This Week in Apps brings the latest news from the world of mobile operating systems, apps, and the app economy as a whole. According to data.ai’s State of Mobile report, consumer spending on apps dropped for the first time in 2020 by 2%, for a total of $167 billion, but downloads of apps continued to rise by 11%, totaling 255 billion.
In light of this, the former Twitter CEO and current Bluesky backer, Jack Dorsey, spoke up about future changes to Twitter, his views on Elon Musk, and the decision to take the company private. He also stressed that Twitter would have never survived as a public company. On the other hand, Dorsey has been actively using the app he is also financially backing, nostr, and has been highly critical to some of Musk’s recent decisions.
At the same time, Bluesky, the decentralized Twitter alternative, managed to get even more attention, with many people actively exchanging invites for high prices. The network offers a haven for marginalized communities, sex workers and trans users, but its sustainability and freewheeling culture remain uncertain.
NewFronts this week saw many digital media companies and social networks presenting their platforms and potential ad products to advertisers, including Snap’s integration with My AI. In another news, Google and Apple came together to combat unwanted tracking with a joint announcement to release a proposed specification that will alert users of any unwanted tracking through Bluetooth devices.
Additionally, music distribution service DistroKid launched its first mobile app this week – iPhone only – to provide artists with access to payment alerts, updates, music stats, metadata and more. Finally, RTRO, a new social networking startup, presented its own app to connect brands, creators, and followers in a more positive environment.
Jack Dorsey has been a strong presence in the tech industry with his involvement in companies such as Twitter and the payment services providers Square and Bluesky. Prior to the establishment of these companies, Dorsey already had developed his first project, a taxicab dispatch service – the very early prototype of what was later to become Twitter. He is also a strong proponent of Open Protocols, believing that they offer individuals and organizations entirely new capabilities.
Elon Musk, on the other hand, is the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and founder of The Boring Company and Neuralink. He recently faced backlash for his decision to stop Twitter USers from linking to Substack after the latter launched a Twitter-like service. Musk has also been heavily criticized after his statements on potentially taking Tesla public again. Despite this, he continues to be one of the most influential figures in the tech industry.
