Q3
Facebook's business is as solid as ever, earning $7 billion in revenue! Daily active uses are up 17% year-on-year. Notably, there are now over 1 billion mobile-only users. "We had another good quarter" said Mark.
Shopping on Instagram
20 US retailers are testing a new Instagram experience that should make shopping on the platform much easier! Touching a 'tap to view' icon will show details of up to five products and their prices within the picture. Touching a product will move the viewer to an Instagram-based product page, and on to an e-commerce store with one more touch. This creep into a closer connnection to e-commerce seems like the start of a long term move by Facebook and Instagram to host e-commerce websites exclusively on their platforms.
Turkish Blockade
Connections to Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp and Youtube have been slowed down by internet service providers, making them inaccessible. It is believed to be part of a government restructure to enable a subtle counter-coup. Social is powerful, and unfortunately the Turkish government know it!
Facebook 2.0
Lifestage, Facebook's relatively new social app directed purely at under 21's is now out on Android. It is designed to be highly visual and aims to connect people in local schools and communities.
Dead Vines
Twitter has killed its own company, Vine. Vines will likely remain as an archived graveyard for a network that was eventually usurped by Instagram. Twitter meanwhile will try to overhaul its own offering as it trudges through tough times after failed buyout talks. Overpriced and not overhyped?