(This article originally appeared in Forbes)
Here are five things in technology that happened this past week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?
1 -Apple has bad news for some Mac owners.
Apple revealed this week that the new macOS Monterey will not operate on all existing Macs. Differing from older Apple devices such as watches, iPads, and iPhones, not all Macs that operate using the most up-to-date version of macOS will support the newest update that rolls out this fall. Some of the Macs that will support the new system include iMacs from late 2015 on, iMac Pros from 2017 on, to name a few. MacBook’s from early 2015, MacBook Pros from late 2013 and mid 2014, MacBook Airs from Mid 2014 and early 2014, and iMacs from mid/late 2014 and early 2015 will not support the system. (Source: ZDNet)
Why this is important for your business:
I know you’ve been putting it off, but it looks like it’s now time to budget for upgrading/replacing your Apple devices throughout your company if they were purchased before 2016.
2 — Facebook is offering “extra cash” for creators who stream more.
Instagram is in the process of developing some new tools that will assist creators in earning more cash on the social media platform. Through meeting certain goals, influencers will be able to get extra payouts and earn bonuses through selling a specific amount of badges on their stream. Facebook will offer bonuses through its “Stars Challenges” where creators are rewarded when they meet specific streaming benchmarks along with other pre-determined tasks. (Source: Engadget)
Why this is important for your business:
This is a revenue opportunity for entrepreneurial creators and also small business owner who like to put out a lot of content on Facebook. If you feel that you’re in that category, then dive in.
3 -US PC shipments soared at 73% in the first quarter as Apple fell from the top spot.
According to a new report by Canalys, PC shipments in the United States went up 73% as compared to the same time last year, which adds up to 34 million total PCs. Apple had a successful quarter as well-seeing sales go up 36%- but was out beat by HP’s 122.6% growth, which totaled 11 million units sold. The study highlighted that the first quarter is typically a weak period for Apple devices but that HPs growth is impressive regardless. Additional companies with an impressive first quarter include Samsung with a 116% growth and Lenovo with a growth of 92.8%. (Source: Tech Crunch)
Why this is important for your business:
Some of these sales are related to the slowdown in supply caused by the pandemic in 2020 — so people are catching up. A portion of these sales also relate to people and companies buying hardware in advance of potential supply chain and chip availability issues. I also interpret this data as the result of many small businesses, large companies and individuals taking the cash they built up during the pandemic and investing in tech.
4 — Vivaldi added mail, calendar, RSS, and translation tools to its privacy-focused browser.
Vivaldi shared a vital web browser update this past week. With its new Version 4.0, users can expect to see beta models of Vivaldi Feed Reader, Calendar, and Mail, as well as a translation tool. The update is already available on Android, Linux, Mac, and Windows devices. The new translation feature is built directly into the browser and- in order to keep privacy top-of-mind-all activity done through the translation feature will be protected from third-parties on the company’s servers located in Iceland. (Source: Yahoo Finance)
Why this is important for your business:
Not a big fan of Edge, Chrome or Safari? You may want to consider the very strong up-and-comer browser called Vivaldi. It touts built in email and other media, a different interface and many other features that may appeal to you more than the standard offerings. People love it.
5-This former McDonald’s CEO is warning that the $15 minimum wage is directly contributing to the fast-food industry’s automated push.
Ed Rensi- former CEO for McDonald’s- is cautioning that the push for a $15 minimum wage is a direct contributing factor to why the restaurant industry is switching over to automation at a rapid pace. In May, McDonald’s shared that it plans to change the starting hourly pay to $15-$20 for shift managers and $11-$17 per hour for crew. The announcement also included a plan to hire 10,000 employees over the course of the summer. Rensi- however- shared that McDonald’s will need to cut costs somewhere to balance out the wage hike and would likely have to do so through the adoption of new technology. (Source: Fox Business)
Why this is important for your business:
Higher wages + more regulations + increased employee demands can only add up to one thing: replacing people with technology. It’s happening and not just at McDonalds. I have many clients — big and small — investing in hardware, software, robotic arms, internal drones, artificial intelligence and other technologies in order to keep headcount low and increase productivity. Can you blame them?
