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☆ Apple has begun testing an AI-powered ad product similar to Google's Performance Max as it looks to supercharge its $7 billion ad business
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Apple is taking a cue from Google and Meta by experimenting with a new AI-powered way to buy its App Store ads, according to two people familiar with the matter. Commentators have previously speculated that Apple would soon bring ads to Maps, Apple TV+, and its Books app. Most of that revenue is derived from its App Store search ads, though it has recently made progress in other areas. Apple now offers sponsorships and other ad integrations within its broadcasts of MLS Soccer on Apple TV. It has also made key hires in areas including adtech and TV ad sales, which suggests it may have bigger advertising ambitions, such as following rivals like Netflix and Apple by adding an advertising tier to Apple TV+.

Persons: Max, it's, Apple didn't, Eric Seufert, Seufert, Apple Organizations: Apple, Google, Business, Meta, Mobile, MLS Soccer, Netflix

☆ 3 ways buying Vizio would send Walmart's ad business surging and put Amazon on notice
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Ryan Joe | Lauren Johnson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Walmart is reportedly in talks to buy TV manufacturer Vizio for over $2 billion , in an effort to bolster its ad business, according to The Wall Street Journal. Here are three ways Vizio would power-up Walmart's ad business and make it a much bigger competitor to Amazon, according to several ad industry experts. While Walmart buying Vizio would grow its ads business, it would also improve the margins for its current ad business, said Nikhil Raj, chief business officer of adtech company Moloco’s retail media business. The new inventory Walmart would inherit would let it tap TV and branding budgetsIf Walmart buys Vizio, it would inherit connected-TV ad inventory, which it doesn’t currently have. Most of Walmart’s retail media business comes from search ads , though it’s expanded that to include some display and video ads.

Persons: you’ve, there’s, ”, Nikhil Raj, Raj, Walmart.com, ” Raj, doesn’t, it’s, ” Forrester, Nikhil Lai, Eric Franchi, Eric Seufert, Mobile Dev Organizations: Walmart, Wall Street, Amazon, Business, Vizio, CTV, “ Walmart, Walmart Connect, Connect, VC, Mobile Locations: Vizio, Walmart.com, “

☆ Apple was just forced to crack open its App Store — but the changes are already being called 'hot garbage'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Apple just did something unthinkable: it opened up its App Store. AdvertisementApple's absolute rule over the App Store has just been broken for the first time since its launch in 2008. Developers in the EU could previously only sell apps through Apple's App Store. It means developers can simply bypass the App Store. Did... did Apple just introduce the equivalent of Unity's runtime install fee... but for all iOS app developers in the EU?!

Persons: —, Peter Kafka, Apple, Tim Sweeney, Tim Sweeny, Rachel Luna, Stringer Apple, Sweeney, Nikita Bier, Eric Seufert, Heracles Capital, Seufert, Ashley Gullen, Z7KMiWEqmD — Ashley Gullen Organizations: Apple, Service, European Union, Digital, Epic, Microsoft, Valve, Heracles, European, Unity, European Commission Locations: iPhones, EU

☆ Elon Musk's X has added 'formerly Twitter' to its App Store description as users continue to struggle with its rebrand
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

X changes its app store tagline after users complain about confusing new name and logo. The social media platform has seen downloads fall since Elon Musk got rid of the iconic bird logo. The decision to rebrand the site was criticized by ex-Twitter employees, with one calling it "corporate seppuku." The app has changed its description on the app store from "Blaze your glory" to "Formerly Twitter," after the chaotic rebrand of the social media platform saw downloads of newly-christened X fall dramatically. Marketing experts slammed the rebrand as "completely irrational" and warned that it could wipe billions off the value of the social media platform.

Persons: Elon Musk, Eric Seufert, Seufert, tweeting, adieu, Walter Isaacson, Musk Organizations: Elon, Twitter, Service Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Apple's nascent ad business faces more competition than ever, and it's set to launch a major charm offensive to get big advertisers to buy in
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-25 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Apple usually plays it so low-key at big industry events, you wouldn't even know the company had attended. It has rented a space at the top of the iconic Carlton hotel, situated on the busy Croisette promenade, according to multiple advertising industry sources. It's also planning a week of programming, with panel topics expected to include sports on Apple TV+, Apple News, apps, and the broadening Apple advertising offering, those sources said. All of which were "not necessarily a strong-point with Apple advertising in the past," Auzins said. Today, Apple's ad business largely consists of search ads sold within the App Store, which Insider Intelligence forecasts will generate $8.7 billion this year.

☆ Meta's ad business is making a comeback thanks to its AI-powered improvements — but core Facebook is still struggling to get spend
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Lauren Johnson | Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

They're now seeing improvements in performance, and are planning to devote bigger budgets to the platform this year. Those capabilities are finally showing up in Meta's ad offering. Another example is a recently-released feature called Advantage+ that uses Meta's AI to find relevant audiences for ads. Analysts at Arete research forecast a 6% decline in Facebook's annual ad revenue to $72.4 billion this year, though they also expect Instagram ad revenue will grow by 2% to $36 billion. Besides TikTok, Meta is now going head-to-head with Apple, and a host of new retail media and streaming TV ad businesses.

☆ Pitch Decks That Advertising Tech Startups Used to Raise Millions
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Business Insider | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +19 min

Check out these pitch decks that they've used to sell their vision and raise millions from private equity and VC investors. Blocking ad fraudAdtech startup Lunio, announced a $15 million Series A funding round in September 2022. In May 2022, the software-as-a-service startup raised a $30 million Series B round, led by Insight Partners. Marketing in the metaverseAnima, an augmented-reality startup, raised a $3 million funding round from investors in Janury. He raised $50 million in Series D after closing a $34 million Series C last year, bringing its total raised to $100 million.

☆ Online mental health company uses ChatGPT to help respond to users in experiment — raising ethical concerns around healthcare and AI technology
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( Bethany Biron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A digital mental health company is drawing ire for using GPT-3 technology without informing users. Koko co-founder Robert Morris told Insider the experiment is "exempt" from informed consent law due to the nature of the test. "The participants should have given informed consent and this should have passed through an IRB [institutional review board]." A women seeks mental health support on her phone. Beatriz Vera/EyeEm/Getty ImagesChatGPT and the mental health gray areaStill, the experiment is raising questions about ethics and the gray areas surrounding the use of AI chatbots in healthcare overall, after already prompting unrest in academia.

☆ 6 predictions for Apple's growing ad business in 2023 — from ads on Apple TV+ to building and buying adtech
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Its App Store search ad business is growing at a clip and Apple has begun pitching advertisers Major League Soccer ad packages. Here's what experts think Apple might have in store for its advertising business next year, from TV ads to further privacy interventions. Prediction 2: Ads will be placed on Apple TV+Apple's 10-year, $250 million-a-season deal to broadcast Major League Soccer on Apple TV will air its first game in February 2023. It could become the key entry point for advertisers looking to reach Apple users across its portfolio of apps and services. "Apple is about to find out how difficult it is to serve TV ads," he added, referring to its MLS telecasts.

☆ Meta laid off 11,000 of its staff, and Apple is a big reason for the social media giant's sudden decline
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Meta is laying off 11,000 employees, or 13% of its staff, and Apple is a big reason why. Zuckerberg has often cited Apple's threat to Meta's ads business, and recently pointed to Apple as a major culprit for its second successive quarter of revenue decline. Revenue in Apple's services business — which also includes sales from the App Store, Apple TV+, and Apple music — grew 5% to $19.2. "Apple previously said it didn't take a share of developer advertising revenue, and now apparently changed its mind." Of course, Apple's ATT restrictions and its push into becoming an ad seller itself isn't the only threat to Meta's ad revenue.

☆ Meta's successive quarters of dismal earnings show just how much of a chokehold Apple has on Facebook. All signs suggest it's going to keep squeezing harder.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Apple this week updated its terms to require Meta cede 30% of the sales of some ads to the iPhone maker. The company posted its second successive quarter of revenue decline and again pointed to Apple as a major culprit. And just this week, Apple revised its App Store Review Guidelines. "Apple previously said it didn't take a share of developer advertising revenue, and now apparently changed its mind." To be sure, Apple's ad revenue is currently largely derived from search ads within its App Store, which don't necessarily directly compete with Meta's social ads.

☆ Meta is mad about Apple's latest policy change, accusing the company of trying to 'grow their own business while undercutting others'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Britney Nguyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Apple's updated App Store rules give it 30% of in-app purchases for social media post "boosts." A Meta spokesperson told Insider that Apple's move undercuts other businesses and helps itself. "Apple continues to evolve its policies to grow their own business while undercutting others in the digital economy," a Meta spokesperson told Insider in a statement. In Meta's earning call on Wednesday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged some of Apple's recent changes, including its latest App Store policy language around boosted posts, saying they are "obviously big risks" that Meta "see as issues." Meta experienced a 4% revenue decline in the third quarter of this year, continuing a string of disappointing quarterly earnings.

☆ Apple's new App Store rules over 'boosted ads' provoke Facebook again
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Apple recently updated its App Store Guidelines with changes that, yet again, impact Facebook's ad business. "For many years now, the App Store guidelines have been clear that the sale of digital goods and services within an app must use In-App Purchase," an Apple spokesman told CNBC. But most, like Twitter , already use Apple's in-app purchase mechanism that lists boosted posts for $9.99 on Apple's App Store. For Meta, it thinks Apple's recent clarification crosses a line in taking a piece of advertising revenue, not just app sales. Meta points to previous Apple executive statements, some made as part of the Epic Games trial over App Store rules, where it said it didn't take a cut of ads.

☆ Netlix ad-tier subs are probably on the lower end of engagement, says Mobile Dev Memo founder Eric Seufert
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailNetlix ad-tier subs are probably on the lower end of engagement, says Mobile Dev Memo founder Eric SeufertFounder of Mobile Dev Memo Eric Seufert joins 'TechCheck' to discuss Netflix incorporating an ad-supported tier and considerations about Netflix's average revenue per user.

Insider asked 12 top VCs what ad and marketing tech companies excited them the most this year. Check out the 19 most promising adtech startups, and what they do that makes them unique. It hopes to raise a Series A funding round in the coming months. Emperia is currently raising its next funding round. Why it's on the list: Tech companies are being scrutinized for their wasting energy consumption, and the digital advertising industry is no exception.

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