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In 2018, Apple’s U.S. App Store minted 164 new millionaire publishers compared to 88 for the Google Play store according to a new store intelligence report by Sensor Tower.
Google Play in the United States took the top spot in total growth of the number of new publishers to hit $1 million year-over-year with a rise from 71 publishers in 2017 or 24 percent, while Apple had 15 percent growth with a rise from 143 publishers in 2017.
In the App Store, games was the most popular category of apps, making up 33 percent of the publishers who made their first $1 million or more in revenue in 2018. That amounts to 60 percent of the platform’s total revenue in 2018.
FoxNext Games, which publishes Marvel Strike Force and is a division of 20th Century Fox, topped the gaming category with $15 million in revenues in 2018. Released in March, Marvel Strike Force is a role-playing game that allows users to play popular characters from the Marvel Universe like Hulk, Black Panther and Spider-Man. The game itself is free to play but users pay real world money for in-game add ons called “Power Cores.”
Health & Fitness and Lifestyle were also important categories for the App Store with 12 percent and 10 percent of the total representing the publishers who created popular downloads including meditation app Breethe, initially released in 2015, and guided workout app 30 Day Fitness Challenge, which launched in 2013.
Overall, the gaming category was even more important to Google Play’s bottom line with 65 percent or 55 of 84 publishers grouped into this category. Social apps were second most popular for Google Play after games with six percent of publishers.
In celebration of Fall and making money, click on the button below and enter the word “Make Money” in the Promo Code field to get 15% off our App Strategy, Monetization, ASO Services and App Preview Video Services. (Expires 12/1/2018).
With thousands of app publishers looking for shelf space in the app stores, it has become increasingly difficult for your app to be discovered and downloaded. App publishers need an effective approach to cut through the noise and stand out from the crowd. Simply publishing an app in platform stores is no longer an option for your app to succeed.
We specialize in working with developers, brands, agencies and advertisers to plan and execute marketing strategies that maximize the visibility of your app. We have experience in app marketing across every carrier, device, platform and category. We develop integrated marketing programs that are designed to meet your objectives. Whether you are looking to make a splash for launch, benefit from a boost of activity or wish to grow your user base on an ongoing longer term basis â€“ we have the skills, the experience, the creativity and the necessary resources to make it happen.
Our Marketing Services include:
App Store Optimization (ASO)
PR & Blogger Outreach
Media Buying and Management
Social Media Marketing
Search Engine Optimization
Contests & Promotions
Direct Email Marketing
Marketing Collateral & Branding
Campaign Analytics & Insights
Launch, Boost or Ongoing Custom Campaigns
All too often app publishers rush into development with a solid idea in hand and a team to build it but skip some crucial planning steps which are necessary to make sure you hit the mark when you get your product out to market.
A comprehensive strategic plan prior to beginning development can help you better understand your market, competition and your user which is invaluable in making sure that your app is on the right track to properly compete.
Rooting business decisions in the market takes risk out of your product launch and increases the chance of success right out of the gate. App Promo will work with you and your teams to understand your idea and help perform the necessary analysis to create an effective app strategy to better position your app in the marketplace.
Crush The Limits boldly leverages all media touchpoints to feature some of the world’s best kid athletes as they represent Under Amour’s first-ever launch of a youth outerwear collection.
HYPERBOLIC, an award wining NYC creative agency, is proud to announce the launch of Crush The Limits—the rallying cry for Under Amour’s first ever fall/winter Youth Outerwear collection launching today throughout North America. Dimitri Falk, Chief Creative Officer and founder, exclaims: “The goal of Crush The Limits was to capture the swagger of the UA attitude in a way that speaks directly to kids without alienating parents. In short, we wanted something bold and authentic that would break through.” HYPERBOLIC was responsible for all aspects of the Crush The Limits campaign including brand and behavioral strategy, ideation, art direction, video and photo production.
Crush The Limits drops on September 20th and will be refreshed over the next six months on all Under Amour owned media platforms, traditional media, POS, events and the athletes’ social channels.
A CAMPAIGN WITH GRIT
Crush The Limits is about what it takes to be truly GREAT at any age—on and off the field. What is the heart and soul of a champion? Is achieving peak performance something you’re born with, or is it the will to grind it out harder than anyone else? The answers: It’s all about the swagger, the heart, the discipline, and the humility of what it means to truly Crush It in life!
“We were looking for a non-traditional agency that would be able to set a new bar creatively and strategically. HYPERBOLIC proved to be that partner. HB brought passion, creativity, thoughtfulness and insight every day. And most importantly, the work rings true and is beautiful and inspiring. Kids and adults will love them.” – Lucille Pagano, VP Brand Management Under Armour / Global Brands Group
HYPERBOLIC tapped Under Amour’s talent network and scoured the Internet to find seven world-class athletes that embody the Crush The Limits ethos. Our criteria: Exceptional talent, a significant presence on social media, and a passionate, humble spirit.
2017 Sportskid of the Year; World Record for 100 Meter and Football ChampionAudrey Shin
Team USA figure Skating ChampionJesse “The Chosen One”
Junior Olympic Team ConsiderationChloe Shimkin
National Soccer Champion
Build excitement for your new app by making it available for pre-order. Your product page will be published on the App Store and customers can order your app before it’s released for download. New apps on all Apple platforms can be made available for pre-order when you submit your app and metadata for review in App Store Connect. When you opt in, you’ll choose a download release date that’s two to 90 days in the future. Once your app is released for download, customers are notified and it will automatically download to their device within 24 hours.
Today’s mobile-first world is evolving like never before to serve the clients with specific services required to them. Agencies are capitalizing on every opportunity to recreate their brand image in a whole new light. Being a prominent mobile marketing agency is no cakewalk as branding comes to those who offer what clients ask for. It requires every brand to interact with the clients the way users want the assistance. And the way brands interact with the clients and the prospects impacts their images in the market. Mobile app landscape is highly competitive today but there are brands that are excelling the marked territory with their ever-advancing services.
MobileAppDaily finds immense pleasure in casting such organizations into its list. We have always remained distinguished when spreading nows around mobile app agencies through our reports. This time we descended on the field to search for the best companies owing to their abilities to offer services. We got in touch with some service providers, connected with the clients to know their specific choices and talked to them to know their feedback on agencies to rank the companies in our list. This list includes the global contenders known to provide influential services. Here are the insights from the ground report and this time we have jotted down globally ranked Top Mobile Marketing Agencies based on their services but not in any priority order.
App Promo helps the clients with the business of Apps. App Promo offers a complete suite of services including strategy and monetization services across iOS, Android, and Windows. When it comes to ad campaigns, the agency takes the specific approach to offer the services to the clients. The company holds expertise in rooting the campaign ideas and to deliver growth to the apps from such campaigns. App Promo takes a number of approaches including PR, paid media promotions to offer the services from the industry experts.
App Promo also works to improve the strategies in order to give its clients the work satisfaction. App Promo is prominent to design app promotion techniques, ASO Practices, digital app marketing services and other similar services. The CEO Gary Yentin takes the personal interest in designing and offering the services to the clients.
Apple’s App Store continues to outpace Google Play on revenue. In the first half of the year, the App Store generated nearly double the revenue of Google Play on half the downloads, according to a new report from Sensor Tower out today. In terms of dollars and cents, that’s $22.6 billion in worldwide gross app revenue on the App Store versus $11.8 billion for Google Play – or, 1.9 times more spent on the App Store compared with what was spent on Google Play.
This trend is not new. Apple’s iOS store has consistently generated more revenue than its Android counterpart for years due to a number of factors – including the fact that Android users historically have spent less on apps than iOS users, as well as the fact that there are other Android app stores consumer can shop – like the Amazon Appstore or Samsung Store, for example. In addition, Google Play is not available in China, but Apple’s App Store is.
Last year, consumer spending on the App Store reached $38.5 billion, again nearly double that of Google Play’s $20.1 billion.
As the new figures for the first half of 2018 indicate, consumer spending is up this year.
Sensor Tower estimates it has increased by 26.8 percent on iOS compared with the same period in 2017, and it’s up by 29.7 percent on Google Play.
The growth in spending can be partly attributed to subscription apps like Netflix, Tencent Video, and even Tinder, as has been previously reported.
Many of the other all-time top apps following Netflix were also subscription-based, including Spotify (#2), Pandora (#3), Tencent Video (#4), Tinder (#5), and HBO NOW (#8), for example.
And Netflix is again the top non-game app by consumer spending in the first half of 2018, notes Sensor Tower.
Game spending, however, continues to account for a huge chunk of revenue.
Consumer spending on games grew 19.1 percent in the first half of 2018 to $26.6 billion across both stores, representing roughly 78 percent of the total spent ($16.3 billion on the App Store and $10.3 billion on Google Play). Honor of Kings from Tencent, Monster Strike from Mixi, and Fate/Grand Order from Sony Aniplex were the top grossing games across both stores.
App downloads were also up in the first half of the year, if by a smaller percentage.
Worldwide first-time app installs grew to 51 billion in 1H18, or up 11.3 percent compared with the same time last year, when downloads were then 45.8 billion across the two app stores.
Facebook led the way on this front with WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook and Instagram as the top four apps across both the App Store and Google Play combined. The most downloaded games were PUBG Mobile from Tencent, Helix Jump from Voodoo, and Subway Surfers from Kiloo.
Google Play app downloads were up a bit more (13.1 percent vs iOS’s 10.6 percent) year-over-year due to Android’s reach in developing markets, reaching 36 billion. That’s around 2.4 times the App Store’s 15 billion.
Despite this, Apple’s platform still earned more than double the revenue with fewer than half the downloads, which is remarkable. And it can’t all be chalked up to China. (The country contributed about 31.7 percent of the App Store revenue last quarter, or $7.1 billion, to give you an idea.)
Sensor Tower tells TechCrunch that even if China was removed from the picture, the App Store would have generated $15.4 billion gross revenue for first half of 2018, which is still about 30 percent higher than Google Play’s $11.8 billion.
How Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ignited a Worldwide App Phenomenon
When Apple introduced the App Store on July 10, 2008 with 500 apps, it ignited a cultural, social and economic phenomenon that changed how people work, play, meet, travel and so much more. Over the past decade, the App Store has created a safe place for users of all ages to get the very best apps and a vibrant app economy for developers of all sizes, from all over the world, to thrive. Today, customers in 155 countries are visiting the App Store more often, staying longer and downloading and using more apps than ever before.
While there have been many notable moments since apps first came to iPhone and later iPad, the milestones and testimonials below reflect some of the most significant over the past 10 years — defining how the App Store democratized software distribution and transformed how we live every day.
I. The App Store Opens Doors for Developers, Puts an All New Experience in the Hands of Customers
The App Store provides a groundbreaking solution for developers to distribute their software and consumers to experience apps like never before.
Phil Schiller, senior vice president, Worldwide Marketing, Apple: “In its first decade, the App Store has surpassed all of our wildest expectations — from the innovative apps that developers have dreamed up, to the way customers have made apps part of their daily lives — and this is just the beginning. We could not be more proud of what developers have created and what the next 10 years have in store.”
Marco Arment, developer of Overcast and longtime iOS developer: “Since day one, the App Store has been by far the easiest way for developers to reach the most people with our apps. It eliminated the friction and overhead of setting up our own distribution and payment systems, making development far more accessible to everyone and letting us focus on our true passion: making the best apps we can. Over its 10 years so far, the App Store has developed into the richest, most diverse, and most accessible software ecosystem the world has ever seen.”
Chad Evans, senior vice president, Product Development, Major League Baseball: ”There was an incredible sense of anticipation and excitement the day the App Store launched, and getting to see MLB At Bat listed among the first 500 apps, but we don’t think anyone realized then the immense impact these apps would have on the ways fans experience sports. We feel fortunate to be part of the historic growth of the App Store these last 10 years. It’s exciting to think what opportunities the next 10 will bring as we continue working with Apple to connect fans more closely to their favorite teams and the game of baseball.”
Before 2008, the software industry was dominated by a few large companies. The App Store opened the door for any developer, from one-person shops to large studios, to come up with a great idea, build a high quality app and seamlessly deliver it to the growing number of customers around the world that today exceeds 1 billion people.
MLB At Bat, Tap Tap Revenge, Trism, The New York Times, eBay and Travelocity represented the wide range of apps available from day one, bringing to life an entirely new way to travel, play games, read the news and experience sports right in the palm of your hand.
Protecting user privacy is paramount in the Apple ecosystem, so from the beginning, Apple has taken great care in providing clear guidelines to developers and thoughtfully curating a safe, trusted app marketplace to ensure the best experience possible for customers around the world to discover and access apps.
II. Mobile-First Businesses Thrive
Keith Shepherd and Natalia Luckyanova, founders of Imangi Studios, creators of Temple Run: “The App Store and iPhone changed our lives. Our first game, Imangi, launched the day the App Store opened. Fast forward 10 years, and we’ve created over 10 games, including Temple Run, which has been downloaded over a BILLION times. Our studio has grown from the two of us to a team of 35. None of this would have been possible without the App Store.”
The cutting-edge hardware and quickly evolving software from Apple, combined with creative ideas from developers who saw the potential of iPhone being in customers’ pockets, spawned new industries that would forever change how people live, work and play — a revolution that continues today.
Start-ups including Instagram, Calm, Uber and Instacart embraced features like the iPhone camera, Apple Pay, GPS and Location Services to deliver on-demand and personalized experiences, with many creating billion dollar businesses that started with apps in the App Store. At the same time, both traditional companies and those that started as websites, such as Twitter, Facebook, eBay, Yelp, Airbnb and Amazon, began building apps to meet changing customer behavior.
As a result, apps have become one of the most important ways that customers interact with businesses and tackle everyday tasks — whether it is to book a flight or hotel room, make a dinner reservation, shop for gifts or pay bills.
III. Gaming Takes Off, Reaches New Fans
Shigeru Miyamoto, representative director and fellow, Nintendo: “We are very happy that we are able to deliver Super Mario Run, a new Super Mario experience that could be played with just one hand on iPhone, to hundreds of millions of consumers because of the App Store. The App Store allows us to share the joy of Nintendo games with many new audiences, and we will continue striving to provide unique and new game experiences to App Store customers.”
Riccardo Zacconi, CEO of King, creators of Candy Crush: “We launched Candy Crush Saga on the App Store over five years ago and it’s been hugely beneficial, allowing us to reach a brand new global audience. Our games have been played in all seven continents, including Antarctica! That shows just how influential and far-reaching the App Store has become.”
Daniel Wu, president of Hero Entertainment, creators of Red Tides: “The App Store offers us the opportunity to bring great eSports experiences from desktop to mobile and let the game fans and players meet online to offline and thoroughly enjoy the charm of games and even establish new ways to socialize.”
The App Store brought gaming mainstream, thanks to the easy Multi-Touch technology on iPhone and iPad and the convenience of playing on the go. Customers were drawn to early titles like Super Monkey Ball, PAC-MAN, Angry Birds, Words With Friends, Real Racing and Temple Run, leading iOS to become the most popular gaming platform in the world.
Games such as Heads Up!, Pokémon Go, HQ and Fortnite have created communal, cultural moments around the world, while new technologies have brought console quality games to mobile, including Vainglory, The Witness and Arena of Valor, delivering an unparalleled gaming experience to over 1 billion customers.
IV. In-App Purchase, Subscriptions Unlock Experiences
Horace Dediu, analyst, Asymco: “The App Store completely changed the way people access and pay for software and services. Only through the power of a software ecosystem can subscriptions emerge and grow to such a level. The App Store created a means for others to become successful — many more than could possibly be imagined in ways that could not possibly be imagined — and freed people to be creative in unforeseen dimensions.”
With the introduction of in-app purchase (IAP) in 2009, customers could download an app and then pay to unlock different levels and functionality, allowing more people to experience new apps before committing to buying them. By June 2010, $1 billion would be paid out to developers from IAP and paid apps.
In 2011, the App Store started supporting subscription apps, and by 2016, had expanded support to all 25 of its categories, including Games, Kids and Health and Fitness. Over 28,000 iOS apps now offer subscriptions, including Netflix, iQiYi, Tinder, LinkedIn, Sing! By Smule, Headspace and Dropbox, making it easy for millions of new customers to instantly discover and sign up for or unsubscribe from these services. Subscriptions are up 95 percent from last year, and as of June 2018, developers have earned over $100 billion from the App Store.
V. Streaming Entertainment Takes Off
Richard Plepler, chairman and CEO, HBO: “When we decided to introduce HBO NOW, there was never a question that our exclusive launch partner had to be Apple. Announcing the streaming service with Apple and the arrival of HBO NOW on the App Store is one of the most significant moments in HBO’s storied history.”
The App Store has been the epicenter of a mobile video consumption boom. The larger screen sizes and resolution of iPhone and iPad have made customers more comfortable watching video on the go, while services including HBO NOW, Hulu, Netflix and Sling TV and the abundance of quality shows allow customers to enjoy the entertainment they love when and where they choose.
VI. Creativity, Productivity and Education Soar Beyond Office, Classroom Walls
James Cuda, founder and CEO of Savage Interactive, creators of Procreate: “From the beginning, we wanted to sell Procreate exclusively through the App Store because it allows us to reach customers everywhere, making it easy to provide new features, respond to feedback and ensure artists are getting the best possible experience. Being a part of the App Store’s journey has been life-changing, as millions of our customers are discovering digital art creation for the first time, while many industry-leading artists find Procreate with iPad Pro and Apple Pencil to be a powerful combination. Procreate simply would not be possible without the App Store.”
Yan Lin, CEO of Dr. Panda, developer of popular kids games: “Thanks to the incredible opportunities brought by the App Store, Dr. Panda has transformed from a small Chinese startup to a global kids brand loved by both children and parents with 50 million downloads around the world in only six years.”
In 2010, iPad introduced a giant canvas with new possibilities for customers to create and learn. Professionals around the world are choosing iPad Pro to explore new levels of creativity and productivity, thanks to its portability and versatility, and learners of all levels embrace iPad as a tool for work and play. Today, customers can enjoy more than 1.3 million apps designed specifically for iPad, including Procreate, Lightroom, Microsoft Office 365 and Prêt-à-Template — which allow for creativity on the go, beyond office or studio walls, or wherever inspiration may strike.
With over 200,000 educational and reference apps like Explain Everything and The Elements from Touch Press, iPad has helped nurture rich, engaging ways to learn, express creativity and encourage collaboration. Additionally, education apps such as Froggipedia, WWF Free Rivers and Boulevard AR have quickly embraced augmented reality (AR) to make the learning experience even more immersive for students.
VII. Health, Fitness and Wellness Apps Surge in Popularity
Tobi Pearce, CEO and founder of Sweat, a fitness app and community for women, and Kayla Itsines, co-creator of BBG Guide and Sweat Trainer: “The App Store provides Sweat the ability to reach and improve the lives of millions of people around the world through health and fitness, building a bigger community and offering flexibility in when, where and how users work out. Being a part of the Apple ecosystem has brought continued growth opportunities that have fundamentally changed the trajectory of our organization.”
Francoise A. Marvel, MD, Corrie Health Team, Johns Hopkins, Cardiology: “Over the last 10 years, the App Store has contributed to the advancement of innovation in patient care by creating a platform for state-of-the-art medical apps like Corrie at Johns Hopkins. Our mobile health research relies on the App Store to deliver life-saving and life-changing apps to our patients.”
Apple Watch and HealthKit paved the way for developers to make health, fitness and wellness apps more innovative, intelligent and interactive, which in turn have inspired customers to be more active and mindful of their health. Downloads for these apps have increased 75 percent since the launch of Apple Watch, led by apps such as Zova, Nike, Lose It!, Dexcom, One Drop, Glow, 10% Happier and Yoga Glo.
More than 500 doctors and medical researchers have used Apple’s ResearchKit and CareKit software tools for clinical studies involving 3 million participants on conditions ranging from autism and Parkinson’s disease to post-surgical at-home rehabilitation and physical therapy. Thanks to these innovative tools, customers are increasingly able to use iOS and Apple Watch apps to monitor their overall health and well-being.
VIII. Accessibility Apps Empower Communities
Richard Ellenson, developer and CEO, Cerebral Palsy Foundation: “In the world of assistive technology and accessibility, it’s impossible to overstate the importance of the App Store. For individuals with disabilities, for professionals, family members, and anyone who’s ever wondered about the potential in another person who had a bit of difference — or deeply significant challenges — the App Store has been profoundly transformational. I have seen it unleash possibility and potential in literally thousands of individuals. Yet, closest to my heart, I have seen it do so for my son: a bright, independent 20 year old who has Cerebral Palsy. My son moves about in a wheelchair, but that is simply the place from which his spirit soars. His voice comes from his iPad, he does his homework on iPad, his social life is rooted in the apps on iPad, he navigates his entertainment on iPad, and he has performed a thrilling one-man-show with his iPad. I cannot imagine my son’s life without this technological magic. And I know so many others for whom this is also true. It’s not a reach to say the App Store has been the single greatest advance for accessibility — ever.”
David Niemeijer, founder and CEO, AssistiveWare, creators of accessibility apps: “The App Store has made the world much more accessible, and made it easier for AssistiveWare to realize its vision of creating a world without communication barriers. Without it, AssistiveWare would likely still be a one-man Mac developer. Now we provide iOS communication apps to over 200,000 people worldwide, many of whom would not be able to communicate effectively without them.”
Since 2009, millions of customers have benefitted from apps such as Lyft, Twitter, Starbucks and TED that incorporate the rich accessibility features built into iOS including VoiceOver, while others like Voice Dream Reader and CP Channel have provided crucial support for communities with assistive needs. With accessibility features seamlessly woven in, these apps support more customers and lead to a more inclusive and engaging user experience.
IX. Coding Inspires Future Generations
Amanda Southworth, executive director of Astra Labs, creators of anxietyhelper and Verena: “Apple undoubtedly revolutionized the way developers and users connect. To this day, the App Store continues to innovate and it’s in a class of its own. With the work that I’m doing in the non-profit sector, it’s important that the work we do can be easily found and distributed, and that’s exactly what the App Store has done. It has created opportunities that I am thankful for every day, and I’m so glad that I’m a part of the community that calls the App Store our home.”
Masako Wakamiya, developer of hinadan, based on a traditional Japanese celebration known as Doll Festival: “After turning 82, I started thinking about making games that even seniors could enjoy. Friends taught me how to program and I created an app for iPhone. People often ask me, ‘What made you want to do that?’ Because older people tend to look backwards, I think it’s better to take the leap forward, jump to new things and enrich our lives. My app supports Japanese, English and Chinese, making it possible for me to connect with people around the world through this app. Just thinking about that makes me excited. It’s truly thanks to the App Store.”
Every year, Apple hosts thousands of software developers from all over the globe to talk about the latest developments in apps at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). Starting in 2013, Apple awarded scholarships to about 150 students to attend, and by 2018, that number had grown to over 350 talented students and STEM organization members from 42 different countries. Scholarship winners receive a free ticket to the conference, along with lodging and a one-year Apple Developer Program membership. Past scholarship winners have started their own STEM non-profit organizations to encourage their peers to learn coding and created apps that are tackling issues such as mental health, safety and climate change.
Apple introduced the Everyone Can Code program in 2016 to encourage learning, writing and teaching code, and today it is available to tens of millions of students around the world who can learn code, problem solve and create apps that will transform the future. Also in 2016, Apple launched Swift Playgrounds, an innovative iPad app that brings real coding concepts to life with an interactive interface for students of all ages and beginners to explore working with Apple’s Swift coding language.
X. New App Store Features Encourage Discovery
Dan Gray, head of studio, ustwo Games, creators of Monument Valley: “We built our entire team around the App Store, and we’ve been able to have millions of people around the world play our games who never would have considered themselves gamers. The App Store refresh has shown players the creators behind the apps they enjoy everyday. Humanizing apps can only be a good thing and showcasing how they’re made will inspire the next generation of creators from every corner of the world.”
In 2017, Apple unveiled an all-new App Store, creating a daily destination with dedicated Games and Apps tabs for customers to find exactly what they are looking for or be inspired to try something new, and learn about the creators behind the apps they know and love. The App Store now sees 500 million weekly visitors who are spending more time discovering new apps than ever before, and hundreds of stories on the Today tab have been read by more than 1 million people.
XI. The AR Revolution Awaits
John Hanke, CEO, Niantic: “When we founded Niantic, we set out to develop technology that would inspire people to explore their communities, exercise and have fun with friends and family out in the real world. In addition to making Pokémon GO and Ingress easily accessible to hundreds of millions around the world, the App Store has done a fantastic job of shining a spotlight on our player communities, thoughtfully crafting stories to inform and educate our players, and making the ongoing feature rollout easy for our development team.”
Augmented reality is a transformational technology that brings virtual experiences into the real world, changing the way customers both work and play. In 2017, Apple introduced ARKit 1.0 and overnight iOS became the biggest AR platform in the world, available to hundreds of millions of iPhone and iPad users. Today, over 3,000 AR apps on the App Store, such as Kings of Pool, Alice in Wonderland AR Quest and Houzz, creating an even more engaging way for customers to shop, learn and play games. Apple delivered the third ARKit update to developers at WWDC in June 2018, making it possible for AR apps like LEGO to include shared experiences that allow multiple users to play a game or collaborate on projects, as well as persistent AR experiences that make it possible to start a puzzle on a table and come back to it later.
With Core ML, apps get smarter by quickly and intelligently understanding images, video and text to deliver new and exciting experiences. Applying stylistic filters to photos with BeCasso, adding fun effects with Snapchat, and for those with low vision, easily navigating the world around them with Seeing AI are all examples of how Core ML is put to use — all while keeping data private.
FANDOM SPORTS Fast-tracked Approval to Samsung Galaxy App Store
Vancouver, British Columbia – June 19, 2018, FANDOM SPORTS Media Corp. (CSE: FDM) (OTC: FDMSF) (FRANKFURT: TQ42) (“FANDOM SPORTS” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that in conjunction with a U.S. focused digital marketing campaign, the FANDOM SPORTS App has been approved to the Galaxy App Store. Acceptance into the store ensures exposure to high quality Android users for Galaxy versions 7, 8 & 9.
With Galaxy App users shown to be more engaged with their apps and sports focused content, the Samsung ecosystem will promote the FANDOM SPORTS App at main user entry points. Galaxy Apps “main pages” are the primary entry points with an emphasis on “Trending”, “Games”, “Exclusive” and “Top”, most of which fit the Company’s current app profile. With inclusion into the Samsung Galaxy realm, FANDOM SPORTS has access to promotion elements that include badges and app banners which links particular app group pages with all select apps within the category group, harnessing a stronger link to die-hard sports fans.
As part of the Theme Store offering, FANDOM SPORTS will undergo an evaluation to determine specific forms of promotional opportunities that are best suited for the brand and business model. FANDOM SPORTS App variables, such as total number of product page visits, percentage of downloads out of total detail page visits and total projected revenue for future in-app purchase will all be assessed to attribute international Samsung Galaxy user acquisition initiatives.
About FANDOM SPORTS:
“Pick A Fight. Talk Trash. Get Rewarded.”
FANDOM SPORTS Media is an entertainment company that aggregates, curates and produces unique fan-focused content.
The FANDOM SPORTS App is the Company’s core product, which is the ultimate destination for unfiltered raw sports talk. The app allows passionate sports fans to unleash their primal sports passions, pick fights and earn rewards.
Download the app and bring your crew. Talking trash is better with friends. The more you invite, the more in-app virtual currency FANCOINS you can earn.
For additional Information:
Tel: (647) 241-8402
Social media marketing has quickly become a necessity amongst companies around the world. With billions of daily users, the chances of your company gaining recognition in the digital world is greater than ever before. These 20 social media influencer agencies can help you spread your brand further than you ever imagined while giving you tips and tricks to stay on top of the digital marketing world.
Based in Toronto, Canada, App Promo is a digital marketing agency that specializes in mobile marketing, social media marketing, and digital strategy.
The role: Similar to a search engine optimization (SEO) specialist, only confined to the Google Play Store and Apple App Store environments, ASO specialists are responsible for landing their clients as close to the top of the results page in relevant searches as possible.
A relatively new discipline within the mobile marketing industry, ASO specialists can increase an app’s search ranking by adjusting the description, icon, video and image previews as well as other elements when presented in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
“It’s a lot of data analysis; you’re comparing the app with its peers,” explained Gary Yentin, chief executive and founder of Toronto-based mobile marketing agency App Promo. “If you’re an application in the calendar space, you’re going to be mapping yourself against competitors in the calendar space, seeing what their keywords are, seeing how they rank, seeing what they wrote in their description, each of which is a data point you can use to evaluate your own application and hopefully increase its ranking.”
While there are some Canadian firms that specialize in ASO services, the majority of the industry operates within larger mobile or digital marketing agencies.
Salary: As a specialty within the mobile marketing industry, ASO specialists typically command a higher than average salary. “It would probably start around $50,000 [a year] and it can go up to $150,000, but it’s based on what you bring to the table,” said Mr. Yentin, explaining that an employee’s results are very easy to measure. “It’s driven by success, because you can show what you’ve achieved based on your campaigns. If they can show positive results they can [command a] higher salary.”
Education: The Apple App Store and Google Play Store are themselves hardly older than 10 years, and ASO has only really become a stand-alone profession in the past three or four, Mr. Yentin said , meaning there are few formal standards and educational programs.
Instead, the industry typically requires practitioners to have a university-level education in either computer science or marketing, and some experience in either SEO or mobile marketing more generally. “The best training in this field is hands-on training,” Mr. Yentin said.
Job prospects: While there are few companies that only offer ASO services, many larger mobile marketing firms have incorporated the service in recent years.
“There’s a lot of technology, app development, app marketing companies in Canada, but the reality is to have a successful business you need to be global. There just isn’t enough business in ASO in Canada to sustain a company of three to five people,” Mr. Yentin said.
Mr. Yentin does, however, believe that career opportunities will only increase as practitioners further establish their services as a competitive necessity within the wider mobile marketing industry.
Challenges: There are two primary challenges that ASO specialists contend with, first and foremost being the gradual nature of the work. “People want to see instant results, and like SEO, ASO takes time,” Mr. Yentin said.
Another significant challenge, according to Mr. Yentin, is the ever-evolving arena in which ASO specialists work, as Apple and Google can make changes to their search algorithms at any time.
“You’re at their beck and call,” he said. “You really have to be up to date on what they’re doing … If you’re static in this environment, you’ll fail.”
Why they do it: ASO specialists typically have a passion for digital marketing and enjoy the added challenges that come with the confined space of the App Store and Play Store. “You can make small suggestions that have big results,” Mr. Yentin said. “It’s very rewarding to see how what you recommend produces results.”
Misconceptions: Mr. Yentin says many still confuse ASO and SEO, even within the digital marketing industry. Furthermore, he suggests many in the industry fail to appreciate how the practice differs from other roles that fall under the mobile marketing umbrella.
“It’s a specialty, you can’t just generalize it as mobile marketing, you need experience to do it,” Mr. Yentin said. “Saying any mobile marketer can do it is a misnomer; you need to earn your stripes by doing it on a regular basis.”


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Some legislations are being passed by the parliament which led to a major outbreak for the farmers. These legislations passed were much against the farmers that the farmers can be seen on roads, protesting for the same. Through this article the author would like to highlight the detailed reason for the protest by the farmers, the main provisions of the bills and the clarifications given by the government of India in respect to those bills. The demands or the complaints done by the farmers against the Indian government are also being highlighted in this article.
From the last few weeks farmers protest is an alarming issue to be debated about. The main reason for the protest by the farmers is the demand for withdrawal of acts (laws) being passed by the government. The Acts are- “The farmers produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, The farmers (empowerment and protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and farm Services act and The essential Commodities act”. Here a new concept has evolved namely “Private market concept”. The idea of such markets are described in the farmers produce trade and commerce promotion and facilitation act 2020. The concept of private markets is not new in India and perhaps the most experiments of these were seen in Maharashtra. In 2005-06 the chief minister of Maharashtra “Vilasrao Deshmukh” sanctioned the setting of private markets and collection centres too through the issuance of Direct marketing license (DML’s).
The private markets also known as alternate markets or trade areas are known to be the wholesale markets or mandis, set up by private entrepreneurs while collective centres were for aggregators like Big Basket and Reliance fresh who procured directly from farmers at the farm gate.
Reforms in Maharashtra
Private markets as the name suggests are the markets set up by private entrepreneurs for the facilitation of trade in the agricultural sector. The state government’s director of marketing issues licenses for setting up these markets. A minimum of 5 acres of land is required for setting up these kinds of markets along with the infrastructure like auction halls, sheds, waiting halls, motorable roads, etc. Barring the land cost, the initial investment towards such markets is around 4-5 crore.
How many private markets are being set up?
Till the date, 18 private markets are being set up which deal with commodities like cotton, soybean, chana, etc. Markets like Ramdev Krishi Bazar in Washim district of the state deal in multiple commodities like wheat, tur, etc. While other markets like ACF Agro marketing in Bhuldana district deal only in a single commodity like cotton. In 2019-20 these markets have noted a turnover of 4,357.88 crores and traded 1000.88 lakh quintals of commodities. Every year the license to sell the product directly is to be renewed and in case of complaints of fraudulent activities, the director of marketing can take action against the markets by revoking their bank guarantees.
Bill no. 1 ( The farmers produce Trade and Commerce bill 2020)
- The new legislation will create an ecosystem where the farmers and traders will enjoy the freedom of choices of sale and purchase of agri-produce.
- The farmers produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and facilitation) bill allows the barrier-free inter and intrastate trade and commerce outside the physical premises of markets notified under state agricultural produce marketing legislations.
Previously, farm produce was sold into notified wholesale markets or mandis run by 7000 Agricultural produce marketing commodities (APMC’s). Each APMC has licensed middlemen who would buy the commodities from farmers at prices set up at auction before selling to institutional buyers like retailers and big traders.
- The farmers would not be charged any kind of cess or levy for sale of their products and will not have to bear transportation costs.
- The bill also proposes electronic trading in the transaction platform for ensuring a seamless trade electronically.
- In addition to mandis, freedom to do trading at farmgate, cold storage, warehouses and processing units, etc.
- Farmers will be able to engage themselves into direct marketing thereby eliminating intermediaries resulting in full realization of price.
Clarifications by the parliament-
- Procurement at Minimum support price will continue, farmers can sell their produce at MSP for Rabi season and will be announced soon.
- Mandis will not stop functioning, trading will continue here as before. Under the new system, farmers will have the option to sell their produce at other places in addition to the mandis.
- The e-NAM(electronic trading) trading system will also continue in mandis.
- Trading in farm produce will increase on electronic platforms. It will result in greater transparency and time-saving.
New style- farmers can eliminate middlemen and can directly sell their produce to the institutional buyers at the price agreed between them. However, the farmers are worried about the same as they would be directly exposed to the corporates who have more bargaining power and resources than small or marginal farmers.
- Alternate private mandis will lead to the closure of existing APMC mandis.
- Removal of geographical restrictions- small farmers may find it difficult to avail potentially better prices at market further away because of constraints on travel and storage.
- No tax on private markets is the statement given by the government but the existing APMS do have to give tax.
Bill no. 2 (The farmer’s agreement on price assurance and farm services bill)
- The new legislation will empower the farmers for engaging with processors, wholesalers, aggregators, large retailers, exporters, etc on a level playing field. Price assurance to the farmers before sowing the crops. In case of higher market price, farmers will be entitled to this price over and above the minimum price.
- It will transfer the risk of market unpredictability from the farmer to the sponsor. Due to prior price determination, farmers shall be shielded from the rise and fall in market prices.
- It will also enable the farmers to access modern technology, better seed and other inputs.
- It will reduce the cost of marketing and improve the income of farmers.
- Effective dispute resolution mechanism has been provided for with clear timelines for redressal.
- Imputes to research and new technology in the agricultural sector.
Clarifications by the parliament-
- The farmer will have the full power in contract to fix a sale price of his choice for the produce. They will receive the payment in a maximum of three days.
- 10000 farmer producer organizations are being formed throughout the country. The FPOs will bring together the small farmers and work to ensure remunerative pricing to farm produce.
- After signing the contract the farmer would not seek out the trader. The purchasing consumer will pick up the product directly from the farm.
- In case of dispute, there will be no need to go to the court repeatedly. There will bee a local dispute redressal mechanism.
Bill no. 3 (The Essential Commodities Bill)
- The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act,2020 with provisions to remove commodities like cereals, pulses, oilseeds, edible oils, onions and potatoes from the list of essential commodities.
- The EC(Amendment) act 2020 aims to remove fears of private investors of excessive regulatory interference in their business operations. The freedom to move, hold, distribute and sully will lead to the harnessing of economies of scale and attract private sector/foreign direct investment into the agricultural sector. It will help to drive up the investment in cold storages and modernization of the food supply chain.
- The government while liberalizing the regulatory environment, has also ensured that the interests of consumers are safeguarded. It has been provided in the amendment that in a situation such as war, famine, extraordinary price rise and natural calamity, such agricultural foodstuff can be regulated. However, the installed capacity of a value chain participant and the export demand of the exporter will remain exempted from such stock limit imposition to ensure that investments in agriculture are not discouraged.
Earlier reforms by the current government in the agricultural sector
- Agricultural produce and livestock marketing (promotion and facilitating) act (APLM), 2017
- Doubling the farmer’s income by 2022
- Significant Changes in fixation of minimum support price (MSP)
Agricultural produce and livestock marketing (promotion and facilitating) Act (APLM), 2017
The Model Agriculture Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2017 (APLM act) was proposed in April 2017 to replace the APMC Act (Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee) 2003. The act strives to be an agricultural reform to assist farmers to directly connect buyers to enable them to discover the optimum price for their commodities. In this article, let us look in detail about the Act.
Numerous farmers have raised their voice against these three above mentioned bills, they have come on roads for doing the protest against the same. The complaints or the demands of the farmers are as follows-
- The bills(laws) are favourable for the private entities (private companies) but not for the farmers moreover these acts are not empowering them(farmers) too.
- According to the surveys of the government, only 6% of the farmers are benefited out of Minimum Support Price (MSP) but not all of them, therefore, their (farmers) demand to the government is to declare the right of MSP as legal that is a legally binding right for every farmer.
- Thirdly the farmers are saying that the middlemen will not go away as the dismissal of middlemen will not resolve the issue for the farmers.
To conclude, many of the economists have advised the Indian government to bring reforms in the agricultural sector and have also advised raising the living standard of the farmers by providing them more in exchange of their products and for the same arrival of the private sector is not required.

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Representatives from the Chinese side say they think it likely that Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the G-20 meeting later this month. But in order to reach a trade...China Economyread more
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British retail sales unexpectedly surged in August, official figures showed on Wednesday, boosting the chance that the Bank of England will raise interest rates in November.
Last week the BOE said it was likely to raise interest rates in the coming months if the economy and inflation pressures strengthen as expected. Wednesday's official data showed a sharp pick-up in monthly sales growth in August to its fastest since April, despite inflation pressures that have previously squeezed spending.
Retail sales volumes rose 1.0 percent month-on-month, beating all economists' forecasts in a Reuters poll, and July's sales growth was revised up to 0.6 percent.
Looking at the three months to August as a whole, which smooths out monthly volatility in the data, sales growth versus the previous three months rose to 1.2 percent from a three-monthly rate of 0.7 percent in July.
However, the ONS said near-record sales growth would be needed in September to stop third-quarter growth showing a slowdown from the three months to June.
BOE policymakers expect moderate third-quarter retail sales growth as consumer demand shows signs of improving after weakness earlier in the year, though they said it was too soon to tell if it would compensate for weak business investment.
Compared with a year earlier, sales in August were up 2.4 percent versus expectations of a 1.1 percent rise.
"Within this month's retail sales we are seeing strong price increases....However, we are still seeing underlying growth in sales volumes, and with strong growth in non-essential purchases," ONS statistician Kate Davies said.
Rising inflation has eaten into British consumers' disposable income this year, causing the weakest first quarter for retail sales since 2010, as the fall in the pound after last year's Brexit vote pushed up the cost of the imports.
The measure of inflation used in retail sales data rose to an annual rate of 3.2 percent in August, up from 2.7 percent. Looking just at goods sold in non-food stores, inflation was its highest since March 1992.
Official data last week showed that wages in the three months to July were 0.4 percent lower in real terms than in 2016, and a survey of households by financial data company Markit reported the biggest squeeze in three years in the three months to September.
Private-sector figures had given a mixed message on retail spending in August. The Confederation of British Industry reported the weakest performance since July 2016, while the British Retail Consortium said top-line growth was the fastest so far this year.
The BOE expects inflation to peak at just over 3 percent in October, compared with 2.9 percent now, and then fall slowly.
British fashion retail firm French Connection Group Plc reported on Tuesday that it had seen momentum build in recent months despite difficult trading conditions.
Larger rival Next raised profit forecasts last week and said it expected price rises of no more than 2 percent in the first half of 2018 and none in the second half, if the pound stays stable.
The ONS said non-food retailing and online drove retail sales growth in August, at the expense of purchases of food. Growth was partly driven by sales of watches and jewelry.


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UPS offer period for TNT Express extended
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- Staff Louisville Business First
Authorities in the Netherlands have extended the offer period for Atlanta-based United Parcel Service Inc.'s proposed $6.7 billion acquisition of Dutch rival TNT Express to no later than the end of February.
The offer period is extended until one week after clearances from the European Commission and the Chinese Ministry of Commerce have been obtained, but under no circumstances later than Feb. 28, the company announced Thursday in a news release.
Both companies expect the deal to close in early 2013.
As Business First previously reported, UPS officials initially expected the TNT deal to close sometime this year, but the required regulatory approvals have slowed the deal.
The planned acquisition initially was announced in February.
TNT Express moves 4.7 million parcels, documents, and pieces of freight every week to more than 200 countries and operates air and road transportation networks in Europe, China, South America, the Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. It employs 83,000 people and runs a fleet of about 30,000 road vehicles and 50 aircraft. It has more than 2,600 depots and sorting centers.
Atlanta-based UPS is one of the world's largest logistics companies. Its largest sorting hub and its UPS Airlines division are based in Louisville.
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A bull filmed rampaging around a supermarket after escaping from a cattle market has put a small market town in the west of Ireland on the international map.
CCTV footage from the security cameras in Cummins’ SuperValu store in Ballinrobe, Co Mayo put on You Tube has been viewed by thousands around the world.
Relatives of people living in the town have been calling from as far afield as Sydney and Hong Kong to say they have seen it.
It was market day when the bull jumped out of the ring at the cattle mart and headed off up the main street.
Supermarket owner John Cummins said: “He got out of the mart about a kilometre away and galloped right up the town – past Tesco – turned left, then right and came straight into the front door.
“He went straight through the shop, out into the store, had a good look about, turned around and went straight out again. I could not believe my eyes.”
While Mr Cummins is laughing about it now, he said it could have been a very different story.
“It is a good news story but it could have been a bad news story, a pregnant woman could have been hurt, a child could have been hurt, anyone in the store. There could have been a lot of damage or there could have been damage to cars, thank goodness no one was injured.”
The film footage, put together from various CCTV camera’s in the store, shows the bull entering through the electrically operated double doors and racing to the rear store and – appropriately – a butcher trying to corral it with a shopping trolley.
The bull was later recaptured and returned to the cattle market.
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WHITTIER – Hawaii, Santa Barbara and San Diego are the top three destinations for Whittier travelers joining more than 2.9million Southern Californians taking out-of-town vacations this Thanksgiving weekend.
The Automobile Club of Southern California is predicting that, overall, 4.7percent more people will travel this holiday weekend compared with last year.
Most will travel by car. Air travel is estimated to increase by 1.4percent, the Auto Club said.
Many people are booking cruises or traveling to popular tourist spots with the family rather than visiting relatives nearby, Auto Club officials said.
Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring said travel is up in part because of dropping gas prices, even though prices are still 20 cents higher than last year.
Travel by automobile will increase 4.8percent this Thanksgiving – a significant jump from the usual 1percent to 2percent change from year to year.
“It’s a family holiday,” Spring said. “This year, some people are optimistic with the gas prices coming down, so more are traveling.
“But most families find that driving is more cost-effective than flying, especially when transporting a whole family.”
Caltrans issued a warning last week for motorists to allow extra time if they are traveling north through the Grapevine on the Interstate5 because of an ongoing closure “for mudslide and slope stabilization repairs.”
With the increase in car travel, some local mechanics are busier than usual.
Robert Perez, manager of Bob’s Auto Center in Whittier, said business began picking up early Monday as people came in for last-minute tuneups before the holiday weekend.
“Today’s been real busy,” Perez said. “I got a few customers here who are going on vacations and want to get their cars ready. We usually do see an increase around this time (of year).”
The same was true at the Jiffy Lube on Colima Road in Whittier, according to store manager Victor Flores.
“We’ve seen our car count go up for the past three days, Saturday, Sunday and Monday,” Flores said.
Gas prices continue to drop in Southern California, but travelers will still pay the highest ever to fill their tanks this weekend, according to the Auto Club.
The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline dropped from $2.94 on Oct.15 to $2.63 on Nov.15.
On Monday, the average price dropped again to $2.52 in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area, Auto Club spokeswoman Marie Montgomery said.
But prices are still about 20cents per gallon higher than a year ago, she added.
“We’ve reached new heights, so there’s a lot farther downward to go,” Montgomery said. “We’re in a traditional time of year when prices go down.”
Gas stations in Hacienda Heights, Covina and Whittier were among the lowest prices listed at www.losangelesgasprices.com, ranging from $2.33per gallon to $2.35per gallon.
Statewide, Thanksgiving travel is expected to increase from 4.4million Californians leaving town last year to 4.6million this year.
The Thanksgiving holiday gives families a chance to take a week off while using fewer vacation days, Montgomery said, and multigenerational vacations are popular.
“Everyone meets in Hawaii or they go on a cruise together,” she said. “It’s a nice way to connect with family and get a vacation out of it.”
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IFA president Joe Healy: comprehensive support package for farmers post-Brexit
Reacting to the ESRI report showing the impact of various Brexit scenarios, IFA president Joe Healy said the Government and the EU Commission must immediately bring forward a comprehensive support package for farmers.
Mr Healy said even the most benign outcome – which would see a deal reached – will have a significant impact on GDP.
“This, in turn, will have the biggest impact on the farming and food sector. We have heard that the EU Commission is ready to support Irish farmers. That time is now," he said.
The IFA president said Ireland's beef sector had already suffered from the uncertainty surrounding Brexit. Farmers selling cattle at a base price of €3.75/kg for steers and €3.85/kg for heifers are taking cuts of 20c-25c/kg below last year’s price levels, or reductions of up to €100 per head. Farmers selling young bulls have been hit for €200 per head.
The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, and the Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, had to make a very strong case to the EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan, siad Mr Healy.
“We have had constant assurances about solidarity, given our exposure to Brexit. That has to translate into solid support”, he said.
The ESRI report released this Tuesday, March 26, shows that Ireland could lose as many as 80,000 jobs from a disorderly Brexit.


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WEX (NYSE:WEX) Releases Q1 2020 Pre-Market Earnings Guidance
WEX (NYSE:WEX) issued an update on its first quarter 2020
Pre-Market earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 2.15-2.25 for the period, compared to the Thomson Reuters consensus estimate of $2.22. The company issued revenue guidance of $445-455 million, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $450.78 million.WEX also updated its FY 2020
Pre-Market guidance to 10.15-10.55 EPS.
Shares of WEX traded up $3.04 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $231.66. 480,965 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 380,703. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $218.95 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $206.22. The company has a market capitalization of $9.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 153.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 1.51. The company has a quick ratio of 1.30, a current ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.46. WEX has a 12 month low of $169.48 and a 12 month high of $234.95.
WEX (NYSE:WEX) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 13th. The business services provider reported $2.61 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.56 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $440.05 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $455.69 million. WEX had a net margin of 3.95% and a return on equity of 18.86%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 15.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.02 EPS. On average, analysts expect that WEX will post 8.39 EPS for the current year.
In other WEX news, CEO Melissa D. Smith sold 13,736 shares of WEX stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $214.99, for a total value of $2,953,102.64. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 71,339 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $15,337,171.61. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CFO Roberto Simon sold 7,651 shares of WEX stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $200.03, for a total transaction of $1,530,429.53. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 16,902 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,380,907.06. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 1.12% of the company’s stock.
WEX Inc provides corporate card payment solutions in North and South America, the Asia Pacific, and Europe. It operates through three segments: Fleet Solutions, Travel and Corporate Solutions, and Health and Employee Benefit Solutions. The Fleet Solutions segment offers fleet vehicle payment processing services.
Read More: What is the outlook for the FAANG stocks?
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Billionaire Bill Ackman has completely cashed out of his stake in animal health company Zoetis (ZTS) - Get Zoetis, Inc. (ZTS) Report , instead making a big bet on fast food company Chipotle (CMG) - Get Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. Report .
Regulatory filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission released on Tuesday reveal Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management sold off its entire position in Zoetis during the fourth quarter of 2016. The hedge fund had already pared back its investment significantly earlier in the year. Ackman maintains a 2.8-million-stake in Chipotle, where he undertook an activist campaign last year.
The 50-year-old Ackman in December got his way with the burrito maker, adding four new members to its board of directors -- two he chose, two the company did. As part of the deal, Pershing Square agreed not to publicly comment on Chipotle for two years, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Though he can't say it, Ackman's Chipotle bet is doing well thus far in 2017. The company's stock has climbed more than 12% year-to-date, and at current market price, Pershing's position is worth about $1.2 billion.
Chipotle isn't the only restaurant company Ackman likes.
He has a more than $2.1 billion position in Restaurant Brands International (QSR) - Get Restaurant Brands International Inc Report , parent company to Burger King and Tim Hortons. It's his top holding, comprising about 30% of his public equity holdings as of the end of December. (13F filings, required quarterly from institutional investors by the SEC, are released with a 45-day delay.)
His number-three holding is another food-related company, Mondelez (MDLZ) - Get Mondelez International, Inc. Class A (MDLZ) Report , maker of products including Oreo, Cadbury and Wheat Thins.
This article was written by a staff member of TheStreet.


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Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited to End Subscription Fees
Our prediction articles have come true sooner than expected as Bethesda Softworks has announced a conversion of their first test of the online gaming world, The Elder Scrolls Online, from its original subscription service into a buy to play model. With this announcement comes the reveal that the game is being ported to Xbox One as well as Playstation 4, with launch slated for June 9th, 2015. Bethesda claims these versions will offer all the same endless hours of existing gameplay already present on the PC version.
The conversion titled The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited will hit PC and Mac players on March 17th. From that point onward, only the initial purchase box price of the game will be required to enter the online realm of Tamriel. Instead of subscriptions, the games continued development will be funded through a new Crown Store offering convenience and customization items, as well as bonus DLC content. Those preferring paying a monthly subscription can enroll in the new ESO Plus program, offering all future DLC content, a monthly allotment of Crowns, and exclusive in-game bonuses.
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Scientists and researchers from Nanyang Technical University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have embarked on a mission to create a pair of smart contacts powered by human tears. The prototypical augmented reality (AR) contact lenses will offer real-time, heads-up display (HUD) information to users.
Powered with the tears of their wearers, the devices will incorporate slim, flexible battery technologies “as thin as a human cornea,” according to research.
Saline sources will power the device and generate electricity for storage in the flexible battery system, the university research paper ‘A tear-based battery charged by biofuel for smart contact lenses’ explained. Along with external chargers, the saline-powered charging system will allow users to extend the battery life for around four hours each 12-hour cycle.
South Korea’s Flexible Battery Technology
The developments come as South Korea aims to conquer the flexible battery market with novel research and development (R&D) pursuits.
For example, South Korean startup LiBEST teamed up with robotics firm Mand.ro, leading to a flexible battery system. The joint venture debuted an Exo-Sensor and Exo-Skeleton Gloves for haptic-based control systems. Using the new battery system, LiBEST could create prosthetic arms with ultra-small motors and gears to control the device. International researchers also helped to improve the battery’s durability for metaverse device use.
Source: XR Today


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Two Oregon cannabis trade associations—the Oregon Cannabis Association (OCA) and the Cannabis Industry Alliance of Oregon (CIAO)—have unanimously voted to merge, effective immediately.
The organizations said the merger signifies a united front for the Oregon cannabis industry, blending the strengths and expertise of both organizations to create the strongest force for advocacy Oregon’s cannabis industry has seen.
The merged entity will continue to be a member-driven organization, championing the interests of cannabis businesses of all license types and sizes, from micro-tier farms to vertically integrated brands. And the organization said it will still be committed to providing service to its members, offering regulatory expertise, networking opportunities, and the most effective lobbying team in Oregon, amplifying our members' voices in advocating for smarter cannabis policies. The merger ensures that CIAO has the resources to represent all sectors of the industry passionately and effectively, ensuring a diverse and inclusive approach to policy advocacy.
As the cannabis industry faces a dynamic landscape with potential federal changes, the merger comes at a crucial time, providing a unified front to address the rapidly evolving needs of Oregon's cannabis businesses.


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July 26 (UPI) -- Taylor Swift fails at being a waitress and a bartender in a new commercial for Capital One.
Swift is promoting a new Savor Card from Capital One in the clip released on Friday, which also features her single "ME!" featuring Panic! at the Disco frontman Brendon Urie.
Swift is unable to properly shake up a drink or add whip cream to a milkshake as customers are surprised to see the pop star working behind a counter.
The Savor Card gives Capital One customers 4 percent back on dining and entertainment, 2 percent at grocery stores and 1 percent on all other purchases.
Swift has signed a multi-year deal with Capital One with this commercial kicking off the partnership.
Capital One is offering cardmembers an exclusive album bundle for Swift's upcoming release Lover that comes with a digital version of the alum and a t-shirt.
Lover is set for release on Aug. 23. The album will also contain the singles "You Need to Calm Down" and "Archer."


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The Nigerian singer Kiss Daniel is looking for the fan who handed back a very valuable chain during his performance.
He posted on Instagram the moment the fan in the front row gave back the chain: “I really wanna appreciate the fan that gave back my chain when it fell off last night. That’s a fortune right there.”
He went on to ask fans to ask find the person for him: “Tag Him pls, I have something for him.”
Online news websites in Nigeria say the necklace really could be worth a fortune – 14m naira ($39,000; £28,000), to be precise.
The jewellery designer Olusola Awujoola posted a close up of the necklace on his Instagram feed recently:
Kiss Daniel recording artist, performer and entertainer best known for his chart-topping single “Woju”.
He was formally signed to G-Worldwide Entertainment in 2013, he left the company in November 2017 to create his own record label, Fly Boy Inc.


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Congress wants to give the Food and Drug Administration power to regulate cigarettes and even ban most flavored cigarettes. But there's a catch. Menthol cigarettes would be exempted from the ban, leaving in place a large portion of the cigarette market that has particular appeal to young people and to African-Americans. That appears to be the distasteful price for putting cigarettes under the watchful eye of the FDA.
But if Congress indeed gives the FDA the oversight authority, the agency should look seriously at the scientific evidence and make its own determination about whether menthol cigarettes deserve a regulatory pass.
Legislation passed by a House committee would have the FDA review all new tobacco products before they could go on the market, approve statements before they could be put on product packages, and set standards for tobacco products that protect public health. In addition, the FDA could restrict the sale or distribution of tobacco products and issue warnings or recalls for particularly harmful products. The regulatory scheme would be paid for through user fees imposed on cigarette manufacturers. A similar bill is working its way through the Senate.
The legislation prohibits flavored cigarettes - natural or artificial - but makes an exception for tobacco and menthol flavors. Pro-regulation legislators and anti-smoking advocates were understandably concerned about flavors such as cinnamon that are meant to appeal to younger smokers. But considering that mentholated brands make up more than 25 percent of the American cigarette market, that's a pretty big exception. Menthol can give cigarettes a milder flavor that makes them more attractive to new - and young - smokers, and perhaps more addictive for experienced smokers who are trying to quit. An estimated 75 percent of African-American smokers prefer menthol brands.
Exempting menthol from the ban may be a necessary bargain struck with the industry in order to get any kind of regulation approved. But a harmful product shouldn't be allowed to hide behind cool flavoring. Congress should think twice about including mentholated cigarettes in the mix. But if Congress doesn't budge, then once the FDA takes charge, it should not hesitate to judge for itself whether menthol cigarettes pose any less of a health threat.


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Airline spokesman James Faulkner said Tuesday that the landing gear was still working and the plane made a safe landing.
Faulkner says the pilot of the MD-80 jet declared an emergency but passengers weren't told to brace for a crash landing.
Flight 1862 was carrying 121 passengers and five crew members. The airline says passengers have been put on another plane for the trip to St. Louis.
MORE HBJ HEADLINES
Hotel industry supplier Electric Mirror to expand in Everett Facebook ready to test giant drone for Internet service Economy up 2.3%; 1st quarter revised higher Our finance industry has grown too large Procter & Gamble sales dip on softer volume Briefs: Port of Everett awards $15,000 to support tourism
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When we asked attendees at SLIF18 what concerns and/or excites them about the future of the senior housing industry, their responses reflected a mixture of excitement, anticipation of almost unlimited opportunities and a bit of fear.
“I think there are incredible market opportunities in this space as the consumer starts to shift from the previous generation to the boomer…there’s a lot of opportunity for creativity and innovation. What concerns me is we’re not going to really serve those opportunities,” said Dan Hutson, Chief Strategy Officer of HumanGood.
“We’re so stuck with outdated models…people can’t seem to get out of their own way.”
Activated Insights’ Jacquelyn Kung likes the challenge of charting new business models. “What’s exciting about aging is that (in many ways) its uncharted territory,” she says. While Benchmark Senior Living’s Tom Grape believes, “The next 20 years are going to be the most exciting in our industry we’ve ever seen.”
Meanwhile, author and futurist Brian Solis, viewing the industry from the outside, says senior living has too many “companies that know yesterday’s business model and investors that fund yesterday’s business model.”
Drawing the conversation back to senior living’s mission, Sierra Campbell, Founder and CEO of NurtureCo, says that however various predictions come to fruition, “We are going to have a lot of people to care for.”
These and other senior living industry leaders share their insights in this short video. Watch now!


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The European Business Awards has announced today that Implix is to represent Poland as a National Champion in the prestigious 2012/13 Awards programme. Implix has been selected as one of just 10 National Champions for Poland and will now compete for the coveted Ruban D’Honneur status in the next round of the competition.
This year, for the first time, entrants in the European Business Awards submitted a video case study. All case studies were uploaded onto the European Business Awards website and an online voting mechanism was introduced to allow the public to choose their favourite videos in each country. Over 35,000 votes were cast with one company automatically going through to the National Champion round. In addition, an esteemed panel of judges chose another 9 organisations that exhibited innovation, business excellence and sustainability to represent Poland.
We believe there’s no better recommendation than the opinion of a satisfied customer. That’s why we’re launching an exciting new Referral Program that rewards you and anyone you refer to GetResponse with a generous discount. So, starting in March, valued customers like you who invite friends to visit www.getresponse.com and try our popular email marketing solution each get a $30 credit!
All you have to do is recommend GetResponse to a friend or acquaintance and if he or she opens a paid account (or a free trial account and upgrades to paid), then we’ll reward your commitment by giving both of you a $30 credit to redeem towards future payments.
For more information, please visit the GetResponse blog.
We've just launched a great feature that makes sending email newsletters even easier in GetResponse. The Inbox Preview is our new solution that helps users preview the designs of their emails in various email clients before they actually hit the “send” button.
With the feature you can now check exactly what your emails will look like in 20 email clients with a single click and then optimize as needed to make those emails look gorgeous. The list of available web-based and desktop clients covers the vast majority of email traffic, but we're already working on more!
After weeks of beta testing we finally announced the launch of an analytics enhancement in GetResponse - the intuitive Email Intelligence, along with a new dashboard.
With valuable feedback from our customers during beta tests, we’ve been able to create a tool we’re certain will prove to be the most revolutionary, in-depth email analytics in the industry.
The tool gives GetResponse customers greater insights into their campaigns and subscriber behavior as they see the big picture and more details then ever before.
The new feature includes metrics over time, message comparison, conversion statistics and much more - all to help marketers make accurate business decisions faster and run email campaigns more effectively


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"ASX-listed ClearVue Technologies has announced a manufacturing breakthrough
that could produce its new generation of solar glass 92 per cent faster than
previous methods and deliver “substantial” cost savings.
The Perth-based company says the breakthrough was made by a Chinese
manufacturer, who made 80 of it “integrated glazing units” that combine clear
glass with electrical circuitry to generate electricity.
ClearVue’s second generation unit was designed to be easier to make using
standard, mass production lines. It was first tested in Singapore, which was
able to reduce fabrication and assembly time by 90 per cent.
The Chinese manufacturer made the 80 units on an existing commercial production
line and said adding the extra components to the ClearVue glass units added
five minutes to the production time for each.
ClearVue CEO Martin Deil says this has cut the amount of labour required for
making the units from hours to minutes and he expects the cost savings to be
“Our building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs) can be produced on mass
production lines without the need for glass manufacturers to make changes to
their standardised lines, providing them with reduced capital costs, and less
downtime between different product runs,” Deil said in a statement.
“By reducing fabrication and assembly times, we lower their costs and increase
their production outputs and manufacturing plant capability, leading to lower
cost products for end-customers.”"
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
Chief Scientist, Xanadu
Partner, Glass Wings
Manager, Serious Cybernetics


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Report: Facebook To Add Location Features
Beginning next month, Facebook may start telling its users not only what their friends are doing, but also where they’re doing it.
The New York Times’ Bits Blog says the popular online social network will announce this “location-based” feature at its upcoming conference, called f8. The conference takes place April 21-22 in San Francisco.
Site users, according to the post, will be able to add their locations to status updates on Facebook.
Similar location services are an emerging trend with online social networks. Some Web sites, like foursquare and Gowalla, are dedicated largely to telling your online friends where you are at any given moment. This is seen by some as a helpful way for friends to find each other and meet up in real life. It’s also regarded as an advertising opportunity for businesses that can convince customers to post about their store visits on the Internet.
Other Web sites, potentially including Facebook, are starting to incorporate information about where people are into their existing set-up.
The Times’ blog cites interviews with “several people briefed on the project,” but the news of Facebook’s location-based service has not been confirmed. A Facebook spokeswoman, Meredith Chin, told writer Nick Bilton: “We’re constantly experimenting with new things around here, but we don’t have any details to share right now.”
On the tech blog Mashable, Adam Ostrow writes that location services are becoming an important part of the Internet at large:
With Facebook entering the space though, the other players will need to look to create value in ways beyond check-ins and knowing where your friends are located at any given point in time. That’s why Foursquare seems to be so focused on partnerships and gaming, while Gowalla is making moves (as recently as last night) in virtual goods.
In any event, location remains the huge trend so far in 2010, and literally each day seems to bring new indications of which way it will all play out.
The LA Times technology blog says the Facebook news doesn’t come as much of shock:
What kind of location service is open to interpretation. A big draw: geographically targeted advertising.
Assuming this report is true, do you like the idea of location-based features on Facebook?
Posted by: John D. Sutter — CNN.com writer/producer


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YouTube announced a slew of new initiatives at its NewFronts event on Thursday, as the Google-owned company continues to solidify its leading position in the online video space. First, it unveiled a new ad product called Google Breakout Videos, which allows brand advertisers to identify and insert pre-rolls into “fast-rising” YouTube videos as they go viral. Ad buyers will also be able to buy Google Preferred ads programmatically through Google’s DoubleClick ad platform.
In addition, YouTube is teaming up with the NBA to develop two original virtual reality series that offer basketball fans behind-the-scenes looks at basketball legends and more. Ahead of the event, reports broke that the company is planning to launch a skinny TV bundle, but YouTube neither confirmed nor denied that at its NewFronts.
What Brands Need To Do
As digital video starts to overtake TV in garnering consumer attention, especially in the younger generations, YouTube is leading the pack of online video platforms in a grab for the TV ad spending. In fact, our sibling agency Magna Global announced that, as part of a 3-year deal it struck with Google, it will invest $250 million into digital video ads on YouTube while receiving “competitive rates” on Google Preferred’s unskippable ad inventory. With online video consumption continuously on the rise, brands need to recalibrate their media spending and take advantage of the new tools YouTube offers.
Read original story on: TechCrunch
Vimeo will now allow video creators to charge for monthly subscriptions to their libraries of content, in addition to the video-on-demand feature it added back in 2013 for content owners to rent out or sell access to their videos. If successful, this new feature could spur many “mini-Netflixes”, further fragmenting the online video audience.
Positioned as an alternative to YouTube, Vimeo has always been averse to pre-roll ads or other forms of video advertising, focusing on exploring other ways of monetization instead. Adding support for the subscription model seems like a natural progression, if not a belated one. For media owners, this new feature poses a great opportunity to try out the increasingly popular subscription model.
Shoppable ads are hardly new, but Kate Spade’s HTML 5 offers a novel take on ecommerce video. The fashion ad includes a rolling display of products featured in the video with a link to the product page. The ad unit makes use of Google’s Lightbox format and will run across the internet giant’s Display Network.
The advertising world has been buzzing around recent news that Facebook will likely be launching video ads this fall. There are a few items that have sparked the most conversation, but none more than the $2.5 million price tag for a daylong run of 15 second video spots integrated into the newsfeed. That cost and the way Facebook is packaging the offering looks more like a major TV buy (think Superbowl) than anything found in the digital arena. In fact, it seems that Facebook is embracing the comparison to primetime and has even collaborated with Nielsen to release a FB-commissioned study to compare reach of Facebook to TV. According to the report Facebook has reach that is comparable or even greater than the four TV broadcast networks during the day. For example, the 25-34 age segment on Facebook has an incremental 41% reach to the networks during the day.
That said, Facebook’s ad formats will vary dramatically from TV and even most online video. They will appear within news feeds, muted and can expand and activate audio when clicked (in the same fashion as Instagram Video). Targeting also varies significantly from TV as FB video will be able to target by age and gender. Based on initial numbers, Facebook video generates greater engagement than any other form of post, but will that translate to paid media?
Jobs, the upcoming film on the life of the Apple pioneer has turned to Instagram Video to promote the movie which drops August 16th. The 15 second format was a perfect fit for movie trailers and also allows for easy viewing on Twitter. We’ve seen brands like Starbucks gain several hundred thousand followers on the platform and now the new feature will allow them to reach their audience with video. We’ll see if brands produce original video for the platform or simply use it as another distribution channel.
As YouTube continues to expand their paid and original channels, they have begun opening up their 40,000 sq ft LA studio to content creators on their platform. Qualified partners must have at least 100,000 monthly views to book time in the studio. All of this, of course, is geared towards producing higher quality video that will make YouTube a more attractive space for major advertisers who might have passed on all of the cat videos of yesteryear.
Editor’s note: Cat videos are actually still quite popular. See recent Buzzfeed post for reference.
Online TV mainstay, Hulu will not be sold despite months of bidding. Instead, their current network shareholders, including 21st Century Fox, NBCUniversal, and The Walt Disney Company have contributed $750 million to bolster the service. Hulu either did not receive high enough bids or believes they have significant long term value. With that said, Hulu’s network partners often host their videos on their own sites as well, thus cannibalizing Hulu views and ad sales.
Startup Touchcast has launched with the goal of reinventing online video to “look like TV and feel like the web.” The result is a series of video apps or vApps which are essentially plug and play widgets that bring additional functionality to any video. Examples include polls, Google News, webpages and more. With consumers multitasking more than ever, Touchcast’s multimedia approach may be interesting for brands trying to enhance their online video.
SkipIt operates a publisher network that allows users to pay an upfront fee that can be allocated to skip video ads. While their reach is miniscule and the offering a bit expensive, it does introduce an interesting proposition, essentially enabling a hybrid paid subscription model. We’ve seen advertisers enable similar transactions by crediting users through behaviors like sharing or liking content, but never such a direct monetary exchange. As micropayments become more engrained with online services, these sorts of solutions may not appear so farfetched in the future.
The Super Bowl is all about the first screen as viewers look for the most monstrous display to take in the action, but CBS also considered PC and tablet use this year providing a free stream of the game. Additionally, viewers could toggle camera angles, rewatch plays and receive web-exclusive ads. While twitter was likely the main second screen, CBS was able to extended their reach and interactivity online.


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At Kyoorius, we’re dealing with the coronavirus situation with the seriousness it deserves.
Therefore, we’re doing what can be done remotely while keeping our followers informed on all that is happening in the world of media, advertising and marketing.
Consequently, till things improve, Melt in a Minute will change a bit.
The format will change from all video to a text-based post. A little more difficult to consume, but it’s the best we can think of under the circumstances.
All of you, stay safe.
And stay informed with posts like this one.
Top News of the Day
1. Ogilvy Appoints Devika Bulchandani As Global Chair of Advertising
Ogilvy has appointed Devika Bulchandani as the chief executive officer of Ogilvy North America and global chairwoman of advertising. As noted by The Economic Times, Bulchandani will be responsible for driving all aspects of Ogilvy’s core business across the United States and Canada which spans advertising, brand and content, public relations and influence, experience, growth and innovation and health. She will also support Ogilvy’s advertising business across the global network.
2. Reliance Retail Completes Fundraising, Rakes in Rs 47,265 Crore
Reliance Industries announced that its retail arm has completed its fundraising exercise with more than half a dozen investors pouring Rs 47,265 Crore for 10.09% stake in the company in two months. As per NDTV, the funds will help Reliance to expand its new commerce venture. Reliance Retail Ventures began raising capital in September, with U.S.-based private equity firm Silver Lake Partners pumping Rs 7,500 crore for 1.6% of the venture. The eight other investors in RRVL include Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, private equity firm KKR & Co Inc, Abu Dhabi state fund Mubadala Investment Co and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.
3. Xiaomi India Elevates Kasturi Paladh as Head PR & Corporate Communications
Xiaomi India has elevated Kasturi Paladhi as Head- PR and Corporate Communications. She will be responsible for managing their public relations and 360-degree communication narratives along with handling the internal and external communications. As per exchange4media, Paladhi was earlier working as a Public Relations Manager at Xiaomi India.
4. Netflix Announces Stream Fest for the Indian Market
Netflix has announced Stream Fest, a two-day promotional event exclusively for the Indian market so non-members “can experience the service exactly the way its members do” — and possibly get some of them on-board the subscription bandwagon in the process. As reported by financial express, Stream Fest is a stripped-down version of the OTT platform’s monthly free trial option. Netflix will be capped to one stream in standard definition for each user.
5. BuzzFeed To Buy HuffPost
BuzzFeed Inc. will buy the HuffPost online news service from Verizon Communications Inc., marking the latest shake-up for new-media publishers. As reported by Adweek, BuzzFeed and Verizon’s media arm also agreed to syndicate each other’s content in a broader partnership. As part of the deal, Verizon is acquiring a minority stake in BuzzFeed, which will use the telecom giant’s ad platform to reach more customers.


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We recently took a tour of the Microsoft accelerator wherein program manager Aarti Kapoor took us through the premise. The first batch of 11 startups will be demoing somewhere in January and planning for the future, the accelerator has opened up applications for the second batch of the Microsoft Accelerator for Windows Azure in India. Starting November 23, 2012 till January 15, 2013, Microsoft is receiving online applications from startups keen to build big businesses on Cloud, Internet or Mobile. After rigorous screening, the final list of 15 startups will be announced on February 1, 2013. The four-month incubation process at the Microsoft office in downtown Bangalore will begin from March 1, 2013.Mukund Mohan, CEO-in-Residence, Microsoft Accelerator for Windows Azure (India), said: “The experience of working with the first batch of 11 startups currently being incubated in our Accelerator has strengthened our belief in the potential of this program to boost the startup ecosystem of India. Therefore, starting 2013, we have decided to host two batches every year, and also expand each batch size to 15.”
“The focus of the second batch would be on four primary sectors – Cloud Infrastructure, Enterprise Applications, Software-as-a-Service products, and Mobile / Consumer Internet Applications. Any startup which is working on an application that can leverage the Cloud, such as e-commerce, mobile, media, social applications, gaming, education, healthcare, Big Data Analytics, enterprise and telecom, is eligible to apply,” Mohan said.
The first batch of 11 startups are in the third month of their four-month incubation period at the Accelerator. Under their mentors, they are preparing for Demo Day to be held in January 2013, when they would pitch before venture capitalists and angel investors of the world.
Click here to apply for the second batch of the Microsoft Accelerator.