⏩The Median Minute: December Edit

In this edition (our December edit!), updates, updates, and more updates (and a little AI) dominate the app news feeds of late. 

But in an industry making constant changes and innovating skyward, version and device updates are certainly par for the course. Here are some hand-picked stories and news you can use to ensure you (and your app) are caught up on the big stuff.

💡FEATURED STORY: Major mobile upgrade: In-app browsing now supported on iOS and Android apps

In a significant advancement for mobile users, both iOS and Android platforms have introduced native in-app browsers, allowing seamless display of external web content without exiting an app. So whether you’re an Apple enthusiast or an Android admirer, this new update can be enjoyed by all.

This groundbreaking new feature enhances the user experience by eliminating the need to switch between multiple applications, providing a more streamlined and immersive journey. Now, users can access external links, articles, or websites directly within the app interface, ensuring a smoother and more cohesive navigation experience. This not only saves us all some time, but also reduces friction, making our app interactions more user-friendly and less head-achey. The introduction of in-app browsing marks a powerful stride toward a more integrated and convenient mobile experience, aligning with the evolving expectations of users who are spending more and more time in apps.

“So, what does this in-app browsing update mean for my Median.co app?”

You can now enable in-app browsing within your own Median.co app. Here's a breakdown of what this entails:

Seamless internal links: When users click on links leading to content optimized for the app (like articles or pages designed specifically for the app), the content opens seamlessly within the app. This ensures a smooth and integrated experience.

In-app browser for external links: For links that direct users to external websites not specifically tailored for the app, an in-app browser window opens. This allows users to view third-party content without leaving the app, maintaining a cohesive experience.

Launching external links in default browser or app: Some links are configured to open in the device's default mobile browser or associated default app (like Safari, Chrome, Google Maps, LinkedIn, etc.). This typically happens when the content is better suited for external viewing.

For developers working on the Median.co app, there's a provided demo page to test how these link-handling configurations work during the development phase. The configuration tool allows developers to customize rules for link behavior, ensuring that links open in the most appropriate way based on the type of content and user experience goals. It provides flexibility to define rules for different scenarios, making sure users have a seamless and engaging experience while navigating within the app.

Want the what, why, and how? Click here for a comprehensive breakdown via our Documentation portal.

🗞️Apps in the news

Whether its acquisitions, updates, or app marketing strategies, we’ve been glued to these mobile app news stories this winter.

Google Play is getting stricter with their requirements to publish an app from a personal developer account

Following the example laid out by the Apple App Store’s rigorous app review model, last month Google announced it’s now taking its own steps to ensure that only the highest-quality and most trustworthy apps are listed and made available for download in Google Play.  With a more complicated approval process, Google Play will likely start to lose its reputation as the 'easier' app store to get published in. Who does this affect? Well, if you’re an independent developer, this news is for you. Get the full Google Play update via sidebar Magazine.

Apple's new pilot program: Discounts for multiple subscriptions spark collaboration

Apple's new pilot program, "contingent pricing for subscriptions," allows App Store developers to offer discounts based on one or two different subscriptions, fostering potential partnerships. Discounts can be applied within the app and in external App Store advertising, simplifying the process for customers. Apple plans to onboard developers in the coming months, aligning with its goal of making app stores attractive by providing revenue opportunities and enhancing customer engagement. Learn more via The Verge.

AppsFlyer takes off with its acquisition of Oolo

In a strategic move highlighting the escalating challenges faced by app developers in the dynamic digital landscape, AppsFlyer, a global leader in marketing measurement, attribution, and data analytics, has recently acquired Oolo, a prominent AI-powered platform specializing in user acquisition and monetization decision-making. Renowned for its commitment to delivering comprehensive solutions for modern marketing, growth, and monetization teams, AppsFlyer's latest acquisition positions Oolo as "Oolo by AppsFlyer." This move comes as demand intensifies for real-time, data-driven decision-making among teams aiming to optimize strategies related to customer acquisition, engagement, and monetization. You can grow your user base and drive engagement with data driven insights by adding AppsFlyer to your Median app.

Marketers prioritize mobile app advertising during holiday shopping season

It's holiday shopping season, so it's timely that a study by Comscore’s Proximic (in collaboration with Nexxen) found that 50% of marketers plan to allocating the majority of their ad budgets to digital channels and direct purchases. Of the media channels marketers are using right now, desktop and mobile advertising lead at 79%, while brand awareness commands 37% of holiday ad budgets. This is further evidence that app advertising (like podcast and email advertising) continue to grow as app usership does.

AI, AI, Captain: Google introduces Bard chatbot extension to its app suite

AI is trending everywhere, including in the app world. With intense competition from Open AI’s ChatGPT, Google is updating its apps to ensure its own chat tech is all-pervasive. With the launch of Bard Extensions, users navigating apps in the Google Suite can use Bard to gather personalized content that they on-demand from across their many Google apps. Read the full announcement here, via Google’s The Keyword.

TikTok climbs the social ladder, reaching $10B in earnings

TikTok has made history as the first non-gaming app to achieve a staggering $10 billion in consumer spending, surpassing the $1 billion mark in Q1 and outshining heavyweights like Tinder and YouTube. The app's remarkable 61% growth in consumer spending throughout 2023, exceeding 2022 earnings by 15%, cements its status among top-grossing mobile apps like Candy Crush Saga and Clash of Clans. TikTok's financial ascent solidifies its influence in the mobile app landscape, maintaining a substantial revenue lead of $2 to $3 billion. Get the full scoop via Data.ai.

Amazon strengthens in-app shopping with deals from Meta and Snap

Meta, despite halting live shopping on Facebook and Instagram, is seemingly collaborating with Amazon for in-app shopping. Theoretically, this means that users can link Facebook and Instagram to Amazon, streamlining the shopping experience. The feature applies to specific products on these platforms, sold by Amazon or independent sellers. Learn more via TechCrunch.

Shopify augments offering with in-app 3D scanner

Are you a Shopify business owner + iPhone enthusiast looking to increase your sales? Good news: the popular e-comm platform is leveraging new tech from the recent iOS 17 update to help shop owners capture 3D images of products directly from their existing Shopify app. The goal? To innovate product presentation away from the classic text+2d image status quo of online retail. See it in action here, via the Shopify blog.

Intruder Alert: iOS 17 update raises privacy concerns (for some)

Version updates aren’t always seamless. After the iOS 17 release, some iPhone users are noticing strange, non-consensual behavior in their privacy settings. A subset of users who had previously disabled “Significant Locations” and “iPhone Analytics” noticed these were mysteriously reactivated after updating. Check your iPhone settings, and then read more here via 9to5Mac.

🔢By the numbers

$167 BILLION

📱Anatomy of an App:  Biometric Authentication

Face ID. Touch ID. The stuff of Star Trek is now fully integrated into our mobile device experience, to the point that this functionality is now expected by users. 

Knowing this, businesses of all kinds and sizes are increasingly making use of biometrics as part of their mobile app sign-in experience. It makes sense: biometric authentication is innovative, ensures security, and importantly, makes for a more seamless experience for customers or employees when they need to login — which in turn means increased app engagement and conversions.

But how do you take steps to add biometric authentication functionality to your mobile app? Get some practical tips in this recent article from sidebar Magazine.

📢 Overheard @ Median

This is one of the most-asked questions from Median customers right now, according to Eamonn Gogan, Head of Customer Success here at Median, who revealed to us what’s trending with customers lately. This time — you guessed it — updates are a hot topic: "The short answer to the above is yes: your app will continue to function on devices supported at the time of launch," he says. "But future iOS and Android releases and devices often require your app to be updated to maintain compatibility."

Most inbound questions right now are coming from our trusted customers related to the how-to’s of app updates (See the Android 14 story here!).

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⏰ Time’s up (for now)! We’re here to help you make sense of all things mobile. Have specific questions? Get in touch with us here, or visit our website: median.co.

Happy Holidays!

– The Median Team