Smart clothing may one day replace smartwatches and smartphones
For most consumers, smartphones have become an indispensable part of their daily lives, enabling them to communicate, work, shop, play games, listen to music, and more. And for a large slice of consumers, smartwatches like the Apple Watch are nearly as important. In fact, according to Interpret’s New Media Measure®, there’s been an increasing trend […]
Metaverse hype has cooled, but brands still find Roblox, Fortnite attractive
The metaverse hype bubble that formed in 2021 may have finally burst in 2023, but that doesn’t mean that the underlying technologies won’t play a critical role for years to come. Early metaverse expectations, as with virtual reality back in 2016-2017, were simply far too high. That said, platforms like Roblox and Fortnite continue to […]
Can livestreaming platform Kick supplant incumbents like Twitch?
While most consumers in the US likely look to Twitch when they’re seeking esports or gaming content, there’s a new player in town that’s causing quite the buzz. Kick launched in January of this year as an alternative to Twitch, positioning itself as a much more attractive option for creators who were feeling the pinch […]
Disney can right the ship, but the waters remain choppy
Walt Disney Studios has long been a powerhouse in the entertainment industry. It has strong cross-media influence that spans over-the-air television, streaming, theme parks and events, video games, and merchandising. But even giants stumble sometimes, and Disney has encountered several bumps in its path for multiple aspects of its core businesses. Theatrical hits aren’t hitting […]
Interpret: 40% of Nintendo Switch owners are Minecraft fans
Microsoft’s acquisition of Minecraft developer Mojang Studios in 2014 may have been one of the company’s best investments in the gaming space. In an era where Microsoft is on the cusp of closing a deal to purchase Activision Blizzard for $69 billion, the $2.5 billion cost to acquire Mojang nearly a decade ago feels like […]
Interpret: VR ownership continues to grow incrementally as Meta, Apple unveil new headsets
Earlier this month, two of the world’s tech juggernauts, Apple and Meta, unveiled brand-new VR headsets, the Vision Pro and Quest 3, respectively. For Apple, the reveal of its first-ever VR/AR device was long anticipated, and while the technology introduces spatial computing, a dedicated visionOS platform, sophisticated gesture tracking, and an incredibly high-fidelity display (23 […]
Will Apple repurpose the television?
Most of the talk following Apple’s WWDC announcements has, justifiably, been around the Vision Pro, Apple’s entry into the AR/VR space. A less celebrated announcement, however, is that of new capabilities for Apple TV that will extend the FaceTime experience to the big screen in one’s living room, den, or bedroom. TVs are bigger, better, […]
Activision Blizzard leverages Oscar-winning director for its live-action Diablo IV trailer
For a medium based on detailed computer graphics, advertisements for big video games remarkably are often done through live-action spots, often not even showing real-time gameplay. This likely helps grab the attention of consumers who don’t play many games, especially if there’s a gripping storyline to the ad. This is precisely what Activision Blizzard did […]
Esports viewership dips as industry faces stiff headwinds
Are we now witnessing an “esports winter?” Major esports organizations are struggling to survive, let alone thrive. FaZe Clan, which rose to prominence through its lifestyle branding and content creation, went public last July in a $1 billion SPAC deal, attracting hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg to its board. Now, after laying off around 20% of […]
Netflix paid password sharing may bolster firm in long run
The long-anticipated “password sharing crackdown” from Netflix is upon us as the streaming wars intensify. Netflix estimates that over 100 million households are sharing credentials, and Netflix has set a goal to convert as many of those sharers as possible into paying customers. To that end, Netflix tested a pilot program to crack down on […]
