We interrupt our regularly scheduled roundup (bringing you a list of curated content in social, technology and Mindset Digital happenings) to bring you this special edition.
This year has been a doozy. From company acquisitions to social media shutdowns, a lot has changed. Check out the biggest of the bunch by company here in the 2016 roundup.
Social Media
Snapchat
The app surpassed 60 million daily users in the U.S. and Canada, a hugely significant advertising market. (via Forbes)
No longer is the company called Snapchat, only the app. It is now Snap Inc. (via NBC News)
Spectacles, which are glasses with a built in camera that connects to the app, were released through vending machines and caused a bit of a frenzy. (via Recode)
Advertisers gained the ability to purchase ad space between stories. (via the Verge)
Snapchat expanded its offerings in geofilters, allowing users to create their own for special events, places or even just for fun. (via Snap Inc.)
Snap Inc. filed to go public in 2017. (via New York Times)
LinkedIn
Microsoft announced its intention to buy LinkedIn and the details of the deal. (via Microsoft)
…and then it did. (via TechCrunch)
The feature Open Candidates was introduced, allowing users to talk to recruiters on the DL. (via LinkedIn)
The company added a salary calculator, which functions a lot like Glassdoor. (via Elite Daily)
Endorsements will now be recommended differently so that they carry more meaning for users. (via LinkedIn)
Twitter
There were several changes to the 140-character limit, adjusting what parts of a tweet count toward it. Also added was the ability to retweet and quote your own content. (via Twitter)
Updates to curb online harassment included the expansion of mute and reporting tools, as well as the banning of problematic users at Twitter’s discretion. This last decision drew controversy. (via Venture Beat)
The company suffered an executive exodus that started just before May and has continued. (via Business Insider)
Lack of revenue and user growth led Twitter to stagnate. And when no one wanted to buy, stocks declined even further. (via Entrepreneur)
Vine, which was acquired in 2012, was set to shut down. But there was a slight change of heart when Twitter decided to keep it in the form of a camera app. (via USA Today)
Instagram
So many updates, so little time–many of them copying Snapchat. Instagram’s Stories, stickers, saved posts and event channels are all a little reminiscent of other platforms. (via Fast Company)
This was definitely the year for live video. Instagram joined the ranks of those adding the option. (via Cnet)
The platform changed the algorithm for the order of posts, resulting in more activity within the Instagram community. (via Instagram)
New tools were introduced to help users curtail online abuse, such as comment control, follower removal and anonymous reporting. (via Instagram)
The app reached 600 million users, 100 million joining in the last month alone. (via SocialMediaToday)
Aaaaand…they introduced a new logo. (via Fast Company)
Facebook
Zuckerberg’s company was accused of impacting the election through the spread of fake news. While he denied it, he did make a commitment to combat the spread of news hoaxes. (via Mark Zuckerberg)
Facebook partnered with 4 fact-checking organizations and plans to add more in the future. (via the Verge)
Messenger saw changes in 2016 too: group video chat, an updated camera and games. No doubt this contributed to the app’s use by 1 billion people worldwide. (via Facebook)
Reactions were unveiled, giving users a new way to interact with content. (via Wired)
Facebook Live expanded to the world. (via Facebook)
The company is investing more in virtual reality with the recent purchase of an eye-tracking startup and the release of Oculus Touch. (via Tech Times)
Facebook found, not once but twice, that it had made miscalculations in metrics, specifically in video and advertising. (via TechCrunch)
Youtube
Changes to the comment system allow video creators to pin and heart comments. Plus, creator names will show up in a different color so they’ll be more identifiable. (via Social Times)
Youtubers have noticed a drop in subscribers over the past year, confirmed by a study. People are debating what the cause is. Is Youtube losing viewers? Is it because of a bot purge? Is Youtube unsubscribing users? One thing is for sure, content creators are mad. (via Fortune)
Technology
Apple
iPhone 7 baffled and delighted the world with its features. The headphone jack disappeared, a dual camera was added and battery life improved. (via TechCrunch)
The new MacBook pro laptops were given their first big update in a long time: a touch bar. (via the Wall Street Journal)
Airpods, wireless headphones and the solution to the whole “no headphone jack” thing, finally became available in December after months of delays. (via Cnet)
Amazon
Echo Dot, a mini version of the Echo with the voice-controlled assistant Alexa, was released. (via Amazon)
Amazon Go made its debut to employees of the company. It’s the test shop for a grocery store with no lines or checkout. (via USA Today)
Uber
The self-driving truck, Otto, made history as the first autonomous truck to make a delivery. (via Wired)
The company began testing its fleet of self-driving cars in Pittsburgh before expanding to other cities. (via Bloomberg)
Google
Google unveiled three new products at its event in October: the smartphone Pixel, Google Daydream VR headset and Google Home. (via Digital Trends)
Parent-company Alphabet created Waymo to explore the self-driving car industry. (via TechCrunch)
Nintendo
Pokemon Go blew people away this summer. It also blew up Nintendo’s stock, until people realized they didn’t actually make the app. (via the Verge)
The company announced a new console for 2017, the Switch, which can switch between a handheld and traditional console. (via TechRadar)
Nintendo’s Mini NES, produced in limited number, caused anger when it sold out in minutes. (via Forbes)
Yahoo
Verizon was one of the companies that expressed interest in purchasing Yahoo. They completed the purchase in December. (via Entrepreneur)
Yahoo announced that it was hacked twice, the first time 500 million accounts were compromised. The second hack stole 1 billion accounts in 2013, the largest known hack ever. (via Business Insider)
Samsung
Samsung’s 2016 was off to a good start with the release of the Galaxy Note 7, which seemed like it was going to be a smash hit. (via Engadget)
…until, of course, they started exploding because of their defective batteries and a recall was issued. (via Forbes)
For your weekend 2016
Facebook Live had its first big-hit video with the Chewbacca mom. (via Variety)
The Mannequin Challenge was everywhere you looked online. (via Bustle)
Planet Earth 2 was released and the talk of the town on Twitter. (via Mashable)
Thanks for reading. I hope you had the dandiest 2016! Here’s to 2017.
The post The biggest social media and technology changes of 2016: the year in review appeared first on Mindset Digital.