Zone’s Rianna Mitchell handpicks and shares the five best news stories on digital trends, experiences and technologies…
1. Compare retail prices on Klarna
Klarna has rolled out a new in-app search and compare engine that compares product prices across thousands of retailers for cost-conscious consumers. On the app, shoppers can expect “the best deals for any product faster” and filter their item search by colour, size, features, customer ratings, store availability, and shipping options.
Klarna’s Co-Founder and Chief Executive said that the new tool “does the hard work for consumers […] and ensure(s) they have all the information they need to make informed and confident purchase decisions”. The firm says that consumers now have a credible alternative to Google or Amazon as a starting point for their online shopping journeys and is a new lucrative avenue for the buy now, pay later giant.
2. FTX collapses into bankruptcy
One of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, FTX, possibly owes money to millions of people and businesses after facing a severe liquidity crisis, according to court filings. The BBC says there have been reports that FTX underwent a hack, stealing millions of crypto dollars from the firm, resulting in its bankruptcy.
In September, the UK’s financial watchdog warned FTX traders that they are unlikely to retrieve their money if things fall flat after revealing the crypto giant may be providing financial services or products without its authorisation. However, there is at least a liquidation process in the case of FTX, which will see the remains of the firm divided among creditors.
3. Google face location tracking charges
Google has agreed to pay $391.5m (£330m) to 40 states — the largest privacy settlement in US history — to settle allegations about how it collects its users’ data. An investigation found that the tech firm continued to track the location of users who opted out of location services on their devices, which carries privacy risks for billions of users.
Location tracking helps advertisers target products, generating $200bn in annual ad revenue for Google. A Google spokesman said: “Consistent with improvements we’ve made in recent years, we have settled this investigation, which was based on outdated product policies that we changed years ago.” The attorneys general said Google misled users about its location tracking since at least 2014, violating state consumer protection laws.4. Zone helps to bridge the UK’s digital skills gap
4. Zone helps to bridge the UK’s digital skills gap
According to BIMA (British Interactive Media Association), digital has been expanding in the UK, double the rate of the broader economy. But this cannot continue without fixing the digital skills gap. BIMA highlighted that The Centre for Economics and Business Research found that the shortage of tech and digital talent costs the UK £21.8bn.
For BIMA Digital Day, our digital experts headed down to Ada, the National College of Digital Skills, to give students insight into the world of digital careers to assist in bridging the nation’s digital skills gap. Discover what the next generation need to develop in digital, what Digital Day was all about, and why your company should get involved next year. Read more.
5. An ideation and validation framework for consulting practices
At Zone, we believe a strategic framework is a powerful tool for consulting success and achieving client’s organisational goals. It helps deliver key tasks efficiently, ensures the best practices are followed with consistency and nothing is overlooked, and enables clients to understand how you work.
Our Principal Solution Architect, Adam Jackson, provides insight into Zone’s “Accelerator” model — a rapid ideation and validation framework — for our consulting practices, from diagnoses to delivery planning. Find out more.
