TheFutureParty
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Moana 2, set for release over the Thanksgiving weekend, has the potential to become Disney’s highest-grossing release of all time. The Big Picture: While 2016’s Moana was a hit, it was nowhere near the runaway success of other Disney animated titles. But streaming (especially on Disney+) turned the movie into an enduring cultural juggernaut, showing the power of families watching […]
Amazon is rolling out a new platform for mass-produced, ultra-low-priced items called Amazon Haul, stocked with everything from clothes to daily essentials. Why It Sells: Shein and Temu have won the hearts and wallets of Gen Zers thanks to the wide range of cheap options. To continue its retail dominance, Amazon knew it needed to get in […]
Spotify is making a big push into the creator economy with a focus on video podcasters. Why It Hits: When Spotify announced its investment in podcasting — just the audio kind — it led to a billion dollars in spending, several outsized deals, and major changes in how audiences consume the format. Expect the same dynamics to […]
New data shows that a record number of customers aren’t outright canceling their streaming services when they run out of titles to watch — they’re pausing them. The Big Picture: The uptick in people pausing their streamers instead of canceling them complicates the easy math of companies gaining and losing subscribers. Those numbers can ebb and flow […]
Hangout — part social media app, part music streamer — has pulled back its velvet rope, stacked with music from the biggest labels in the industry. Why It’s A Hit: Social audio and metaverse platforms surged in popularity during the pandemic… and then quickly faded away. But Hangout’s sign-off by the music industry could give it enough legitimacy […]
The results are in: Gen Z’s app download data reveals that the generation loves TikTok, embraces OpenAI, is rediscovering PayPal, and suggests that Quibi may have been a little ahead of its time. The Big Picture: In our tech-saturated society, app downloads over the past year reveal where trends in social media, entertainment, personal finance, and AI are […]
After a decade-plus of touch screens, brands across various industries are turning back to the tried-and-true pleasures of physical buttons for their newest products. Why It Hits: Although touch screens have seemed like the technology of the future, people have been clamoring for a return to the “older” tech due to safety concerns, its intuitiveness, and the simple […]
Amazon is preparing a pair of smart glasses for its delivery drivers that could turn the workforce into optimized package drop-off machines. Why It Delivers: Last-mile delivery is considered the most difficult and costly part of shipping, as drivers have to navigate through neighborhoods and apartment complexes to complete orders. By putting navigation and logistics info literally on their faces, Amazon could […]
Netflix is ramping up its push into live TV with a growing slate of programs that could catapult the streamer into dominating the exact model it disrupted. The Big Picture: Netflix has officially won the streaming wars. By making live TV a new cornerstone for the company, Netflix could ensure that advertising revenue is juiced from all its customers… not […]
TikTok, Spotify, and Apple Music have launched a new feature to drive cross-app traffic to fuel discovery and listenership for artists… and even more engagement for the platforms. Why It Sings: For the past few years, music-streaming services and TikTok were growing into sworn enemies — TikTok was encroaching into music, while music streamers were becoming social platforms. […]