Industry News
What App Developers Should Pay Attention to for the Second Half of 2021
Seven months into the year and the app industry has never been stronger – global app spending climbed nearly 25% to reach upward of $64.9 billion, and mobile habits picked up over the past year are set to stay.
In terms of performance, Gaming remains the undisputed leader in both consumer spend and downloads but among the non-gaming apps, a number of categories are enjoying their fair share in the spotlight.
While categories such as Business, Health, Social and Entertainment continue to enjoy the momentum generated last year, we are also beginning to see renewed interest in sectors like Travel and Navigation, Dating, and Productivity as vaccination rollouts in different countries pick up tractions.
However, the mobile landscape has always been as dynamic as they come – the dust has yet to settle on the pandemic front and consumer behaviour will shift with every passing month. So while the first half of the year had the industry by the edge of our seat for the habits and trends that will form part of the new industry normal, there are now clear signals of what is to come and developers looking to stay competitive will need to start acting on them.
Alternative is the name of the game
Mobile, and apps in particular, are now a cornerstone of consumers’ daily lives and businesses who do not have a presence on a platform will be the ones who will struggle the most, regardless of vertical. Furthermore, users are becoming increasingly discerning about the products and services they use, and are more likely to explore competitor apps to satisfy needs for services that best suit them. This means that developers need to look at participation in alternative platforms – such as various app marketplaces – is becoming critical for discoverability of smaller companies in particular. Bringing their brands to different app storefronts means high chances of building additional touch points with new and existing customers to their businesses.
In light of this, developers will need to identify tools and processes that can streamline their approach to the maintainability of their multi-platform presence. Between delivering their own app brand and participating in multiple app storefronts, the different processes add up to a maintenance headache. The more a developer can re-use their infrastructure and processes across multiple platforms to deliver a common feature-set, the easier they will be able to scale and the more resilient their business will become.
Connectivity set to take centre stage
The popularity and adoption of connected devices have surged over the years and consumers’ expectations are shifting in tandem with this trend. Mobile users are now looking towards a new level of seamless connectivity between their devices and favour apps that are compatible with their ecosystem of choice. This bias is particularly prevalent within the Health vertical where apps belonging to connected devices such as Peloton and Fitbit lead their competitors in terms of consumer spend.
The potential for developers integrated into an ecosystem is almost limitless – the compatibility means that the app is able to fully leverage the hardware capabilities to unlock more extensive features that their competitors would not have access to.
Furthermore, the rollout of 5G technology can further propel the popularity of apps integrated within the ecosystem through its vastly enhanced latency and bandwidth. These capabilities empower greater and better connectivity between devices and apps integrated with the ecosystem are able to contribute to a significantly smarter and more seamless environment. This advantage will then help these apps pull ahead of their competitors in the long run.
Navigating the future with symbiotic collaboration
Given the growing need to maintain presence across alternative channels, publishers need to look towards platforms that can offer them not only a quality and sizable user base, but also strategic growth opportunities. This means focusing on the big picture and prioritise setting up shop at alternative app marketplaces.
With the growing distrust between developers and traditional app distribution platforms, the industry should expect to see an increasing number of bigger gaming companies attempting to set up their own storefronts. However, these channels are likely to be equally problematic as there may be some trust and fairness implications due to the same entity being both the distributor and the developer. Therefore, developers should instead consider existing app distribution platforms such as Huawei’s AppGallery which can offer not only extensive technical and operational support, but also a well-established ecosystem and userbase of over 540 million active users globally.
AppGallery offers developers a wide suite of tools, capabilities, and resources, empowering them to achieve the best return on investment in the shortest period possible. To achieve this, the platform offers every developer a full spectrum of developer support from technical integration to overseas market expansion, facilitating exponential growth and app innovation.
Furthermore, developers onboarding the platform will gain access to the powerful HMS (Huawei Mobile Service) Core, a rich array of open device and cloud capabilities. It allows developers to introduce unique ground-breaking technology to their apps and integrate them into the all-encompassing HMS ecosystem at the same time.
Between the comprehensive level of developer support and unwavering commitment to partner success, AppGallery is the ideal platform for businesses looking to navigate the dynamic second half of 2021 and the future.
If you are interested in learning more about Huawei and its solution, visit the Huawei developer website here: https://developer.huawei.com/consumer/en/
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TipRanks, a leading financial research platform with more than 9 million monthly active users, has announced a strategic sponsorship with Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, a 5-time US Chess Champion who is currently ranked 2nd in the world. Powered by a new set of AI tools, the partnership is designed to help investors make better, data-driven decisions through the combination of TipRanks’ cutting-edge tools and Nakamura’s strategic mindset.
As part of the partnership, Nakamura will create and manage a Stream Portfolio on TipRanks. Viewers and fans of Hikaru will be able to track his investment research in real time on his widely followed video channels and social media — plus share ideas in the stream chat to help shape the portfolio’s holdings. Working with TipRanks’ award-winning platform, Nakamura will showcase how he evaluates opportunities, while emphasizing that all content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
Nakamura’s dominance in chess stems from his ability to absorb vast amounts of information, analyze multiple outcomes and make decisive moves under pressure—skills that closely mirror successful investing.
“TipRanks offers a wide variety of insights on thousands of stocks and equities, helping me to think strategically about all of my investments. Just like in chess, beating the market depends on making wise, fully informed decisions. Harnessing data to think several moves ahead is second nature to me,” said Nakamura.
“While other investing websites might sponsor more popular spectator sports such as soccer, our partnership with a chess champion is pitch perfect. We are tailor-made for investors who seek to act strategically, just like Hikaru does,” said Uri Gruenbaum, Founder and CEO of TipRanks.
The post TipRanks to Become Official Sponsor of 5-Time U.S. Chess Champion Hikaru Nakamura appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
PENN Entertainment has officially opened the doors of its new Hollywood Casino Joliet on Monday, August 11.
The $185 million state-of-the-art casino replaces the former riverboat property that operated on the shores of the Des Plaines River since 1992.
Legislators and area dignitaries, Illinois Gaming Board officials, Chicago Bears executives and NFL legend and Joliet native Tom Thayer joined the PENN team members for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Hollywood Casino Joliet then opened to the public at 4:00 p.m. and welcomed guests to experience approximately 1000 of the newest slot machines, 43 table games, a retail ESPN BET sportsbook, upscale national and Chicagoland celebrity-led dining and, above all, a premier guest experience.
“We would like to officially welcome players and guests to the all-new Hollywood Casino Joliet. After approximately 20 months of construction, we are thrilled to open the doors to this land-based entertainment destination. We are proud of our 30-year history in Will County and are committed to continuing our investment in the community by creating new jobs, providing important tax revenue, and serving as a new attraction to bring even more visitors to the area,” said Jay Snowden, CEO and President of PENN Entertainment.
“This opening marks an exciting new era of entertainment in Joliet. We’re grateful for the support from the city of Joliet, the Illinois Gaming Board, and our business and community partners who contributed to the successful development of this new property. We look forward to delivering an elevated experience with world class dining, entertainment, and gaming options for patrons across the region,” said Todd George, Executive Vice President of Operations for PENN.
The roughly 189,000 square foot entertainment destination employs approximately 600 team members and generated around 450 construction jobs. Open seven days a week and 24 hours a day, the fun and excitement will continue 365 days a year.
The post PENN Entertainment Celebrates Grand Opening of Hollywood Casino Joliet appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
SA Gaming has announced that its game portfolio and Remote Gaming Server have officially obtained Gaming Laboratories International certifications in Brazil. This milestone underscores SA Gaming’s commitment to delivering premium gaming experiences, with a particular focus on the Brazilian market. The regulated Brazilian online gaming market, which launched on January 1, 2025, is projected to become the largest in Latin America. Under the new framework, only licensed operators are legally permitted to offer online gaming and betting services.
The National Indian Gaming Commission announced Gross Gaming Revenues of $43.9B for fiscal year 2024. This historic figure reflects a $2.0 billion increase over FY 2023, representing an overall growth of 4.6% across the Indian gaming industry. The GGR figure is calculated from independently audited financial statements from 532 independently audited gaming operations owned by 243 federally recognised tribes across 29 states. Two NIGC regions, Oklahoma City and Washington, D.C., reported double-digit growth over the previous fiscal year.
The Michigan Gaming Control Board has issued cease-and-desist letters to six unlicensed online gambling platforms attempting to target Michigan residents without state authorisation. The action underscores the MGCB’s relentless, ongoing efforts to shut down illegal gambling operations and protect Michigan consumers from financial risk, identity theft and unfair play. The targeted sites—Crypto Slots, NitroBetting, NewVegas, Las Vegas USA Casino, Grand Rush Casino and Slotgard Casino—were found to be operating in violation of Michigan laws that require licensure for internet gaming and sports betting. This enforcement action is part of the MGCB’s larger crackdown on illegal online gambling platforms.
Partnerships
Table Trac Inc announced that a new Nevada casino partner is installing the CasinoTrac CMS system, and a long-time customer is upgrading from its classic system to the latest comprehensive technology stack featuring enhanced capabilities for Loyalty, Bonusing, & Operations. Barton’s Club 93 Casino Hotel, under new ownership, GLM Gaming, as part of a significant property remodel and renovation is upgrading the slot system to CasinoTrac’s high-speed, Secure, Unified and Stable PlayerLINQ network, which drives player engagement through the programmatic, custom SlotSUITE platform while turbocharging efficiency and time on device with SelfPAY. Border Inn Casino will deploy CasinoTrac’s high-speed, Secure, Unified and Stable PlayerLINQ network, NV Tech Standard 3-compliant accounting and CTLoyalty for Patron & Club Management, powered by CasinoTrac’s bonusing, auto-tiering and reflexive rewards functions.
Caesars Entertainment Inc announced it is the first in the industry to launch IGT’s newest installment of its beloved slot title, Kitty Glitter Grand. The game is now live across Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino, and Caesars Sportsbook & Casino in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, and Ontario. It’s also available at Caesars Rewards destinations in Atlantic City, including Caesars and Harrah’s, with Tropicana set to join the lineup soon, subject to final regulatory approval. This debut marks IGT’s first simultaneous exclusive launch of a game both online and in casinos in the US. As a result, Caesars is currently the only place where fans of the Kitty Glitter franchise can experience this latest installment, whether in person or online.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – August 4-10 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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