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Here are five technology things that happened in the past week and how they’re impacting your business. Did you miss them?
1 – Twitter plans to make big changes.
While not confirmed, Twitter plans to charge users $8 per month for paid verification. The goal of the change is to convert Twitter’s optional $4.99 monthly plan into a more expensive plan that also authenticates users. These are just some of the many changes owner Elon Musk plans in the coming months, including improved content moderation and a move to a more subscription-based model for all users. (Source: BBC news)
Why this is important for your business:
Millions of entrepreneurs and small business owners use Twitter around the world and many of us have been following the recent events closely when Elon Musk took ownership. Musk has cleaned the house and worked on new content moderation policies and revenue streams. It’s clear that his move to a more subscription-based model and away from advertisers who could be jumpy of the “free speech” changes is necessary to boost the company’s revenue streams, while still allowing the community to have their say. . There are also rumours he will turn the platform into a “super app” like China’s WeChat that can support mobile payments, banking and communications. If your business uses Twitter, expect a drop in followers as bots get wiped out. Also expect to pay to play. But if Musk succeeds in making the platform a better place for conversation and news, these changes could boost credibility and, in turn, make Twitter a better place for free speech and free markets.
2 – Shopify acquired Remix to bolster its storefront design tools.
Shopify recently acquired the developer tools platform Remix in an effort to improve its storefront design tools. Remixing is a full-stack web framework focused on leveraging native browser features and distributed systems. Remix is ​​compatible with several public cloud services such as Cloudflare Workers, Vercel, Netlify, Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services. Shopify plans to use Remix in several projects. (Source: TechCrunch)
Why this is important for your business:
This is interesting news for Shopify storefront developers who want more open source tools for their projects. According to TechCrunch, “one of the key features of Remix is ​​prefetching – the framework can prefetch elements of a web page in parallel, including buttons and forms, before a user clicks a link to minimize page loading.” Shopify believes Remix will “make it easier for developers to deliver blazing-fast, resilient experiences across the web.”
3 – JPMorgan Chase wants to disrupt the rent check with its payment platform for landlords and tenants.
JPMorgan Chase is rolling out a pilot platform to help digitize rental payments for property managers and owners. The new payment platform automates the invoicing and receipts of all rents paid online. Although digital payments have increased in recent years, about 78 percent of rent payments are still made using paper checks. (Source: CNBC)
Why this is important for your business:
I have always believed that over time, banks will take over the accounting space and replace many of the current players with their own applications. This story is a good example of that. The property management industry is still stuck in the 1970s when it comes to technology. 78 percent of payments are still made with paper checks? What? Cloud accounting applications have struggled to move customers forward, but failed. JPMorgan Chase’s platform could be an answer. And if the bank succeeds in expanding these tools for this industry, there are other service-oriented sectors that could also use an upgrade.
4— This Walmart-backed fintech is planning to test banking services in the coming weeks, according to sources.
Fintech company One — which is backed by Walmart — plans to roll out beta testing checking accounts to a small percentage of Walmart’s online customers and thousands of its employees. The goal is to provide these accounts to the 1.6 million Walmart employees within the first year of rollout before wider services are introduced. The fintech also plans to increase the supply of investments and loans. (Source: Yahoo Finance)
Why this is important for your business:
Another reason I think banks will eventually get into accounting is because other companies – such as major retailers – are slowly eating up their consumer banking services. If Walmart succeeds with this fintech project, I would expect similar offerings to be made available to its suppliers and partners in the future.
5 – HR Platform for Employee Benefits Fringe recently raised $17 million to provide customizable benefits.
HR tech startup Zoom has raised $17 million in a recent funding round. The company empowers its corporate clients to offer customizable benefits to employees, giving employees the ability to choose the plans and benefits that match their stage of life and needs. Fringe plans to use the funding to grow its team from 72 to more than 100 employees by the end of next month. (Source: Tech Crunch)
Why this is important for your business:
Fringe is a very popular platform with many of my clients because it provides a flexible way to provide employee benefits ranging from Uber rides to mental health services. Employees love it because they can choose the benefits they want. My clients like it because Fringe makes it easier for them to provide many different benefits from one source, reducing administration and oversight.
Janice has been with businesskinda for 5 years, writing copy for client websites, blog posts, EDMs and other mediums to engage readers and encourage action. By collaborating with clients, our SEO manager and the wider businesskinda team, Janice seeks to understand an audience before creating memorable, persuasive copy.