This Week in Apps: Elections, Privacy & iOS 14.2

Greetings and welcome to This Week in Apps, the TechCrunch feature dedicated to summarizing the newest developments in operating systems, the applications compatible with them, and the financial activity surrounding them.

The mobile application market continues to thrive, achieving an impressive 204 billion downloads and $120 billion in direct consumer expenditure during 2019. Currently, individuals dedicate an average of three hours and forty minutes daily to app usage, a figure comparable to time spent watching television. Applications have evolved beyond simple entertainment; they represent a substantial commercial sector. In 2019, businesses prioritizing a mobile-first strategy collectively held a valuation of $544 billion, which is 6.5 times greater than companies lacking that emphasis.

Top Stories

Apps and the Elections

The closely contested U.S. elections this week significantly influenced activity within the app marketplace.

The applications utilized by Americans to follow the election results on their iPhones mirrored the country’s political polarization. Rather than selecting a broadly impartial news outlet, such as a major television network, the most downloaded apps were CNN and Fox News – cable news organizations with established left-leaning and right-leaning perspectives, respectively.

Following Election Day, the Fox News app reached the No. 2 position among the most popular free iPhone applications in the U.S. App Store, representing its highest ranking to date. Previously, its peak position was No. 9, achieved on November 9, 2016.

Simultaneously, the CNN app attained No. 3 on the same day – its best ranking since reaching No. 2 on January 20, 2017, the date of President Trump’s inauguration. This also marked the app’s third-highest ranking ever achieved (it had previously held the No. 1 spot on November 9, 2016).

By November 5, CNN remained highly ranked at No. 4, while Fox News had moved down to No. 14.

Other news applications experienced comparatively lower levels of engagement, with few appearing within the top 50.

Android users demonstrated a lesser degree of interest in the elections, with Fox News peaking at No. 12 on November 5 and CNN reaching No. 16.

Away from the intense election coverage, Calm’s meditation app garnered attention for its inventive advertising campaign, which included sponsoring CNN’s election night broadcast. The app’s branding appeared on screen during CNN’s “Key Race Alert” segment, and this promotional activity appeared to positively influence the app’s download numbers and overall ranking.

Social media platforms were compelled to respond swiftly to address the widespread dissemination of misinformation, unsubstantiated claims, and other content that violated their policies. Facebook and Instagram displayed notifications to users informing them that vote counting was still in progress, following inaccurate assertions made by President Trump regarding a victory.

Facebook also removed groups and hashtags linked to the spread of election-related misinformation, a step mirrored by TikTok. However, Facebook’s hashtag blocking mechanism is not a complete removal – searches for blocked phrases still yield results, albeit primarily from news organizations reporting on the trend. TikTok, in contrast, completely suppresses content associated with blocked terms and took more definitive action to eliminate videos containing election misinformation.

Despite these efforts, individuals seeking misinformation could still readily find it on TikTok through alternative hashtags and search terms.

YouTube adopted a more debated approach to handling misinformation. The platform demonstrated a willingness to allow the continued spread of potentially harmful false information when it declined to remove a video falsely declaring a Trump victory and undermining confidence in the electoral process. YouTube justified this decision by stating that demonetization and warning labels were sufficient, but by keeping the content accessible, it continues to generate revenue from user views.

The company did, however, remove a video from Steve Bannon that advocated violence against Dr. Anthony Fauci and FBI Director Christopher Wray.

According to data from Sensor Tower, combined iOS and Android installations for leading social media applications – including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter – decreased by 8% between November 3-5 compared to the period of October 27-29.

The right-leaning social app Parler experienced a significant increase in rankings, moving from No. 1,023 on iOS on November 2 to No. 241 on November 5, and further to No. 29 as of Friday.

Apple releases a significant iOS 14 update

This week, Apple launched iOS 14.2, delivering a range of enhancements alongside the standard corrections for errors and improvements to system security.

A key highlight for users is the inclusion of 117 fresh emojis.

The new emoji selection features a revised “Face with Medical Mask” design, now displaying smiling eyes. Other additions include the transgender pride flag, a pinched hand gesture, figures embracing, a smiling face with a single tear, an image of a person feeding a baby with a bottle, and a more diverse collection of formally dressed individuals and those wearing veils. A gender-neutral option for Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, represented by a figure wearing a Santa hat, is also available.

The latest iOS version also introduces eight new background images in both light and dark modes; redesigned AirPlay controls; the functionality to link a HomePod to an Apple TV for stereo, surround sound, and Dolby Atmos audio experiences; compatibility with the iPhone 12 Leather Sleeve utilizing MagSafe technology; optimized battery management for AirPods; alerts regarding headphone volume levels; and further improvements.

Notably, a new accessibility feature has been implemented for visually impaired users, utilizing the lidar technology found in the iPhone 12, 12 Pro Max, and iPad Pro.

This “People Detection” function uses lidar to determine the proximity of individuals to the device user, assisting those with visual impairments in navigating their surroundings. 

Prepare for Apple’s Upcoming “App Privacy” Details

Apple revealed this week that app developers must provide details regarding their app’s privacy practices to the App Store by December 8, 2020. This submission of privacy information will be necessary for both new app submissions and updates to existing apps, and is intended to provide users with greater clarity regarding data access.

After the specified date, the product page for each app will display the types of data the app gathers and how this data is utilized for tracking purposes, according to Apple. This encompasses not only data collected directly by the app developers, but also any data sent from the device for subsequent use by the developer or a third-party. Consequently, developers will be required to reveal how data is shared with analytics platforms, advertising networks, and other third-party SDKs and vendors.

This privacy-focused update will inform Apple users about how developers are monitoring and/or distributing their personal information, health records, financial details, location, contact lists, user-generated content, browsing and search activity, purchase history, app utilization, and diagnostic data, among other things.

Although this change offers clear advantages for consumers, Apple’s motivations may extend beyond simply benefiting its user base.

By restricting the ad analytics sector through the planned limitations of IDFA and increasing the visibility of apps that track user data, Apple is strengthening the position of its own advertising technology. Its SKAdNetwork framework stands to gain significantly from these alterations – effectively securing Apple’s involvement in the substantial advertising market. Therefore, it’s important to acknowledge that this initiative is driven by business considerations as well as user privacy.

This Week’s News Highlights

Platforms

• Fortnite circumvents App Store prohibition. Despite being removed by Apple due to a dispute concerning App Store commissions, the popular game may now access iPhone users through Nvidia’s GeForce cloud gaming platform, accessible via mobile web browsers.
• WhatsApp launches payment functionality in India. After initial testing beginning in 2018 and subsequent difficulties in securing regulatory clearance, the Facebook-operated messaging application has initiated a payments service. This service, leveraging the UPI system, presents competition to Google and Walmart, who currently lead the Indian mobile payments sector.
• WhatsApp introduces expiring message feature. Newly implemented ephemeral messages automatically delete after a period of seven days, and the update has been deployed on both iOS and Android systems. The update also simplifies the process of removing substantial files and optimizing device storage.
• Apple schedules upcoming product announcement. Industry observers anticipate the event will primarily showcase updates to the Mac product line.
• Apple cautions investors about potential App Store revenue decline. This statement arrives as the App Store faces growing scrutiny from regulators, particularly regarding its requirement that developers utilize its platform for iOS distribution and its mandate for in-app purchases through Apple Pay.

Services

• Google Stadia has launched Stadia Family Sharing, its cloud gaming service update. This new functionality enables up to six family members to access and play shared games.
• Contact tracing applications throughout the U.K. are now interoperable, functioning seamlessly regardless of location. The individual apps cater to England & Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and all utilize the Apple/Google application programming interface.

Politics

• PUBG Mobile is devising a strategy for re-entry into the Indian marketplace, following a prohibition stemming from data security worries linked to its association with the Chinese firm Tencent. The organization is currently seeking a domestic publishing partner.
• Facebook and Instagram implemented notifications throughout the recent U.S. election period to inform users that the vote tallying process was still underway. This action was taken in response to former President Trump’s dissemination of unsubstantiated claims of electoral fraud and his premature declarations of victory prior to the completion of vote counting.

Security & Privacy

• The Google Screenwise application is no longer available. This app, designed to monitor users’ online activity, faced scrutiny in the previous year due to the inappropriate application of an iOS enterprise certificate during its distribution process.

Apps in the News

• Spotify enhances its Apple Watch application with independent streaming capabilities. This update enables individuals to utilize their Watch for direct streaming via Wi-Fi or cellular networks, without requiring an iPhone connection.
• Facebook is evaluating a “dark mode” feature for Android devices. This functionality was initially piloted on the desktop version of the platform.
• Triller has appointed Daniel Gillick as its Global Head of Partnerships. Previously, the executive held a senior management position focused on music content and industry relationships at TikTok, a competitor to Triller.
• TikTok and Sony Music have established a renewed, extended agreement. This collaboration ensures the continued availability of music from Sony Music’s artists within the TikTok application.
• TikTok is currently experimenting with iOS 14 “App Clips.” This testing phase, observed in the beta version, aims to provide users with a comprehensive, full-screen preview accompanied by a download invitation.
• NBC News has introduced an iOS 14 widget designed to display current election news and results directly on users’ home screens.
• Pokémon GO has generated $1 billion in revenue during 2020, with total earnings exceeding $4 billion throughout its history, according to data from Sensor Tower.
• Tencent reports a peak of 100 million daily active users for its mobile game, Honor of Kings. The game frequently appears among the highest-earning games globally.
• Match Group announced an increase in Tinder’s subscriber base, even amidst pandemic-related social distancing measures. The platform reached 6.6 million subscribers during the quarter, an increase from 6.2 million in the previous quarter. Tinder’s revenue increased by 15%, although the average revenue per user (ARPU) experienced a slight decrease of 1%.

Trends

• October saw a 30% increase in App Store revenue compared to the same period last year, as indicated by initial data from Sensor Tower.
• In-app purchases on Apple platforms experienced a 54% surge during the second quarter, based on findings from mCommerce specialists JMango360.
• More than half of marketers (56%) anticipate a detrimental effect on their operations stemming from the iOS 14 updates, largely because of Apple’s enhanced privacy features which provide users with greater control over tracking.
• TikTok maintained its position as the most downloaded app globally in October 2020.

goPuff, a delivery service specializing in convenience store items and alcohol with same-day availability through its app, has purchased BevMo, an alcoholic beverage retailer, for $350 million. 

ByteDance, the parent organization of TikTok, is seeking to secure $2 billion in funding prior to its planned initial public offering on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Kuaishou Technology, a leading short-form video platform and competitor to TikTok, has submitted its IPO application in Hong Kong. 

Vivid Money, a European fintech company offering a mobile-controlled metal debit card and innovative technological features, has secured $17.6 million in funding.

Downloads

The Roku Channel app

This newly available application extends access to Roku’s extensive library of complimentary, live, and paid film and television programming to individuals regardless of whether they own a Roku device. Users of both iOS and Android platforms can now enjoy streaming content directly on their mobile devices. Furthermore, the app features a selection of over 115 live channels, encompassing a wide variety of programming such as current events, meteorological updates, athletic competitions, culinary and lifestyle shows, unscripted television, science fiction, documentaries focusing on criminal investigations, programming for children, and content in Spanish.

The Collage Atlas

Are you seeking a way to de-stress and alleviate feelings of worry after a challenging week? The Apple Arcade game, The Collage Atlas, could be a beneficial option. This distinctive game, visually crafted by hand by developer John William Evelyn, is a beautiful artistic creation. Players are encouraged to explore a dreamlike world rendered in pen and ink, with music that evolves based on their actions within the game. Having been in production for over four years, this title is best understood as an immersive experience rather than a traditionally “played” game—and this quality might be precisely what many people are looking for at this time.