Connected Economy/page/5 news and trends

Beyond Borders: Pix’s Evolution From Domestic Powerhouse to International Player
Digital Payments // December 17, 2024

PYMNTS Intelligence data has detailed the ways in which various economies around the globe have “plugged in” to a broad range of digital activities, spanning everything from working to communicating to, of course, shopping. Brazil has been a standout across virtually all metrics, as the...

CE 100 Index Gives Up 2.2% as MongoDB and Adobe Slip on Earnings
Connected Economy // December 16, 2024

What goes up must come down — and after three straight weeks of rallies, the CE 100 wound up snapping a long streak of wins, declining 2.2% in the penultimate “full” week of trading for 2024. All pillars lost ground. MongoDB Slips on 4Q Guidance...

‘I Do’ Delivered: DoorDash’s Bridal Offering Shows eCommerce Knows No Limits
Delivery // December 14, 2024

Competition is a click away in commerce, and traditional barriers to purchase can send customers shopping elsewhere. Even the once-sacred tradition of wedding dress shopping isn’t immune to the rising consumer demand for convenience and immediacy across all categories of goods. DoorDash, for example, signed...

How Big Tech’s XR Push Could Redefine Both Payments and AI
Payments Innovation // December 13, 2024

The connected economy might be making a jump from end-users’ hands to their faces. That is, if Big Tech’s biggest representatives are to be believed. On Thursday (Dec. 12), Google introduced a new Android operating system (OS) built for extended reality (XR) devices like headsets...

Interviews & Exclusives
CE 100 Index Gives Up 2.2% as MongoDB and Adobe Slip on Earnings

December 16, 2024
What goes up must come down — and after three straight weeks of rallies, the CE 100 wound up snapping a long streak of wins, declining 2.2% in the penultimate “full” week of trading for 2024. All pillars lost ground. MongoDB Slips on 4Q Guidance  Mongo DB shares sank 22.4%, leading the Enablers segment of […]

No More Clicks: New AI Lets Consumers Shop Online With Voice Commands

December 05, 2024
A new research paper reveals artificial intelligence (AI) systems using large language models can now effectively control computer interfaces through natural interaction. These agents can autonomously navigate software, complete tasks...

Experiential Retail Stages an In-Store Comeback

December 02, 2024
Experiential retail is making a comeback as brands pivot from traditional sales models to more engaging shopping experiences driven by consumers seeking more meaningful interactions with products and brands. Consider...

CEO Interview: Squire Creates New ‘Operating System’ for Neighborhood Barbershops

December 02, 2024
There’s no shortage of business model innovation enabled by SaaS technology. It makes entering new markets easier. It makes data more accessible, a critical feature in the age of GenAI....

Quick Reads
Amazon Debuts AWS Data Transfer Terminals For Faster Cloud Uploads

December 02, 2024
Amazon Web Services (AWS) says its data transfer terminal offering has gone online. The terminals, announced in a blog post on Sunday (Dec. 1), provide a physical location where users can bring storage devices to upload data more quickly to the AWS cloud. The first terminals are based in New York City and Los Angeles, […]

Temu and Shein Target Toy Sales While Growing in US and Europe

November 29, 2024
Temu and Shein reportedly are likely to account for a greater share of toy sales in America and Europe during this holiday shopping season. The two rival eCommerce sites are increasing their...

Meta Launches AI-Powered Ray-Bans for Users in Europe

November 18, 2024
Meta AI says its Ray-Ban smartglasses are now available in four European countries. Beginning Monday (Nov. 18), users in France, Spain, Ireland and Italy can use these artificial intelligence (AI)-powered...

Google Rolls Out Gemini AI Offerings for the iPhone

November 14, 2024
Google has brought its Gemini artificial intelligence (AI) offering to the iPhone. The company’s app now lets users access Google’s Gemini Live voice assistant as well as its premium image...