Proximity mobile payments are finally reaching a critical mass of users, fueling spending growth. While it will slow in the coming years, providers are capitalizing on growth by building multifunctional ecosystems that expand their captive audience and tighten relationships.

There will be 90.0 million monthly users of augmented reality (AR) in the US this year, a figure that, despite decelerating growth, will cross the 100 million mark in 2025, according to our forecast. Virtual reality (VR) will hit 68.9 million users this year, though growth has also tapered off.

As mobile games adjust to privacy rules and consoles pursue new native ad formats, brands finally have more chances to advertise in games.

On today's episode, we discuss Apple’s dominance in the digital wallet arena. In our “Headlines” segment, we look at the ramifications of The Kroger Co.’s about-face on Apple Pay and how the EU is scrutinizing Apple Pay in its antitrust investigation. In “Story by Numbers,” we examine how Gen Z’s use of iPhones will keep Apple competitive in the digital wallet space and the success of Apple’s new savings account. And in our new segment, “What If,” host Rob Rubin presents a few hypotheticals and discusses what things would look like if they were true. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst David Morris.

The Big Tech firm’s financial ecosystem boasts a larger user base, but FIs offer different value propositions.

The 15 biggest US ecommerce players aren’t a surprise (here’s looking at you, Amazon, Walmart, and Apple). User-friendly mobile apps, quick delivery, innovation, and converting sales are what turn retailers into ecommerce powerhouses. Here are the companies our analysts believe best exemplify those features within the 15 largest ecommerce players.

Adoption of digital wallets is approaching critical mass, but they won’t replace physical wallets anytime soon. However, a super app may be on the horizon, especially if companies can crack the ability to integrate payments with shopping services.

On today's episode, we discuss which attention metrics are real, which are still in development, and where identity and addressability will be by the end of the year. "In Other News," we talk about how much Microsoft and Apple can encroach on Google's search turf and YouTube debuting unskippable 30-second ads. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Evelyn Mitchell and Kunal Nagpal, chief business officer of InMobi.

The AI-assisted search revolution will take place primarily on the nonretail battleground, which is still dominated by Google. But Google lost share of the market last year, and Microsoft and Apple are starting to appear a little closer in Google’s rearview mirror.

Gen Zers are flocking to emerging payment methods, but card-based options, led by debit cards, remain supreme. Payment providers must align offerings with Gen Z’s preferences now as their spending power grows.

The big tech is diving deeper into payments to tap new revenue streams.

Generative AI is poised to reshape the search advertising market. With a significant first-mover advantage, will Microsoft grow its share of search ad budgets? How can advertisers stay ahead of the curve?

The EU is ramping up its efforts in an antitrust probe into Apple Pay. But the Big Tech firm’s loyal customers should shield it from potential fallout.

Worsening economic conditions will take their toll on Latin America’s digital ad market this year. Despite gains of 12.7%, digital ad spending will fail to outpace the rate of inflation for the first time since we began tracking the region in 2011. Here are our latest forecasts.

Gaming on smartphones saw declines for key metrics in 2022, putting a wrinkle in a growth trend that nearly dates back to the launch of app stores. Read on for figures that highlight what’s changing, and how these changes might impact user acquisition.

Connected TV (CTV) will be the fastest-growing major ad format in 2023, despite a downward revision in our latest forecast. Time spent on CTV is also showing big gains.

Fiserv’s Tap to Pay on iPhone rollout and ACI’s expansion into larger merchants open up a big growth opportunity for these providers

The world's largest chipmaker forecast a 16% sales tumble in Q2 as the tech sector slows down. Its plans for new factory locations could be in peril.

Cost-of-living pressures and stiffening competition are forcing savers to look harder for better rates. Here’s how banks can gain an edge.

Declining demand and rising costs are taking a toll. Samsung and Apple dominate the premium segment, leaving room for budget brands to thrive in emerging markets.