Metaverse, Phygital World, OnlyFans: The Week in Tech

Tech moves fast, but data moves faster. This week, Adobe announced the expansion of its capabilities with the acquisition of FRame.io, Amazon to open department stores and Facebook advanced its VR Workrooms. Meanwhile, OnlyFans announced it would ban sexually explicit content following pressure from its investors, only to backtrack later following pressure from its users.

Do not miss our interview with Julio Velázquez, Managing Director of Google Cloud Mexico. Also, our startup contributor René Freudenberg addressed the art of using friction to your advantage. Meanwhile, expert contributor Alejandro Preinfalk, CEO of Siemens, details the strategic role of diversity in the workplace.

Make sure to read our analysis on the Phygital world, the fusion between physical and online channels.

Ready? This is the week in tech!

Giving Purpose to a Company's Most Valuable Asset: Data

"The biggest challenge is not technological. It comes from adopting a culture that embraces technology and changing the mindset to believe that there are new ways of doing projects and optimizing customer service," keep reading our interview with Julio Velázquez, Managing Director of Google Cloud Mexico.

Workplace Diversity, Inclusion: Empowering Productive Teams

Alejandro Preinfalk, President and CEO Mexico, Central America & The Caribbean of Siemens, explains the role of diversity and inclusion in an organization. "The more diverse and inclusive a team, the more innovative it becomes," he writes.

Science Friction: The Art of Using Friction to Your Advantage

"As lubrication technology developers at Interlub Group, we’re quite knowledgeable on the subject and, therefore, understand friction in an uncommon way. Which is why we would like to share with you an uncommon take on friction," keep reading the contribution of René Freudenberg, CEO of Interlub Group.

Let’s Get Phygital: Finding Balance Between Both Worlds

The digital transformation and new consumer habits have unleashed increasing demand for faster and tailored customer experiences. Entire industries and companies are reimagining what the consumer experience means to them, prompting them to ask how to design experiences that offer the efficiency and instant gratification of the digital world while echoing the immersive sensation of a physical shop.

OnlyFans Announced Ban Sexually of Explicit Content; Backtracks

Following concerns from bankers and investors, the platform announced in a statement that it would censor all "sexually explicit" content as of October 1. The move was received with a strong criticism from users, prompting the London-based company to backtrack a few days later.

Adobe to Acquire Frame.io for US$1.3 billion

On its way to become a digital transformation company, Adobe plans to pay US$1.28 billion for Frame.io, a video cloud-based software collaboration platform that allows multiple people to provide input on videos.

The Successor of the Internet: The Metaverse

The Metaverse, originally a science fiction concept from 1992, stands to become the successor of the internet age as technology companies explore this nascent sector hoping to confluence the physical world and virtual spaces.

Amazon to Open Department Stores in the US: WSJ

While some companies are still struggling to migrate to the digital sphere, e-commerce giant and digital native Amazon now plans to open a series of stores in the US that will operate similarly to department stores. With this move, the company is looking to expand its reach and grow its business in apparel, home goods, electronics and other areas, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Facebooks VR Workrooms: A Door to the Metaverse

Facebook just launched Horizon Workrooms, virtual reality (VR) conference rooms that reflect the reimagination of collaborative remote work and the company’s transformation from a social network to a metaverse company.

Apple Delays Return to Offices Globally

Apple informed its global workforce via memo that they will not be expected to return to corporate offices until January 2022, citing concerns over the Delta variant that has driven the latest COVID-19 surge.

Binance Yields to Regulators

After traders lost millions in a platform glitch, cryptocurrency platform Binance drew the scrutiny from regulatory and financial watchdogs. Now, after weeks of pressure, the company announced that it will implement stricter background checks in an effort to combat money laundering.