Author: Geek Planet

The influencer marketing playbook is getting a rewrite—or at least a few new chapters added—as the lines between search and social continue to blur, creating a new frontier for brand discoverability.To be sure, influencers have broken out of the four walls of social media, shaping search results. And the industry has taken notice. Creators are showing up in Google’s “short videos” tab and AI Overview, both of which launched last year, as well as AI Mode, which launched this May. Then in July, Meta notified users that search engines would automatically be allowed to show all photos and videos on…

[Update: Google has inexplicably paused the rollout of Android 17, but says the release will be on track on soon. The original story is as follows.] Android 17 is here, and if you’re among the brave souls who can drive early-stage software, the build is already available to download on Pixel smartphones. Google has just rolled out the first test build of Android 17, and this one brings a few crucial changes.  Google is now shifting to a Canary channel for in-development Android updates, just the way it seeds beta updates through the Canary channel for the Chrome browser. The…

Kendall Gall used to have a good read on what creators should charge. Now, it’s a toss up. Half the quotes the talent agent sees are either inflated beyond reason or oddly underpriced.   Where fees once mapped cleanly to scale — macro, micro, niche — those lines have blurred. Two creators with near identical followings can command radically different rates. With no clear benchmarks, pricing can — and often does — run on instinct, perception and whoever’s holding the purse strings that day. “There’s a lot of variance,” said Gall.  That came through clearly when Digiday spoke with seven other execs.…

Remember that AI personal health coach that promised to act as a trainer and wellness advisor called Fitbit AI Health Coach? Well, Google just took it global. Launched in October 2025 as a public preview for the U.S. Fitbit Premium users, the AI-powered personal health coach is now expanding to more countries, including the U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. From U.S. exclusivity to global coverage The rollout is still in English and remains in “public preview” status, implying that Google is collecting data and feedback to improve the feature before a broader release. So, if you’re willing to…

If you currently have a shiny new MacBook Pro sitting in your digital shopping cart, do yourself a huge favor: close the tab and step away from the credit card. We are officially in the “danger zone” of the Apple buying cycle. All the classic warning signs are flashing neon red, signaling that a refresh isn’t just possible – it is imminent. According to the latest Power On newsletter from Bloomberg, Apple is in the final manufacturing stretch. The new machines – internally tagged with the unsexy codenames J714 and J716 – are reportedly already boxed up and sitting in…

The creative industries are experiencing their most consequential transformation in decades, and the new Centre for Creative AI — launching this fall via a partnership between University College London, the Royal College of Art and The Brandtech Group — represents a paradigm shift in how creative talent is developed in an AI-integrated economy. For leaders managing creative teams or seeking out talent in fields including media, entertainment, fashion and design, the initiative promises critical insight into the evolving skill set organizations will need and how to cultivate it. Mark Eaves, founder of Brandtech agency Gravity Road and a key architect…

Apple’s Studio Display is long overdue for a refresh. Launched in 2022, the current model features a 27-inch 5K IPS panel with a 60Hz refresh rate and packs the A13 Bionic chip. Recent leaks suggest that Apple is finally preparing a meaningful upgrade that could bring a new chip, a 120Hz panel, and HDR support. A new report now claims the revamped Studio Display could launch in the coming months. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s new Studio Display “has been in the works for some time,” and is “slated for a launch in the first half of 2026.” While…

AI might be the main storyline of this quarter’s earnings season but the creator economy is shaping a compelling subplot.Mentions on earnings calls over the last month suggest more CEOs aren’t just acknowledging it — they’re positioning it as a meaningful lever for growth. Below, Digiday rounds up the most telling remarks. Unilever — Fernando Fernandez, CEO “We are also using a modern approach to scale the brand, with more focus on content at scale, ‘what others say,’ and influencers. Whether it is the Vaseline Verified social-first hacks campaign — which won nine awards recently at Cannes — or culturally…

The Korean tech giant Samsung has finally confirmed the Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event, and it’s going to be, no surprises here, February 25, 2026. The in-person event will take place in San Francisco, California, commencing from 10 AM PT or 1 PM ET. Its livestream will be available on the company’s official YouTube channel. Galaxy S26 pre-orders go live with early incentives “The new Galaxy S series is coming – built to simplify everyday interactions, inspire confidence, and make Galaxy AI feel seamlessly integrated from the moment it’s in hand,” says Samsung. While the event is scheduled for about two…

While Android beta testers were exploring the newly-launched Android 16 QPR3 Beta 2.1, Google decided to surprise everyone. The official Android Beta Program handle on Reddit has confirmed the arrival of Android 17 Beta 1, and it’s coming sooner than you’d think. “We are looking forward to our next Beta program cycle that covers our Android 17 Platform Release (26Q2),” says Google. It says the upcoming update will build on the Android 16 QPR platform release and include the “latest bug fixes and improvements.” A surprise at the end of the cycle The timing isn’t exactly shocking, as Android 16…