We look at 2022’s biggest tech flexes that changed the landscape of business or left us scratching our heads. The year saw Tesla’s CEO buying Twitter, Google exiting games, Amazon bringing back the dead, and TikTok expanding into various other segments.
2022’s outages increased and took longer to resolve: Wired and wireless networks continue to be under duress as Big Tech, streaming services, and cloud gaming proliferate while legacy infrastructure and overloaded systems buckled.
US government intensifies stance against TikTok: A permanent ban from government devices could push the public sector to further remove TikTok from devices. But some fear the service is too big to fail.
European Commission probes Broadcom’s VMware acquisition: Investigations could derail consolidation and spur the UK’s CMA and the US' FTC to undertake their own antitrust queries, possibly delaying the merger.
Microsoft’s attempt to acquire Activision Blizzard in what could essentially create a video game monopoly has many, including the Federal Trade Commission, keeping a close eye on the gaming industry. The $68.7 billion acquisition would give Microsoft a leadership position with franchises like Call of Duty, Candy Crush Saga, World of Warcraft, Diablo, and Overwatch.
FTC’s biggest antitrust test: Successfully blocking Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard could define Lina Khan’s tenure in the FTC. A legal skirmish with Big Tech will be long and expensive.
Government resistance against TikTok intensifies: The list of states banning TikTok on government devices keeps growing. Could intensifying scrutiny lead to an all-out US TikTok ban?
China eases COVID-19 mandates: Restrictions are lifting as Beijing softens its stance on zero-COVID, but uneven implementation, worker shortages, and production migration could prolong economic recovery.
On today's episode, we discuss the various chapters of social media, teens' relationship with the medium, and what this tells us about its future. "In Other News," we talk about how people view companies that advertise on the current version of Twitter and sneak a peek at one of our 2023 social media trends. Tune in to the discussion with our analysts Debra Aho Williamson and Jasmine Enberg.
US chip production accelerated by uncertainty in China: TSMC is fast-tracking plans to ramp up to 4-nanometer chips and will build an additional fab in Arizona. The tech gap between the US and China widens.
We unpack the biggest takeaways and action items from our US Mobile Banking Emerging Features Benchmark.
The wealthiest person vs. the most valuable company: Elon Musk is attacking Apple for ceasing advertising and threatening to pull Twitter from its App Store, setting up a monumental clash he can’t possibly win.
Whether shopping online or in physical stores, most US consumers prefer to use mobile devices to engage with loyalty programs, and less than half prefer email, according to Yotpo’s survey.
China’s protest flashpoint: Citizens are taking to the streets in the most significant protest against the Communist Party’s tightening grip since the Tiananmen crisis. Geopolitical strife could shut down the world’s factory.
Worldwide, head-worn augmented reality (AR) revenues will hit $35.06 billion in 2026, up from $3.78 billion this year, according to ARtillery Intelligence. These revenues include spending on everything from devices to content.
The FCA has cautioned that trading apps’ gamification can lead to “gambling-like behaviors” in amateur investors.
Mobile duopoly under scrutiny: Apple and Google own the platforms, mobile devices, operating systems, app stores, and browsers. UK regulators are preparing to enact more stringent regulations.
TSMC commits to building high-end chips in US: The global chip production landscape could shift as fabs find homes in US cities, but economic uncertainty could pause expansion plans.
How much information is Google collecting on users? It seems even company employees don’t know, according to court documents unveiled via a class-action privacy suit.
Meta wants to transform WhatsApp into a super app: It is rolling out the ability to search businesses by category, browse their catalogs, and buy without leaving the app.