Apple scales App Store ads for performance: More search placements turn high-intent discovery into a larger, more competitive acquisition channel.

AI was everywhere at CES 2026, from robots to toilets and toys. The race to define the next computing interface is on, agentic ad tech is emerging, and health wearables are pushing further into physiological data. Best in show: Lego’s Smart Brick.

Trust in consumer banking varies widely in 2026. Primary banks still anchor core products. But confidence differs by generation, product, and channel, with honesty, transparency, and security shaping how consumers evaluate financial providers.

Apple Card, tech spending, and mobile banking are highlights.

As streaming services capture an increasing share of both viewership and subscription revenues, this FAQ will help marketers understand the terminology and dynamics shaping video advertising in 2026.

JPMorgan buys the $20B portfolio at a discount, inheriting risks but gaining a unique opportunity.

The automotive dashboard is evolving into a media hub. By 2029, 203 million connected car drivers will give advertisers access to captive audiences through AI commerce, in-vehicle ads, charging sessions, and rideshare integrations.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss our “very specific but highly unlikely” predictions for 2026: what Amazon will do with the price of Prime; between OpenAI and Apple, who’s most likely to buy whom; and why a potential WBD acquisition by Netflix might not go through in 2026—if at all. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Principal Analyst Nate Elliott, and Vice Presidents of Content Suzy Davidkhanian and Paul Verna. Listen everywhere, and watch on YouTube and Spotify.

Generational splits shape how consumers find, research, and trust banks. Younger adults move through digital channels with ease, while older adults rely on branches, human support, and established institutions.

Social networks will claim close to 32% of US digital ad spending in 2026, as powerful AI systems and improved video monetization help push social past a plateau in time spent among US consumers.

AI enters 2026 facing energy bottlenecks, regulatory battles, and a gap between promise and performance. From market corrections to voice assistant limits and physical AI’s unreadiness, hype is meeting reality.

Google Chrome will now autofill users’ loyalty card numbers, travel details, and vehicle information housed in Google Wallet, per a company blog post. Maximizing its utility as a shopping interface is critical as Google Chrome’s browser dominance risks getting eroded by AI tools and browsers like Perplexity’s Comet. If volumes divert to new sources, like the PayPal-linked Comet, Google shoppers could maintain their loyalty in the browser by convenience the tools offer them during their checkout experiences.

Digital audio commands massive attention, and podcasts keep most listeners within reach. As viewing blurs with listening, marketers face an opportunity—but also a widening gap between consumer time spent and the ad investment flowing into audio.

31.2% of consumers have used a mobile wallet in-store as of September—nearly triple the rate three years earlier, per PYMNTS Intelligence report. Apple Pay’s dominance is likely to stick for now, but its lead will narrow as PayPal, Cash App, and Google Pay strategies draw in more users. As wallet competition ramps up, features that help users manage more of their financial—and even non-financial—lives will help providers create stickier wallets that attract more volume. That includes subscription management services, order tracking, and interactive airline and event tickets.

Global ad spending has steadied after a turbulent year, setting the stage for modest acceleration in 2026. Digital is still the main engine, but traditional media’s rebound will add lift as markets stabilize.

Apple debuted Digital IDs derived from iOS users’ US passports, per a press release. The Digital ID is in beta at more than 250 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints in the US for domestic flights. Digital IDs can make mobile wallets more useful and encourage users to complete transactions with their phones instead of a card. But adoption will only take off if a critical mass of merchants and airports accept them as a valid form of ID.

OpenAI may build its own consumer health tools, such as a personal health assistant or a product that aggregates users’ health data, per a Business Insider report. A range of healthcare and tech companies—from Verily to wearable makers like Oura and Fitbit—are developing AI-powered health coach and assistant tools. A comparable OpenAI product could immediately threaten existing solutions due to its massive scale, provided it gains access to patient data. However, makers of health-tracking devices and some digital health companies could also be strong partners for OpenAI in creating a product that combines advanced AI with user health data.

Samsung is reportedly in advanced talks with Barclays to develop a co-branded Visa credit card, per the Wall Street Journal. The card’s cash-back rewards would funnel back into cardholders’ Samsung accounts to encourage spending on Samsung products and services. To accelerate users’ adoption of the card, tech companies with payment ambitions should build a flywheel to lock in new consumer spending patterns. By centering rewards and device upgrades to the same credit card and wallet, consumers can find both the products, services, and financing they desire all in one place.