How WeChat Leverages Chat UI to Offer Diverse Features
WeChat doesn’t look like much from a western mobile app developer’s perspective. Is it WhatsApp for Asia? Is it Google for China? Then you see the staggering statistics behind the chat app’s wild growth since its 2011 launch: above 90 percent of the population in all first-tier Chinese cities use the app regularly. Beijing alone […]
Shopify Launches Sello, Allowing Users to Sell From Their Phone
E-commerce has traditionally been a tough market to break into. The platforms can be expensive, the security issues a headache, the consumer engagement campaigns complex. The mobile app developers at Shopify have already worked around many of these issues with their cutting-edge user-focussed online store building suite, and now they’re taking the idea of simple […]
Snapchat Reports 6 Billion Video Views Daily on Mobile
A recent report from Venturebeat shows that Snapchat has tripled the number of daily video views on their mobile app platform since last May, clocking in at a staggering 6 billion. For comparison, developers at Facebook report figures of around 8 billion views per day. It’s worth pointing out here that Facebook is on desktop […]
One Million Raised for VISR, App That Detects Bullying
For all the good the mobile app economy has done, many parents find a dark side when their children start becoming active online. Bullying, sexting, and social media overload have all earned places in the headlines since iPhones apps became commonplace in the hands of middle and high schoolers. Mobile apps aren’t just for techies […]
500 Startups Batch 15 Targets Unique Markets
Startup watchers and mobile app developers will notice two themes running strong in this years 500 Startups batch. First, the group is highly international, featuring startups from Hong Kong, Argentina, Vietnam, Japan, Denmark, and Italy alongside stateside San Francisco mobile app developers, just to name a few. (the startups selected also showed a refreshing gender […]
Investors and Developers Cautious as Square Goes Public
Square recently filed IPO (initial public offering) paperwork; the current offering is listed at $275 million. Given Square CEO Jack Dorsey’s reinstatement as CEO at Twitter the week prior, investors have voiced some concerns as to how Dorsey’s split commitments will affect operations at both companies. Square’s filing notes that “[Dorsey’s renewed involvement at Twitter] […]
“Been Choice” brings Ad Blocking to Native Apps and iTunes
Ad blockers rejoiced while advertisers cringed last week with the release of Been Choice, the first ad blocking app targeting native iPhone apps. The controversial tool uses a combination of Safari content blocking and VPN service, allowing users to filter out advertisements in both web applications and native apps including Facebook, Pinterest, and Yahoo. While […]
Ad-Blocking Software: A Threat and an Opportunity for Mobile App Developers
Apple ruffled some feathers at the 2015 Developers’ Conference when the company unveiled an upcoming “content blocking” feature aimed at blacking out unwanted ads. The conference schedule used the following wording to introduce the session: “Safari in iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan delivers new ways for your app to extend Safari’s behavior. […]
Dedicated App Developers Are Now Sleeping Where They Work
WeWork, a startup with a multibillion-dollar valuation, is set to cash in on the emerging trend of co-living work spaces in the tech industry. The company is spearheading the development of what it calls “WeLive spaces” in San Francisco and Washington DC, where dedicated app development professionals can literally live where they work. The Washington […]
PayPal Splits from eBay Creating a Mobile FinTech Powerhouse
PayPal recently started trading as a standalone entity on the Nasdaq, marking its official split from eBay. In recognition of the occasion, PayPal’s CEO, Dan Schulman, shed some light on the company’s revamped strategic outlook. There were three key takeaways from Schulman’s Q2 earnings call: Mobile is a top priority. Schulman envisions a future in […]