 Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, reported its first quarterly profit as a public company on Thursday. Unlike Facebook parent Meta, Snap appears to be weathering the Apple iOS privacy policy changes that require apps to ask for user tracking permission, which restricts the tracking capabilities of digital advertisers. More: - The Snapchat app added 13 million daily active users in Q4, a 20% increase YoY.
- It now has 319 million DA users and expects to reach 330 in the current quarter.
- The company's revenue rose 42% to $1.3B in Q4 2021. Revenue for the entire year was up 64%.
- Snap has focused heavily on its augmented reality platform and content offerings in the last few months.
Zoom-out: - Snap has recovered faster than anticipated from the Apple privacy changes after it lost about $3M last year, according to executives.
- Since the Apple changes took effect last April, Snap, Meta, Twitter, and Pinterest have lost a combined $315B in market value.
- It an earnings call this week, Meta's CFO said he expects the change to cost the company $10B in 2022.
HYPEBEAST 
| |
 Twitter said it's expanding a test of its new downvote button to more people worldwide after receiving positive feedback about the feature. The actual tallies of downvotes are hidden to the public as well as the person who posted the tweet. More: - After an initial test among web users, Twitter is now expanding the feature to Android and iOS.
- The downvote feature helps Twitter learn what types of replies its users don't find relevant, according to the company.
- It can use the feedback to alter what replies are shown to the user who votes, creating a mechanism for users to "flag content they don't want to see."
- However, critics note that it has the potential to raise toxicity and negativity in Twitter groups as it could exacerbate coordinated attacks on certain users.
Zoom-out: - Facebook has experimented with a downvote button but never implemented it fully.
- Last year, YouTube said that it's now hiding public dislike counts in an effort to combat "attack mobs." The dislike button remains and creators can still view the metric privately.
TECHRADAR
| |
 A message from M1 FINANCE Get serious about investing with M1 M1 Finance isn’t for the day trader or the uninvested investor. It’s for the self-directed money manager who knows exactly how they want to invest, but doesn’t want to deal with bloated, confusing finance apps. M1 doesn’t believe that speculating and day trading is a viable path to building long-term wealth, so they built a hassle-free, distraction-free, and management fee-free app to easily invest, borrow, and spend. All you have to do is settle on a strategy, automate it, and then go on livin’ your life while M1 takes care of the day-to- day. For a limited time new users can earn up to $500 when you fund an account within 14 days of account opening. Terms and conditions apply. Sign up here *Investing involves risk, including the risk of loss. M1 Finance LLC, member FINRA/SIPC
| |
 Meta said it's rolling out a "personal boundary" system in its social VR platform to combat virtual harassment. The default feature coming to Meta's Horizon Worlds and Horizon Venues apps will make it feel like other users' avatars are nearly four feet away. More - The system will make users' hands disappear when they enter the personal space of other avatars, giving everyone a two-foot radius.
- Users can still high-five or fist bump if they extend their arms.
- The boundaries will initially be unchangeable, though future updates could allow users to customize their radius size.
- Meta opened up Horizon Worlds, a free Quest app, to all VR users in the U.S. and Canada last year. People can play games and interact as avatars in Meta's early version of the metaverse.
- The update comes as harassment in virtual reality has become a serious concern, with some users reporting that they have been groped but unable to reach Meta's VR support.
BBC
| |
 The leopard Tlalamba GOOD NEWS: Streaming TV channel WildEarth has launched its own NFT collections to raise money for wildlife reserves and conservation. The service started minting NFTs that feature 25 real animals, including the leopard Tlalamba in South Africa, that are under the care of its conservation partners. More: - The first 25 collections debuted this week on WildEarth’s Polygon-based marketplace.
- They cost ~$200 to mint and include access to videos, photos, information, and naming rights for animals via an exclusive app.
- 40% of proceeds go directly to the custodians of the animals' habitats, which can help cut down on poaching.
- As of Friday, more than 1,000 NFT sales had brought in $16,000+ for the Djuma Game Reserve in South Africa.
REUTERS
| |
 Toshiba Corp. announced plans to invest ~$870M in a new semiconductor fabrication plant in Japan, where it will make power management chips on 300mm wafers. The facility, which is slated to start operations by spring 2025, will more than double Toshiba's chip production output. More: - The fab will focus on chips that control electric power in vehicles, industrial equipment, and electronic devices.
- It will be built with artificial intelligence and automated wafer transportations systems, and an "earthquake absorbing" structure.
- The update comes as Toshiba is reconsidering its plan to split itself into three standalone companies, which it initially said would be focused on devices, flash memory chips, and energy and infrastructure.
- It's now seeking to split into two companies and offload its air conditioning joint venture for $870M to appease shareholders who oppose the three-way split.
- The new plan would see Toshiba break off its power chip unit and device business.
ZDNET
| |
News Corp., the owner of the Wall Street Journal, was targeted in a cyberattack that attempted to access the emails and documents of some journalists. According to a cybersecurity consultant, the perpetrators were linked to China in a likely attempt to gather intelligence that could benefit Beijing's interests. More: - News Corp. discovered the attack in late January on one of the company's cloud-based systems.
- The hack also affected other units, including Dow Jones, the New York Post, The Sun, and The Times of London.
- News Corp.'s security consultant, Mandiant, is still investigating the hack, which hasn't impacted operations.
- Meanwhile, FBI Director Christopher Wray said earlier this week that China is behind a “massive, sophisticated hacking program that is bigger than those of every other major nation combined.”
- The FBI now has 2,000 investigations linked to thefts of U.S. technology or information allegedly coordinated by China, Wray noted.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
| |
QUICK HITS - For completeness of vision and ability to execute, the Gartner Magic Quadrant named Adobe a leader among 17 vendors – See why here.*
- The U.S. House passed a China competition bill that seeks to address the global chip shortage and supply chain disruptions, as well as invest in scientific research and U.S. manufacturing. The House will have to reconcile its version of the bill with the Senate, which passed a competing bill last year.
- Rockstar confirmed that it's actively developing the "next entry" in its Grand Theft Auto series, which some are calling GTA 6.
- The U.S. Air Force awarded a $50,000 contract to facial-recognition firm Clearview AI for augmented reality glasses, which would help protect its airfields
- The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is investigating how algorithmic decision-making tools can contribute to digital redlining and "robo discrimination" in lending.
- Kobe Bryant's estate filed three metaverse trademarks, which include "Kobe Bryant," "Mamba Forever," and "Mambacita," for digital assets in the virtual world.
- Check it out: Brazilian artist Hidreley Leli Diao used AI software to create photorealistic portraits of cartoon characters, including Moana, Tinkerbell, and Moe from "The Simpsons."
- Your money matters. Let's make more of it. Stocks are great, but there are many more options now. That's why we've been reading the See why here.*
*This is sponsored content.
| |
Upcoming Events: - February 08 - Venturing in VC - Episode #6 with Jeff Fluhr (Craft Ventures) (Register Here)
- February 09 - Interview with David King Lassman (GigXR) (Register Here)
- February 09 - A Twitter Spaces event with Bored Elon Musk (Register Here)
- February 10 - The Business of Wellness (Register Here)
- February 17 - Efficient Marketing Strategies in a Post iOS 14 World (Register Here)
- February 23 - Need to Know NoCoder: Derya Sousa (Kianda Technologies) (Register Here)
- February 24 - Alternative Investments (Register Here)
- March 10 - NoCode's Impact on the Gig Economy (Register Here)
- March 23 - Need to Know NoCoder: Nichole Bestman (Bubble) (Register Here)
- March 31 - How To Build In Web 3.0 (Register Here)
- April 14 - Shopping In The Metaverse (Register Here)
| |
 |  | Beth is an Inside Analyst and a former public policy/investigative reporter. She has covered AI, VR, technology, and e-commerce for Inside. When she's not busy writing, she's hiking in Arizona's desert, playing pickleball, or trying out new Mexican food recipes. |   | | Editor | Eduardo Garcia is a writer and editor based in New York. He is writing an illustrated book about climate change that will be published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Bylines in The New York Times, The Guardian, Slate, Scientific American, and others. In one of his previous lives, Eduardo worked as a Reuters correspondent in Latin America for nearly a decade. | |
| |
Comments
Post a Comment