Applications
Tokyo 2016 releases Countdown ‘app’ for Apple iPhone
MUMBAI: Tokyo 2016, the organisation in charge of trying to secure the Japanese city‘s bid to host the 2016 Olympics, has announced that Apple iPhone users have a new way to experience the thrilling last months of the race for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games following the launch of the application for the device. Now available for free download from the ‘Utilities’ section of the iPhone’s App Store, Tokyo 2016 Bid Countdown marks the approach of 2 October when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will select the 2016 host city at a meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark. The application brings users a variety exciting Tokyo 2016-related functions, including news updates and a new blog as well as the countdown calendar and clock. Bilingual support is available in both English and Japanese. On milestone dates – such as ’50 days to go’, entry to the final month and the 10th day before the decision – the application displays special decorative graphics in Japanese style. Tokyo 2016 chief Internet officer Takao Ozawa said, “I am very excited by the release of the Tokyo 2016 Bid Countdown application today. A highly user-friendly application, the app makes it easier than ever before for our Bid’s huge number of passionate supporters to access the very latest Tokyo 2016 news and information. We are sure that iPhone users around the world will enjoy this new illustration of the cutting-edge technology at the heart of the Bid.” Tokyo 2016 chairman and CEO Dr Ichiro Kono added, “The Tokyo 2016 iPhone application brings up-to-the-minute Bid news on one of the most popular consumer technology formats anywhere, and is therefore another example of how we are setting the stage for heroes with a Games at the heart of everyday life. From the ultra-compact and sustainable Tokyo 2016 venues plan to the use of cutting edge technology to ensure Japan’s dynamic capital city is fully accessible to visitors from across the world, our Bid is innovating at every turn to ensure a memorable Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016.”
Applications
With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
