Tablet usage declines across world as smartphones dominate

Tablet usage declines across world as smartphones dominate

The ongoing rise of smartphones and the mobile web are having a real impact on levels of engagement with tablets, according to new data. The research, from Global Web Index, suggests that while tablets have enjoyed healthy growth in recent years, recently there has been a marked decline in usage iof these devices. Since 2011, […]

Spotify Introduces Sponsored Playlists

Spotify Introduces Sponsored Playlists

Music streaming service Spotify has introduced a new marketing feature, enabling brands to sponsor the 400-plus playlists the company curates, reaching and engaging target audiences through the passion point of music. The feature was unveiled with Kia Motors sponsoring the New Music Friday playlist to introduce its new Kia Sportage model. Through the sponsorship, Kia […]

Snapchat Plans to Redesign Discover

Snapchat Plans to Redesign Discover

The new look will allow publishers including Vice, Daily Mail, BuzzFeed and Cosmopolitan to show off their content instead of the current logos. It is understood that the revamp could be as soon as next month, according to VentureBeat. The site also said that the new look is being shared with people on the site. […]

Google Expands Mobile Push With Ads in Its Maps App

Google Expands Mobile Push With Ads in Its Maps App

Google for the last few years has been working to prioritise mobile, not only trying to enhance the user experience for consumers but giving advertisers more ways to reach them. Now the company is making another leap in its mobile ad offering, rolling out ads in its Maps app. The new products, announced at the annual […]

Royal Mail’s new app sends postcards from your phone

Royal Mail’s new app sends postcards from your phone

Royal Mail has launched its first consumer app, called Swapshots, which can customise, print, post and deliver photos within three days. The app is free and available to download from Google Play and the App Store. The cost of using the service is 85 pence per image. Credit can be bought either via a debit […]

Google takes on Slack and WhatApp with ‘Spaces’ group sharing tool

Google takes on Slack and WhatApp with ‘Spaces’ group sharing tool

Google has launched Spaces, a collaborative messaging app similar to the increasingly popular Slack. Spaces features integration with other Google products, such as Chrome and YouTube, allowing users to share articles and videos without leaving the Spaces app. A ‘space’ can be started and maintained around anything: a weekend getaway, a love of comic books, […]

Google uses I/O to unveil app promotion tools to Apple developers

Google uses I/O to unveil app promotion tools to Apple developers

Google has opened this year’s I/O conference by unveiled the latest additions to its Universal App Campaigns offering, including the extension of the service to Apple developers, plus tools to help them find high value customers. The Universal App Campaigns suite is expanding beyond Android to help developers grow their iOS apps, meaning all app […]

Microsoft Sells Off Nokia for $350m

Microsoft Sells Off Nokia for $350m

Microsoft has sold off the Nokia brand and its feature phone business to FIH Mobile, a subsidiary of Hon Hai/Foxconn Technology Group, for $350m (£243m). The deal also includes the company’s Hanoi manufacturing facility, Microsoft Mobile Vietnam. A further deal with Nokia will give FIH the exclusive rights to the Nokia brand until 2024, which […]

Google puts search functions directly into mobile keyboard

Google puts search functions directly into mobile keyboard

Google has launched a new keyboard for iOS devices that directly integrates search functions, such as maps, GIFs or shopping results, into user’s messages. Called Gboard, the keyboard features a button on the upper left that lets users perform web searches, look for images or GIFs, or even search for emoji without ever leaving the […]