Google has been rolling out many new search features over the past few months related to images, featured snippets, and the knowledge graph. The search giant released another feature called “multifaceted featured snippets.” [Source: Search Engine Land]
While Facebook continues to experiment with new ways to get people spending more time on their main platform, they’re also working on options to develop more business tools within Messenger. [Source: Social Media Today]
Vero is a new social media app trying to take on Instagram, Facebook and more. It’s ad-free and organized chronologically, as opposed to Facebook and Instagram’s algorithm-driven feeds. It’s also gaining steam just as many influential Instagram users are complaining about a drop in “likes” and other engagement in recent weeks. [Source: TIME]
Dropbox filed for an IPO with the SEC late last week, with the intention of being listed on NASDAQ over the coming weeks under the ticker DBX. The move by the popular cloud storage company makes sense, as upbeat equity market conditions should allow it to raise the $500 million it seeks at a favorable valuation. [Source: Forbes]
Twitter is publicly launching its “Bookmarks” feature, which has been in testing since late last year, following the company’s HackWeek project dubbed #SaveForLater. [Source: TechCrunch]
Google announced the official beta release of its Flutter app development framework. It’s one way to make an app, and it’s especially well-suited to fancy user interfaces. [Source: The Verge]
YouTube’s taking their live tools to the next level. The company has announced a range of updates for their live-stream offering – and interestingly, YouTube’s live video efforts are being assisted by former Facebook Live Product Manager Vadim Lavrusik. [Source: Social Media Today]
In a significant push to fend competition in the AI-based voice tech space, Google recently announced a slew of measures for Google Assistant. With this move, the compatibility with Google Assistant will now reach 95% of the eligible Android devices in terms of language support. [Source: Logicserve Digital]
Automobile manufacturer Porsche is exploring Blockchain apps in its vehicles in cooperation with the Berlin-based startup XAIN. Possible applications for Blockchain technology range from locking and opening car doors via an app, with the possibility for temporary access authorization, to new and improved business models through encrypted data logging. [Source: Cointelegraph]
Facebook is trying to play extra nice with local news publishers by putting $3 million behind the launch of the Local News Subscriptions Accelerator. The three-month pilot program will help 10 to 15 U.S.-based metropolitan news organizations gain more digital subscribers both on and off Facebook. [Source: TechCrunch]
