designs, and seeking user feedback can help ensure — your product is user-friendly, intuitive, and valuable. To better understand your users, it may be helpful to segment them based on various factors like country, age, gender, needs, pain points, favorite categories in your app, and how they discovered your product. By clustering your users into these segments, you can gain insights into how to better meet their needs. We had an always-on process of usability testing in Keiki, led by the design team, and so far we are starting a continuous user research process with in-depth interviews. 3) Tailor your store product page to make a better experience for the individual user Many young entrepreneurs tend to overlook the process of product page optimization, choosing to display the same product description to all users. Nevertheless, it is crucial to acknowledge that users possess varied requirements and your product may offer several noteworthy features that appeal to users through different channels, each with its unique target audience. Here are some questions to verify you are doing your maximum with optimization: Does your product have any core features that can be highlighted for different segments? Do you need to alter your product pages for different traffic sources, like paid social or partnership? Do you need to modify product screens depending on the country? Do you upload seasonal content? Have you ever tested changing app icons and screens with different styles and colors? It's vital to set up your first A/B test as soon as possible. So you can see how changes to your product page are affecting users. 4) Prepare for the app review The feedback provided by the App Review team is invaluable for new app developers. Each comment provides a unique perspective that can be used to improve and refine the app for a better user experience. What can you do to prepare? Identify the top apps in your category — check product features, reviews, and general metrics like downloads. You can utilize App Annie and Sensor Tower for such a goal. Compare your app with direct competitors or products on the same stage as yours — check out user reviews and feedback, since users of small apps can be more engaged. Evaluate app design and functionality, and analyze app performance metrics. 5) Reward your user First of all, for me personally, just simple navigation, and tutorial are already a reward for a user. Nevertheless, I am here to tell you another point — you have to create an adventurous journey with a reward system for your customer. It gives them a sense of achievement and happiness, which makes them feel good about using the app. Besides, it helps the app keep users around for the long haul, so everybody wins! We designed a reward experience for our young users after every accomplished stage. Well, what’s more… After talking to people from , you begin to understand why they are such an incredible company, creating products like . Despite anything else, the user is always at the forefront of their priorities. Apple Vision Pro With endless opportunities for personal and professional development in today's world, the best advice is to be proactive, ask questions, and view every person as a potential source of wisdom to share and from whom to learn. Every individual is a treasure trove of knowledge, especially when placed in an environment like the Apple Entrepreneur Camp and it is up to each participant to take advantage of the opportunity for growth.

Top-5 lessons I learned during Apple Entrepreneur Camp

People are very social beings by default. Even the most introverted ones still have people that they like a bit more than the rest of the bunch. We rely on co-operation to survive and thrive. We usually learn from each other quicker than by ourselves. The disconnect that happened between all of us and between us and nature during the pandemic hit us fast and hit us hard. . People had and still do have a lot more time on their hands and minds and it’s even easier to get wrapped up in social media, the fast-moving world, and forget to connect with other humans, nature, and ourselves. Rates of anxiety and depression among U.S. adults were about 4 times higher between April 2020 and August 2021 than they were in 2019 Constant regulations, changes on how to fight the pandemic every day, preventive measures, and other things daily spin in our minds and occupy our thoughts. No wonder a lot of people are turning their heads into this thing mindfulness and are trying to find and learn the best practices. The times when you thought that mindfulness only exists somewhere on a mountain with a bald man all wrapped up in cloth sitting inside a tree are long past. The word itself is pretty straightforward, it means being present in your mind, your body, with all of your senses. Imagine standing in the shower and feeling the drops of the water on you, feeling how you stand, your posture, the breathing in your lungs as you inhale and exhale, and the sound of the running water. That's mindfulness, being there in the present moment without thinking about the past or the future and that’s generally how people that look into this movement want to feel like. Mindfulness is a great way to reduce anxiety, however, just like anything else, it needs practice. The Pandemic and its Impact on Mental Health Anxiety rates have increased during the pandemic and people more often than not turned to yoga, meditation, therapy, and other methods. However, some have seen themselves run into the arms and art of escapism, which is another method, albeit not always looked upon positively. , there is evidence that the fear of isolation that many people experienced during the lockdown measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic is positively related to the consumption of media that elicits nostalgia. People run off to TV shows, movies, books, video games - anything that takes them away from current life and situation, aka they escape into the world of fiction. According to research The recent increase in consumption of media that seems nostalgic is one of the reasons why people started listening to decade-old songs or why TikTok’s dance trends saw a rise with songs that most consider nostalgic. Running away from the trap that becomes your mind is not an easy feat. People who struggle with mental health issues have to find the time in their usually busy schedule to book appointments, go to a yoga class, meditation or a therapy session. However, during the pandemic, most of these activities became unavailable due to numerous restrictions in the communities country-wide. Therefore, those who already struggled started struggling even more, not to mention that others who’d become impacted during lockdown didn’t even have a chance to start exploring mindfulness, as they had fewer options to choose from. All the options accessible before were not available due to restrictions, making people try to come up with other ways to fight mental illness. Another thing to keep in mind is that these options are a good way to improve mental health and dip into the world of mindfulness for those who are not struggling with income, or other criteria. Therapy sessions with a trained psychiatrist can be an expensive solution that somehow needs to fit into your daily life and busy schedule. Yoga classes may be full by those doing it for years and finding a suitable time slot can be challenging as well. Let’s not forget that all of the options may not be available at all depending on where you live. The Rise and Popularity of Mindfulness Apps The pace of everyday living is extremely high and there’s just so much to do, we’re currently on the edge of our seats when it comes to just living our lives. What is more, in the thriving age of technology it’s more and more difficult to disconnect from reality, as you are always available and reachable via social media. The consequences of being constantly interrupted by today’s hyper-connected digital lifestyle are a chronic state of anxiety, stress, busyness, and a general sense of restlessness. “Focus is one of the most important skills of the 21st century but it’s becoming much harder to pay attention because our smartphones are always interrupting us.” Sometimes it feels as if it is difficult to run away and wanting to throw your phone away becomes a constant. But there’s an antidote to this age of digital distraction. That antidote is digital mindfulness, which involves developing smartphone habits that enable you to focus and concentrate for long periods of time by training your attention and minimizing interruptions. The coronavirus pandemic has led to a surge in downloads of mental wellness applications, and specifically, those focused on meditation, dealing with anxiety and helping users fall asleep. According to a from app store intelligence firm Sensor Tower, the world’s 10 largest English-language mental wellness apps in April saw a combined 2 million more downloads during the month of April 2020 compared with January, reaching close to 10 million total downloads for the month. new report From what we can see, the mindfulness topic is becoming closely entwined with technology, which I personally find fascinating, therefore deciding to write an article about it. It may seem counterintuitive to solve digital distraught and constant social media notification onslaught with another app but as long as it works, the world is our oyster. The rise of apps like , , and others that offer a variety of breathing exercises, yoga, music for better sleeping, meditation and even psychological advice seems logical. You can now explore being mindful and practice mindfulness without even leaving your apartment or your room. And the biggest advantage and one of the reasons these types of apps see a rise in downloads and installs is that they can be used anywhere at any time. You don’t have to book an appointment with your therapist, you can just sit down during your lunch break and immerse yourself into the calming waters of mindfulness. Headspace Calm Yours App , a recent application to join the mindfulness scene, even offers professional psychologist advice, which sets the tone for future and current applications to amp up their game in addition to current features. Moreover, and let’s be real for a second, things are expensive - lessons, classes, therapy sessions. Applications can provide a lot of various content and cost less than one yoga class. Yours App Mindfulness Apps Vs. the Real Thing Let’s think critically about mindfulness applications and physical therapy sessions, yoga classes, meditation exercises. Applications pros and cons: App content is available at any time during the day or night and at any location; A lot of apps provide customizable features and content, so you get what you’re in need of; Different people require different needs and being social (aka a group yoga class) can improve their mental health; It is easy to get sidetracked when using an application, as you’re the one responsible for attentiveness; Physical activities pros and cons: You can get out of the house and change your surroundings, which is also crucial to your mental health; One on one sessions or activities are accustomed to you, specifically, therefore might be more accurate; Activities can be expensive and not available to everyone (f.e.low income, rural areas, etc.); Activities are scheduled and may be difficult to reschedule when plans change. Summary The pandemic hit us hard not only physically but also emotionally and mentally. Anxiety and mental health issues have seen a rise during Covid, making it more difficult for those already struggling and increasing the number of people who suffer. While there are a number of methods and possibilities available like meditation, yoga, psychotherapy and others, not all of them may be accessible to everyone. The rise of mindfulness applications seems to be making a positive impact on those having issues, not to mention being more available to the majority. It is enthralling to see how technology evolves to fit the specific needs of the users of such applications that focus on mental health. These kinds of adjustments and flexibility are always welcome, as technology becomes more personalized and ready for those who want to immerse themselves into the world of mindfulness.

Digital Mindfulness vs the Real Thing During the Pandemic: Digital Age’s Impact

To make a product that sells, you have to know what your potential customers actually want. And to successfully sell that product, the one you so diligently fitted to your customers’ needs, you need to know their priorities. This is why we’ve conducted a survey to find out what apps Mac users like, why, and what they value most when making a decision to purchase an app. Let’s dive into the Mac Apps Trends Report 2021. Key Takeaways While you can read the full report by clicking the link at the bottom of this article, you might want to browse through these highlights of the most exciting findings. This will help you successfully navigate the wealth of information within the report and make sense of it very easily, but also assess if you need to spend time studying the full report or can maybe skip this one. Just like with our product Setapp, we are just trying to save the audience some time and make them more productive;) 1. Average Mac user utilizes 12 apps a day While this may seem like a lot, note that our survey showed that the average number of installed apps is 31, so 12 is a little over a third of installed apps. This means if your app is suitable for frequent use, you might want to take that into account when developing or improving your product, as well as share that in your marketing materials. 2. On average, users spent $36/year on Mac apps Our survey showed that users spent around $36 on Mac apps in the last 12 months. This is much lower than Sensor Tower data for iOS users as . According to their assessment, US iPhone users spent an average of $138 on apps in 2020. The number is projected to increase to $180 in 2021. reported by TechCrunch 3. One-time licenses are appealing According to our findings, it looks like users prefer one-time licenses for their apps. 36% of respondents said they favor paying once and getting the app for indefinite use. Note that the majority did not have a preference at all (38%), so diversifying your payment options might be the most optimal way after all. 4. Mac app users care about security most of all Our survey showed that most respondents prioritize the security of an app over anything else. 57% said security is the most important factor when choosing a new Mac app. Features, user experience, and privacy were also listed as some of the top priorities. 5. The main reason to buy a Mac app — it does what it says An app’s purpose, i.e. it does what it says, was chosen by our respondents as their key reason to buy. 50% chose that option. The next most popular reason was the price that fits one’s budget, nothing surprising there. What you should pay attention to though is that availability of a free trial is important to 38% of the surveyed users, while online reviews are of note only for 14%. Even recommendations garnered a mere 24%. 6. Price is the biggest reason to reject an app Well, that’s probably not much of a shocker, but still. Make sure you investigate the purchasing capacity of your target audience and are confident your asking price is not only fair with regards to your product, value, and production and maintenance costs, but also your customers’ budgets. If you charge too much and people just can’t afford it, it’s a purchase discourager for 42% of the people we surveyed. By the way, 38% said that if there’s a free alternative for an app they’d likely decide not to buy. And to add to my previous point about highlighting how often your users can utilize the app, 38% of the surveyed said if they don’t plan to use an app regularly, they are less likely to purchase it. 7. Mac users prefer apps designed specifically for Mac Another curious finding in our survey is that Mac users really love it when an app was designed for Mac specifically. My take is that not only initial app development should be targeted at Mac users, but you also need to update your product regularly, in time with any major macOS updates. 8. Apple Silicon And finally, Apple Silicon. Our findings show that for more than 70% of users native support for Apple Silicon Macs is important or somewhat important. And since the market is going to be saturating more and more with M1 devices, it’s high time to update your app with M1 chip support. Curious to study all the details yourself? Here’s . the link to our full report

Mac Apps Trends in 2021: Useful Consumer Insights

In the short term, COVID-19 has unquestionably changed our lives. The virus has spread and mutated exponentially, leaving little time for corporations, organizations, and countries to adapt, survive, and prosper. As we all try to cope with the disruptions the outbreak causes in our daily life, societies, and companies, the COVID-19 pandemic also has massively driven individuals, organizations, and governments to digitalization and digital platforms. Learn about Mobile App Industry Amidst COVID-19 Mobile apps here have taken center stage. They have shown the potential to reinforce a variety of innovations to keep the world running at a time when corporations are stagnant in a climate of uncertainty and difficulties. Hundreds of different mobile apps helped us bravely deal with the outbreak and educated us to embrace the new normal. Downloads in Mobile App Stores App downloads have increased steadily over recent years, according to stats released by Sensor Tower. The total number of globally downloaded apps per quarter has doubled in the five years since 2015, reflecting both increased smartphone penetration and the highly powerful role of apps in our lives. We saw a sharp spike in app downloads in the first two quarters of 2020, with Q2's total of nearly 38 billion app downloads representing a 9 billion rise over Q4 2019; an increase of almost a third (to be precise, 32 percent). On the left side, you can see country-levels downloads and on the right side worldwide downloads. Source: Sensor Tower User Spending on Mobile Apps is Rising During the Lockdown User spending on mobile apps is expected to exceed 171 billion dollars worldwide by 2024, more than double that of 85 billion dollars in 2019. That figure is the result of continuous growth of 17-18 billion annually over half a decade, which could be even greater, given that the impact of COVID-19 could be more unpredictable than we anticipated. One thing for certain: in the next 5-6 years, it won't reduce user spending. Source: Sensor Tower It is impressive, however, that even the slowest-growing regions in both app stores, Apple's App Store and Google Play, will see revenues by 2024 that are more than 80%higher than their 2019 levels. Over the next five years, app stores will also go through several milestones. For example, for the first time in 2020, global spending on mobile apps will hit $100 billion, growing to $102 billion year-over-year to about 20%. Mobile App Testing Trends Influenced by the Outbreak It is important to note that the demand for testing services for mobile apps is estimated at $14.7 billion by 2026 and significant growth in revenue is expected to occur between 2016 and 2026. A recent study published by an eminent market research analyst shows that a remarkable 19.5%CAGR value will be reported by the market for mobile app testing services between the forecast period (2016 to 2026). At the same time companies are not well equipped to cope with the growing complexity and variety of testing multiple mobile networks, devices, and services, according to Capgemini. The company announced that there was a change in focus from traditional 'functional testing' to safety testing, performance testing, and compatibility in the mobile testing solution. Therefore, the industry is expected to depend increasingly on testing services as services provide businesses with the opportunity to maintain high quality while reducing cost and time-to-market. This has driven the growth of crowdsourced testing in 2020 as it allows businesses of any scale to leverage the power of experienced testers who have access to virtually unlimited devices at any time and in virtually any place. And in addition, as "remote" becomes the latest trend, it is another reason why the popularity of crowd testing is growing in parallel. The pandemic undermined all the preconceived assumptions of the static requirement of an Agile-driven software development lifecycle. Crowdsourced testing of mobile apps is estimated at 6.04 billion by the end of 2022. It is worth mentioning that the rise in 2020 is the most noticeable growth due to the pandemic, with 42%relative to other years. During the forecast period, mobile testing services in the device category segment are expected to report the highest growth rate in the crowdsourced testing industry, as the number of mobile-based software tailored to different operating systems (OS), such as Android and iOS, has increased significantly. Customers, therefore, expect the apps to run flawlessly on all forms of devices, OS, and network on their cell phones. Source: Maia Research Final Thoughts Throughout a range of industries and most mobile verticals, the effect of the Coronavirus was disastrous, although some of them thrived on it. Although the worst affected ones have been companies such as travel and manufacturing, the software industry has still benefited to some extent. The pandemic has increased the need for a system where it is possible to remotely execute any operation that previously needed your real presence. The current climate has in many ways been unpredictable for customers, dependence on mobile apps as a means of commerce, communication, education, shopping, and entertainment, etc will continue to grow. Also published on: https://nurlan-41085.medium.com/mobile-app-industry-in-the-face-of-the-pandemic-opportunity-or-threat-53893df3c8a7

The Growth of the Mobile App Industry Amidst COVID-19

How Nonprofits Can Use TikTok for Digital Diplomacy

You may not know it, but companies are using your data as a commodity. For decades, all of your online habits have been stored, bought, shared, transferred, and maybe even stolen by businesses and individuals. Their goal is to make money, and your data helps them do it. Sometimes it's just to target you with adverts you may be interested in, but other times it's for more nefarious reasons. And the people who own your data can make lots of money off of it. In Europe, they put a stop to this practice by introducing the . The European Union introduced the regulation on May 25, 2018. It's a legally binding framework that provides guidelines on how organizations and individuals can collect and process personal information and data of anyone who lives in the EU. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) An essential part of the regulation is that online visitors to your website from the EU must be given full disclosure of how you will collect, process, and use their data. Visitors must also give their full consent by agreeing. If a website's data is breached, visitors must be notified as soon as possible. The EU has been handing out hefty fines to sites who cannot uphold GDPR. Similar to GDPR, California's recent privacy law, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), was also years in the making, and it became law on January 1, 2020. The CCPA is a state-level law similar to GDPR, requiring that companies inform users how they plan to collect and monetize their data. Also similar to the GDPR, the CCPA must allow users to request the deletion of their data, and offer the option to opt-out of any data sharing or sales programs. Why is data privacy so important? Data privacy is increasingly becoming a well-known issue, and data breaches can severely hurt a business's reputation. Not to mention the possible hefty fine for not implementing strong security safeguards and protecting data. Many companies collect data from their users and employ it to create better insights, such as developing new strategies and optimizing their revenue and profit growth. This is why data is a vital commodity in today's digital age, and companies are adopting fresh ways to use, share, and collect their user data. Due to this new drive by companies to harvest as much data as possible, it's critical that users are fully aware of how websites are tracking them, especially if they're being . deceived Some users are arguing that Google falsely advertised how Chrome's 'Incognito' mode prevented websites from tracking, collecting, and identifying data in real-time. It's generally known that Google tracks all behavior in Chrome, such as what users are reading and clicking on. But plaintiffs argued that Google cunningly used smart language to hide that it still collects data, and user activity is still visible to websites. How GDPR and CCPA Prevent Cyber-theft There have been a vast number of recently, and when large tech companies like Facebook, Yahoo, and financial institutions like banks are breached, the number of compromised data records can reach into the millions. cyberattacks Both GDPR and CCPA have requirements on how companies secure and respond to any breach of data, and can impose fines for any violations. GDPR penalties can reach as high as 4% of a company's annual turnover, where-as CCPA can issue a fine of several thousand dollars per file stolen. Either way, both regulations will help to ensure organizations implement proper security measures to protect their data. Internet users are often advised by online security experts to use a VPN when accessing the Internet to help ensure their data is encrypted and remain anonymous as much as possible. Doing so prevents companies from collecting too much data and can help avoid direct cyber-threats on their computer and smartphone. But even VPN providers aren't safe from threats. VPNs are Victims of Hacking In October 2019, one of the most well-known personal VPN companies, . Somehow hackers gained access to one of their remote servers. NordVPN confirmed they were the target of a successful cyberattack And they're not the only ones. There have been confirmed reports that both TorGuard and VikingVPN were also compromised in separate attacks. If VPN companies are not tracking their users' activity and other data, there shouldn't be a cause for alarm. But it's recently been that popular ad-blocking apps and VPN companies are secretly collecting their users' data. reported Many smartphone users install VPN and ad-blocking apps without checking what they agree to. Sensor Tower, the owners behind over 20 ad-blocking and VPN apps, have slyly harvested data from millions of people who downloaded and installed their Android and iOS apps. The company was able to gain access by prompting users to allow them access to install a root certificate. Doing so allowed Sensor Tower direct access to all data, and traffic passing through the phone's network. Conclusion Finding a secure business VPN is not easy. There are plenty of options available, but dig a little deeper, and you'll just how many have broken their users' trust by using clever language to cover-up their shady practices, asking for dangerous permissions such as accessing call logs, location via GPS, or hiding breaches of data. uncover For these reasons, it's essential to do your research before using any business VPN. Ensure it's secure, won't track your behavior, and won't ask for unnecessary permissions. For an example of a cloud Business VPN that won't violate your privacy and can encrypt your information and keep you secure. For the average internet user, GDPR and CCPA should mean they’re able to exercise greater control over how companies collect and use their data. By being able to opt-out and request all their data is deleted, gains have been made to put some power back in the hands of the user.

What the GDPR and California Privacy Act Means for Tech Companies

This past weekend came as quite a shock to a vast amount of netizens in . While having a conversation with reporters on Air Force 1, president Donald Trump mentioned banning TikTok in the U.S., a video sharing social platform with 165 million downloads in the region, that is accused of providing data to the government. the United States Chinese Presidents utterance sent waves across influencers, politicians, cybersecurity experts, going as far as Microsoft, that was in the early phase of negotiations to buy the software for, , 50 billion dollars. The software is currently owned by ByteDance, a Beijing based I.T. company, that is accused by Trump administration of providing American citizen data to the Chinese government, a claim that the company vehemently denies. according to Reuters report In this article, I’d like to address the current state of affairs regarding with an emphasis on its features. TikTok security What is TikTok, and what’s the problem? TikTok is a video-sharing social networking platform that was first launched in China under Douyin name. The following year it was renamed to TikTok and introduced to global communities with great success. According to , in April 2020, the App crossed 2 billion downloads globally, and in October 2018, it was the most downloaded App in the U.S. Sensor Tower Store Intelligence However, the rapid expansion of the social network and its ties to China have not been unnoticed. As early as 2019 TikTok has been accused of transferring user data to Chinese servers, when the Californian student Misty Hong filed a lawsuit on the basis that it sent users’ phone activities, as well as visited websites outside of the App, to China. Another issue arose on September 25th when exposing how “the popular Chinese-owned social network, instructs its moderators to censor videos that mention Tiananmen Square, Tibetan independence, or the banned religious group Falun Gong.” This aroused suspicion among U.S. politicians that the App is being used to broaden Chinese political influences via the software, further deepening political tensions between the two countries, which were already tense after Donald Trumps executive order to ban Huawei products. The Guardian published an article Finally, TikTok has been banned in India, after their relationship with China degraded earlier this year, after military standoffs along the Sino-Indian border. All of this, coupled with China's aggressive stance regarding Hong Kong political status, led to renewed discussions regarding China's influences, dragging TikTok to the middle of it. This also brought TikTok under scrutiny by cybersecurity companies, and NordVPN was quick to that something more is going on, than just short video sharing. warn the readers by a blogpost Does TikTok exploit user data? One thing for sure, for this, to be more than just a political clash, there must be something within the software itself to base accusations with facts. Even though it’s tough to be 100% sure (for that you would also need access to Chinese corporate as well as governmental servers, good luck getting that), TikTok has repeatedly shown suspicious behaviour. For example, it was that TikTok had a design that granted access to users iOS clipboard. This was a broader issue for Apple products; however, TikTok was warned of suspicious behaviour, and even after iOS 14 fixed the bugs the clipboard tracking process on TikTok was still running. exposed by Forbes Above mentioned Californian student Misty Hong has something similar to say. According to her, she downloaded the software but did not create an account. Months later she noticed the account was created for her anyway, with which she made several videos but never published or saved them. However, the lawsuit states that TikTok still gathered the video data and without her knowledge sent to servers in China. However, one of the more convincing arguments comes from , where a user Bangorlol claims to have successfully reverse-engineered TikTok. He or she claims to be a senior software engineer with 15 years of experience, but here we’ll just have to take a leap of faith. However, the findings were disturbing. a discussion on Reddit Reverse engineering is a skilful practice that, in a nutshell, means to take something apart and rebuild it from the very beginning. When it comes to software, it means digging deep into the code, taking separate functionalities apart, analyzing them and their ultimate purpose. This would reveal if TikTok is gathering excessive amounts of data and misuses it. According to Baforlol, Tracked data goes way over video-sharing platform boundaries, such as CPU type, hardware I.D.s, information of other — even deleted — apps, router mac address, device mac address, wifi access point name, and so on. Read the screenshot below for the full scope. “TikTok is a data collection service that is thinly-veiled as a social network.” Furthermore, reverse engineering in TikTok is complicated by a sophisticated code obfuscation that prevents reading particular function properties. Also, among other things, a few snippets of code on Android version were found that allow “downloading of a remote zip file, unzipping it, and executing said binary.” Which doesn’t make sense unless you consider compressed data transfers, and/or third party executables. TikTok online communities react Online communities reacted swiftly with TikTok content creators launching to Mr Trump expressing support for Microsoft’s acquisition and ask to an open letter “remove the app from the CCP’s control while allowing it to remain a bastion of community in a world where we find ourselves so isolated.” Yet another wave of TikTok users turned to the VPN market. Both Reddit and Twitter have surged with questions on how to unblock TikTok and suggestions to use NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or other VPN providers to bypass geographical restrictions. Furthermore, that NordVPN informed them that after Donald Trump’s statement, search inquires from the U.S. increased by 15%. TechRadar reported To summarize, it’s too early to tell whether The States will eventually follow through on banning the service altogether and how, or Microsoft will manage to acquire it and buff up user data privacy protection features, or the service will remain in the ByteDance hands, or if the US Government will get a piece of the pie. Donald Trump has given the green light for Microsoft-ByteDance deal, setting the deadline for negotiations to September 15. One thing for sure, this might be big when it comes to online privacy issues, and I.T. community will have some news to read with the morning coffee.

Recap: The TikTok Saga and the Problems Facing this Massive Platform

New social media platforms spring up daily, but not all of them go viral and get downloaded like crazy; not at least like Instagram did in its heyday. There was a point of time when Instagram reigned supreme in the kingdom of and no other app could dare challenge that supremacy. most downloaded apps worldwide But how the sands shift and tables turn! For today there's a new kid in town threatening Instagram's monarchy; and that kid is called TikTok.  After Instagram, TikTok took everyone by storm with its popularity. All of a sudden, everyone began downloading it. Now people compare these two extremely trendy platforms to figure out which to spend more time on. If you are one of such people, and wish to know which app is more worthwhile in the current context, read on: First, some basics: TikTok TikTok is somewhat similar to Dubsmash, but otherwise very different from other video creating apps (definitely Instagram). TikTok, (known as Douyin in China) generally involves making videos over copyrighted songs. TikTok had announced that it had gained nearly 500 million active users per month in June 2018, spanning 150 countries. TikTok seems appropriate for all age brackets, and therein lays its appeal; a wide genre of videos can be found on TikTok, involving: dance, comedy, food, sport, vlog, games and challenges. Statistically speaking, however, a majority of TikTok's active users are young adults- including both viewers and content creators. So, basically, Gen Z is TikTok's primary patron. Furthermore 8.2 million of TikTok's users are women and 6.1 million are men. The duration of a typical TikTok video lasts for about 15 seconds and users can add several in-built effects, stickers and filters to spice up their video quality. TikTok shares only a minor similarity to Instagram-that of the caption addition-but even then is only limited to a 100 characters. In fact, TikTok influencers use other social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and even Instagram (sadly ironic) to promote their TikTok creations. TikTok's jaw dropping success Sensor Tower (an organic user acquisition service that assists app developers generate viewership using app marketplace intelligence and App Store Optimization) stated that TikTok surpassed other (such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube) as of September 2018. TikTok's downloading growth reached 42.4 percent by October 30th of the same year. social media platforms It is nobody's guess now that which app became the most downloaded one in 2018. With 660 million downloads in 2018 from both Google Play and Apple Store, apps like Facebook, YouTube and Instagram have long been surpassed by TikTok's running success. What trends on TikTok? The answer might surprise you, but its actually-hashtags! More than Instagram, hashtags trend on TikTok! Hashtags serve as handy and spunky tools on TikTok to generate greater viewership for a certain type of content. In fact, hashtags are so important that video creators don't upload their videos without including hashtags on TikTok! Trending hashtags help generate visibility for your videos ultimately leading to a gradual increase in followers. TikTok vs Instagram While Instagram provides photo and video sharing features itself; but they stand nowhere in comparison to TikTok's features. While on Instagram, you can upload videos more than minute long on IGTV, TikTok doesn't allow such long videos to be uploaded. While comparing the age bracket of TikTok vs Instagram users' age it became apparent that most of TikTok's active users more or less belong to the Gen Z while most of Instagram's users belong to the generation Y. It was also found out that the majority of users on both TikTok as well as Instagram are females. Check out the infographic below which has been done by team. Socialtradia

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