Applications
Parks Associates: TV related apps gaining in popularity
MUMBAI: New research from Parks Associates reveals that usage of TV apps is on the rise, with 55 per cent of US smartphone owners and 61 per cent of tablet owners using TV-related applications at least once a month.
The firm expects the number of global TV-app users to reach 1.29 billion by 2019.
More than 70 per cent of TV-app users are believed to be satisfied with the TV show or network apps they use, Parks Associates reports. More than 23 per cent of US smartphone owners ages 18 to 34 have used a TV app on their smartphone to schedule a DVR recording, while more than 22 per cent have used an app that transforms their smartphone into a remote control for their TV or set-top box.
The company also states that TV app usage is altering the use cases for multiple connected devices; currently 57 per cent of connected game console owners are using the device to watch TV shows.
It’s also seeing new revenue opportunities emerge through in-app solutions in the smart home and Internet of Things. And predicts in-app solutions to be a large focus of its 2014 Connections Conference, where its analysts and industry leaders will address the changes surrounding the connected home and implications for consumers and businesses.
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.
