Business Tech Roundup: iPhone 16 Pro “Critically Overrated”

Here are five tech things that happened this week and how they affect your business. Did you remember them?

1 – iPhone 16 Pro hands-on: A tech journalist lists 3 things he likes about “this amazingly powerful computer.”

ZDNet’s Jason Hiner offers his hands-on review of the iPhone 16 Pro, highlighting a few standout features: A touch-sensitive camera control button that performs multiple actions, a larger screen with and smaller bezels, and improved video/audio recording. Hiner points out that the new audio mixing software allows users to “edit audio directly” on the iPhone 16 and can isolate background noise. Video recording can be done with the kind of pro-level quality found in expensive devices. For an in-depth review of Hiner, visit the link. (Source: ZDNet)

Why this is important to your business:

Yes, he loved it. All of these features – and its AI capabilities – get a lot of attention, and rave reviews. It looks like Apple has another developer. I’m an Android user though, sorry. There are cheaper options and – at least for most workers – it’s a cheap tool.

2 – Customers are growing more comfortable with AI customer service.

With the growing presence of AI in the market, consumers are becoming more comfortable with the integration of technology and customer service. CRM platform Kustomer has released its Customer Service Index that shows more customers are open to using AI for customer service, appreciating its effectiveness and accessibility. Half of consumers feel that AI has improved customer service and expect that trend to continue. The report addresses concerns about the decline of human interaction due to the benefits of AI. (Source: CX Dive)

Why this is important to your business:

In fact, consumers will have no choice. Once companies find a technology that can save them money and increase productivity (i.e. cloud, mobile devices, etc.) they adopt it and push it to their target audience. This is no different. Big companies are investing heavily in AI and the focus is on customer service – especially chatbots. Why? Because, it saves them money and increases productivity! The challenge they will face is balancing too much AI automation with the human desire to talk to another person.

3 – ServiceNow unveils data enhancements for higher performance.

ServiceNow – a California-based software company that helps companies manage digital workflows for business operations. – introduced significant database updates to its Current Platform, including the new RaptorDB Pro. The advanced hybrid transactional and analysis tool provides a 53 percent improvement in transactional times and faster analytics. The improvements are designed to support high-level performance, enabling users to handle complex AI flows and access real-time data. Future plans include the introduction of the Knowledge Graph, which will drive data management and personalization across enterprises. (Source: ServiceNow)

Why this is important to your business:

This is a platform for large companies, not small businesses. But you can see where things are headed. ServiceNow’s new offerings show how fast AI is growing. The company says it’s their “biggest AI release ever” with AI agents that drive workflows with human-like thinking and intelligence that works behind the scenes to solve tasks autonomously. This is a step above traditional AI because its agents have “the spirit, the ability to reason and the control that is responsible for providing a great, human-centered service.”

4 – PayPal partners with Shopify to strengthen the Shopify Payments segment in the US

PayPal and Shopify have expanded their partnership, with PayPal becoming an additional processor for credit and debit card transactions through Shopify Payments in the US (Source: PayPal)

Why this is important to your business:

This partnership integrates PayPal wallet transactions into Shopify Payments, creating a unified system for managing orders, payments, and payments. Building on their partnership in 2022, the partnership aims to simplify merchant operations and improve payment options.

5 – Yoast leverages AI-powered SEO features.

Yoast – a service that offers “SEO for Everyone” – recently updated its SEO tools by adding AI-driven features aimed at improving user experience and improving content optimization. (Source: MarTech Series)

Why this is important to your business:

These improvements include the integration of artificial intelligence to provide better suggestions for improving content structure, readability and keyword placement. AI-driven updates are designed to help content creators rank higher in search engines by providing real-time SEO intelligence.