YouTube Sees Brand Fans Move From Consumers Of Culture To Shaping It

Content creators are the new studios and the Gen Z entertainment paradigm is taking hold in the mainstream.


Apple is targeting to begin mass production of new “AirPods with camera modules” by 2026

According to Kuo, these new AirPods will feature an infrared camera similar to what’s used as part of the Face ID module on iPhone and iPad

Wonder how these cameras will work for multi-modal AI.

Between this and revamped voice assistants and Meta’s Ray Bans, ambient computing is arriving.

Also interesting that despite the investment in the Vision Pro (or maybe because of the dedication to design decisions made therein), Apple seems content to let Meta own the optical market. (For now?)

via 9to5Mac


Spotify for Podcasters has introduced the ability for podcast audiences to leave comments on podcasts

Spotify adding a little YouTube-esque social-adjacent functionality to podcasts.

via Sounds Profitable


From the 2024 Women’s NCAA tournament reaching a peak of 24 million viewers at the final game, to the UK’s national Women’s Soccer League receiving a 17% boost in interest between 2023 and 2024 according to Nielsen, fandom for women’s sports is on the rise.

via Sounds Profitable


From today’s Ben Evans email:

A few years ago this would have been expensive and time-consuming if it was even possible - soon it will just be a button. This is the natural life cycle of all ‘AI’.

AI is an accelerant.


From MarTech: Steve Ganem, Product Director of Google Analytics, on what’s ahead for GA4

More offline data and more AI

continue to innovate and invest in making it the most effective, holistic and durable analytics solution


Fun trick for ecomm competitor analysis


People are addicted to escape

-Abass Wurie

This was said about drugs, but drugs are are just one avenue of escape.

via Marginal Revolution


Meta’s Instant Forms are a powerful lead gen tool, but quality can be low out of the box.

Here are some steps from Big Blue to improve performance:

  • Add a question that can’t be autofilled by Meta
  • Try to keep it to 3 questions max
  • Use dynamic or custom questions

& don’t forget creative


Thanks to Gabe the Bass Player, I’m beginning to see that I think of brands like songs.

Some are transient hits and others classics.
Some are pop sensations, others underground faves, others niche anthems. There’s usually a song of the summer.

Regardless, a song is the same combination of parts for everyone who hears it. But the way we each hear it is different.

Once it’s all there it will be powerful enough to let the audience think they have it memorized even when they don’t.