(This post originally appeared on Forbes)
Here are five things in technology that happened this past week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?
1 — Microsoft is killing off their 25-year-old browser, Internet Explorer.
Microsoft announced this past week that they will be getting rid of Internet Explorer on August 17th, 2021. According to the announcement, the web app for Microsoft Teams will stop supporting the most recent version of the browser— Internet Explorer 11—this coming November, while the rest of the services apps in 365 will stop supporting it next year. Microsoft Edge will replace Explorer and will have more features than Explorer since it will rely on Chromium software which was created by Google for their Chrome browser. (Source: Independent)
Why this is important for your business:
This is important if you’ve got any online applications that rely on IE as an interface. Some older apps do. Microsoft says IE replacement browser, Edge, is faster and uses less resources than Chrome, but I’m still using Chrome.
2 — Online sales are up more than 31% in just three months, while Walmart’s -commerce sales are up 97% in the second quarter, all thanks to the pandemic.
Reports released by the U.S. Department of Commerce this past week revealed that e-commerce sales across the country have grown more than 30% in only three months due to the coronavirus pandemic. During the second quarter of the year, $211.5 billion have been spent online, which is 31.8% more than last quarter. Walmart also reported that their Q2 e-commerce sales went up 97%, also thanks to online shopping and their grocery pickup and delivery. According to the Department of Commerce report, now 16.1% of all sales in the United States are done online. (Source: Tech Crunch and CNBC)
Why this is important for your business:
Covid only accelerated what was already happening: people are buying their stuff online and unless your business is an “experience” – a bar, restaurant, salon or other service – you’re going to need to make sure you’ve got an online strategy because brick and mortar is probably not going to cut it. Also of note is Walmart’s meteoric online rise and how it’s now challenging Amazon. Maybe you can do the same – if you’ve got a few hundred million dollars lying around to invest.
3 —Chrome will soon let you know if a web form is unsecure.
Google is stepping up their efforts to ensure that Chrome users will have their information protected when attempting to input it in web forms that aren’t secure. Beginning in their M86 version, the browser will start to flag forms that show they are secure on HTTPS pages but cannot be verified as being secure when the forms are submitted. From now on, autofill on these mixed forms will be disabled in order prevent private or sensitive information from instantly populating. (Source: Engadget)
Why this is important for your business:
This will first affect mobile Android users. But ultimately it’ll expand to every Chrome user. And ultimately Microsoft Edge, Firefox and Safari will do the same. This is a wakeup call for you to check your website’s forms and make sure they’re complying with the latest security protocols.
4 — Deezer now has an analytics app for podcasters.
Deezer—an up-and-coming streaming service—recently rolled out an app to highlight analytics for podcasters. While analytics apps currently exist through Stitcher and Google Podcasts, Deezer will be the sole streaming platform that will allow individuals to get podcast data through a mobile app. (Source: Engadget)
Why this is important for your business:
Worth a look if podcasts are part of your business. The app—named Analytics by Deezer— will organize podcast data into audience and analytics. The audience portion will reveal the gender and age of listeners, as well as which individuals are listening on the web, their phones, or a desktop. While the analytics tab will showcase the amount of times a podcast has been streamed, how many individual listeners there are, and what the most popular time to listen is.
5— TD is rolling out online accounting in a bid for small business accounts.
TD shared in a press release last week that they will be introducing TD Online Accounting, which will serve as a new online accounting and payment feature. The addition will be made to their small business online platform and will allow business owners to pay their electronic payments and credit cards straight from their TD Bank business checking, allowing the process of making payments to run more efficiently. TD is looking to add more small business customers to their portfolio and will limit the offer to small businesses that already have an account for their through TD online. (Source: Pymnts)
Why this is important for your business:
Next up: banks buying accounting software companies. Kind of makes sense, right?
