Here are the editor's top picks for the week.
Analysts upgrade Disney+ subs forecast as Verizon offers promo
Walt Disney Co.'s promotional partnership with Verizon Communications Inc. should help the media conglomerate's new streaming service garner a solid subscriber base quickly, analysts said. Debuting in the U.S., Canada and the Netherlands on Nov. 12, Disney+ will be free for 12 months to Verizon's unlimited wireless customers as well as new Fios residential internet and 5G home internet customers. Financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed.
Comcast sees highest Q3 broadband net adds in 10 years, continues data push
Comcast Corp. CEO Brian Roberts said on an Oct. 24 earnings call that broadband will drive Comcast's innovation strategy. The company reported a 21.2% year-over-year gain in revenue for the third quarter.
Data Dispatch Asia-Pacific: WeWork debacle could delay SoftBank's 2nd Vision Fund, risk pending IPOs
WeWork Cos Inc.'s failed initial public offering and the poor market performance of other SoftBank Group Corp.-backed listings are placing the Japanese company's much anticipated Vision Fund 2, and other potential floats, under the microscope, analysts said. SoftBank announced its new Vision Fund in July, listing Apple Inc., Microsoft Corp., Foxconn, Mizuho Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and the Kazakhstan sovereign wealth fund among expected investors.
Amazon is writing facial recognition legislation to shape its tech future
Amazon.com Inc. is taking aggressive steps to craft federal regulations around facial recognition technology as the online giant seeks to capitalize on the lucrative surveillance industry. Amazon Chairman, CEO and President Jeff Bezos revealed Sept. 25 that the company's public policy team was working on facial recognition legislation. Analysts say the Seattle-based company is likely huddling behind the scenes with an army of lobbyists and congressional staffers to write rules that will ultimately benefit its "Rekognition" facial analysis software, first introduced in 2016.
IAC report: Video growth pushes H1'19 digital ad spending to nearly $58B
Buoyed by video gains, digital advertising grew 17% during the first half of 2019, reaching just under $58.0 billion, according to a report from the Interactive Advertising Bureau Inc. The report, prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers, found that spending on digital advertising in various forms totaled a record $57.9 billion, up from $49.5 billion in the first half of 2018.