Applications
Future growth of mobile gaming uncertain: In-Stat report
MUMBAI: Mobile gaming in Asia/Pacific has been successfully established, with revenues reaching $1.56 billion in 2005, reports In-Stat. |
| According to the high-tech market research firm, Japan and South Korea have been largely responsible for the revenue thus far, accounting for around half of the region‘s total in 2005. Future growth drivers, however, will be the large, growing mobile markets of China and India. In-Stat analyst Bryan Wang said, “While there is great growth potential with expected increases in mobile subscribers and gaming-capable handsets, current problems are proving difficult to surmount.” “In-Stat‘s user survey reflects low penetration of mobile games among Asia/Pacific mobile phone users. Fragmentation of the mobile gaming industry, revenue sharing issues, poor user experiences, competition from dedicated portable gaming devices, and game piracy are all issues needing to be addressed,” he added. |
Recent research by In-Stat found the following: — Mobile gaming in Asia/Pacific will reach $4.4 billion in 2010. — 3G users spend 70 per cent more per month on mobile gaming than 2G users. — Interest levels in mobile gaming are low, with more than half of both 2G and 3G users indicating they would be unlikely to play mobile games within the next six months. The research, Mobile Gaming in Asia/Pacific: Room for Improvement, covers the market for mobile phone gaming in Asia/Pacific. It includes forecasts for mobile gaming revenues in the region, and in four major markets, through 2010. It also includes analysis of results of an In-Stat mobile phone user survey on attitudes and behavior regarding mobile gaming. |
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.
