YouTube looking to kill unskippable 30-second ads starting 2018

YouTube is finally taking away the unskippable 30-second video ads we see on its service. The downside is it’ll be happening starting next year. The streaming service acknowledges how unpopular these ads are, especially for data-capped mobile users, and are pushing towards new shorter format ads. One example is the six-second unskippable ad it launched last year.

The move, which won’t appease advertisers, is seen as one way to keep people on its service. According to Callum McCahon, strategy director for Born Social, "I’m reading this as a signal that YouTube is very worried about Facebook. We know that video is right at the very core of Facebook’s roadmap. Their video offering is becoming ever more attractive to brands by the day, and YouTube is panicking."

Source: Campaign

Facebook close to hitting 2 billion users, earns 50% more in 2016

If you thought there wasn’t more room for Facebook to grow on the internet, then you’re wrong, the social network is getting really close to hitting the two billion user mark. At the end of 2016, the company has over 1.86 billion people checking Facebook at least once a month. As Quartz reports, that greater than the population of North and South America as well as Europe combined. The number of users is up from 1.79 in the previous quarter and up from 1.59 billion from the previous year.

Click to read more ...

Xiaomi's Hugo Barra will now spearhead Oculus VR

Former Googler and Xiaomi executive Hugo Barra exited the Chinese company recently stating that life in China, 'had taken a huge toll on my life.' Citing that he misses Silicon Valley, Barra said he'd take an advisory role at Xiaomi. Now we find out, via Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, that Barra will head Facebook's VR initiatives and is being tasked to take Oculus VR into the mainstream. Zuckerberg made the announcement showing his and Barra's avatars hanging out together in VR space.

Click to read more ...

Facebook introduces Live Audio, takes on podcasts and the radio

Facebook has been steadily building its Live Video feature but it seems that isn’t the only thing the social network is building in the live broadcasting space. This time, it’s taking on the podcast and radio markets with Live Audio. Facebook launched the feature with a small group of publishers with plans to open up the service to everyone by 2017. Just like Live Video, the service will bring these Live Audio streams into the News Feed. Right now Facebook launched with BBC World Service, book publisher Harper Collins, talk radio broadcaster Leading Britain’s Conversation, and authors Adam Grant and Britt Bennett.

The social giant claims this’ll be a good way for low-connectivity areas to broadcast data-efficient media. And if, for example, signal gets low, hosts can switch to audio for a seamless stream. Facebook sees these working particularly well for a semi-professional stage setup for things such as book readings and interviews with Live service viewer interaction included. If you listen on Android, you’ll be able to use other apps while the audio streams in the background. For iOS, you need to keep the Facebook app open.

Source: Engadget