iWorld
Ad spend on mobile to hit $240 billion globally: App Annie
MUMBAI: According to the State of Mobile 2020 report by App Annie, this year comes out to be the biggest year for mobile, with advertisers fuelling the revenue. Mobile ad spends reach $240 billion as brands utilise mobile’s potential. The report also states that the war between streaming giants will heat up in 2020 and consumers will ultimately decide where they want to spend 674 billion hours on mobile.
Apple arcade and Google play Pass will act on creating innovative new games for consumers and generate new revenue streams for publishers. After 2G, 3G, and 4G, 5G is the next battleground, and the gamers will be first to reap the benefits. Consumer and mobile ad spend to top $380 billion globally in 2020.
The report further stated that consumers have spent 50 per cent more sessions in entertainment apps in 2019 as compared to 2017. The increase in the adaptation of video streaming apps on mobile devices to watch movies, TV shows, concerts, and live events on-demand helped bolster demand for Entertainment apps.
Availability of high-quality streaming platforms, increase in user-generated content, and offline mode becoming standardised were seen as the industry advancements that helped tip the scales from screen size to on-the-go viewing.
As per the report, competition in the streaming space will help better user experiences to drive growth in downloads, revenue, and usage, which will ultimately lead to partnerships and consolidation to win the wallets of consumers long term.
The report also stated that the entry of Disney+ into the streaming space along with other streaming colossal Netflix, Amazon Prime and HBO now as incumbents, AppleTV+ as a new entrant, HBO max and NBSUniversal’s peacock set to launch in 2020 has increased the competition.
Around 25 per cent of Netflix’s iPhone users have also used Disney+ in Q4 2019, its highest overlap of users among top video streaming apps in the US.
According to TikTok, it saw the greatest two-year growth in cross-app usage of Netflix at over 135 per cent, enticing that the current competition in the video streaming space is heating up not only by traditional companies launching a standalone streaming service but from social media companies carving new mobile-first consumption pathways.
eNews
Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
