Cloud Architecture: The 11 Most Important Trends For 2022

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Cloud Architecture The 11 Most Important Trends For 2022

Cloud architecture has become one of the most critical technology concepts. It is more important to keep track of the key trends this year. The multi-cloud provider Scaleway has identified the most critical trends in cloud computing, particularly cloud architecture for 2022. Cloud users will therefore consider new factors for their cloud services in the future. These include sovereignty, data protection, freedom of choice, and environmental friendliness.

Cloud Architecture: Multi-Cloud Remains Famous For Innovation

Multi-cloud, i.e., the use of several cloud providers, will be important in 2022. Therefore, the multi-could trend will lead to more fantastic choices, price arbitrage, and risk management, both in geopolitical terms and in terms of resiliency. A multi-cloud approach helps ensure business continuity and reduce costs.

Cloud Architecture: Users Don’t Want To Deal With Servers

The introduction of modern cloud architectures will continue to progress rapidly, both on the container side, especially with Kubernetes, and on the serverless side. According to Gartner’s “Kubernetes and the Battle for Cloud-Native Infrastructures” study, 85 percent of companies will be using containers in production by 2025, compared to less than 30 percent in 2020. The strong growth indicates an increased demand for cloud architecture scalability and flexibility. Lower costs and application simplification enable more efficient use of resources and more efficient work because less time is spent managing technology.

Cloud Architecture Is Becoming Increasingly Modular

As technological requirements are constantly evolving and new applications are required, the cloud architecture must be increasingly modular. On the one hand, to support future applications, on the other hand, so that the product ecosystems work well together. This becomes particularly clear when new technologies take hold, which is also reflected in the projected tripling of the market volume for cloud microservices between 2020 and 2026.

The agility, scalability, and efficiency of microservice architecture are too significant to ignore. As a result, we expect the IDC’s 2018 prediction that 90 percent of applications will be microservices by 2022 to be true this year. To set up the modular container or serverless architectures, an additional focus is placed on connecting “glue” products such as messaging & queuing or observability.

AI And Robotics With Great Potential In Medical Research

Due to their great potential, artificial intelligence and robotics will change healthcare and other industries forever. Realizing the potential will require increased reliance on centralized and edge cloud solutions, as using local servers for resource-intensive research is too costly. Cloud providers will have to face this challenge by increasingly offering energy-efficient solutions.

Open Source As A Significant Enabler

Open source is the ideal solution for creating a level playing field. As the software community moves away from proprietary and patented products, the threshold for leveraging advanced technologies is lowered significantly. This opens the doors to individuals and organizations with fewer resources – start-ups, scale-ups, non-profit organizations, organizations from developing countries, and others. However, the question remains: who pays for high-quality open source products? Who controls them?

AI And RO Developers Need Usability

The new generation of programmers expects the same ease of use in their professional tools that they know from personal applications. If these expectations are not met, it is essential to provide these new solutions as quickly as possible. Beyond that, the work environments will continue to develop and enable asynchronous work in the home office and on the go.

Matching The Life Plan

Young professionals were trying to reconcile their values ​​with their consumption, work, and leisure activities. Regionality and sustainability are just as important for employees as for consumers in general. According to Statista, it is essential for more than 56 percent of German employees that their employer is climate-neutral or sustainable. 

Cloud Architecture: It’s Getting Hot In Data Centers

Increasing transparency and pressure from consumers and institutions will also force those companies to act sustainably that have previously avoided doing so due to short-term financial gains. The sustainability discussion will also revolve around the code. Technologies such as serverless are the climate-friendly choice in terms of consumption, as they only work – and thus consume energy – when companies need it.

Cancellation Fees And Cloud Credits Are Disputed

Termination fees that cloud providers charge customers when they leave their services, as well as cloud credits, have been a significant bone of contention in the cloud industry lately. In 2022, the antitrust authorities will lay the foundations for regulation or abolition.

The EU Will Transform The Competitive Environment

Leading markets (such as the US and China) pursue an asymmetric public procurement policy that favors their local cloud service providers and disadvantages European counterparts in global competition. The European Union will intervene to level the playing field in two ways:

  • Regulation of digital gatekeepers through the Digital Markets Act and the Data Act
  • Implement a cloud industrial policy based on a level playing field, software sovereignty, and a new Buy European Tech Act. This will (hopefully) spur national cloud strategies in the same direction.

Cloud Providers Must Comply With Data Protection Guidelines

The criteria when choosing a cloud provider goes beyond the pure price-performance ratio. Technological choice, independence, and resiliency are becoming critical components of a proper risk management strategy, especially for scale-ups and start-ups.

Cloud Architecture: More Trends For 2022

Some other key trends that will fundamentally impact digital transformation and cloud architecture:

Global cloud industry revenue surpasses telecom revenue: IDC projects that the public cloud segment will grow 21 percent by 2025, reaching $809 billion in revenue. If growth continues — and we believe it will — cloud revenue should surpass telecom revenue before the decade is out.

Web3 and Blockchain Technology Will Adopt Faster: Blockchain and Web3 are considered “the next internet era.” It remains to be seen whether the hype will come true. However, with blockchain-as-a-service (BaaS) solutions built on multi-cloud infrastructures, it becomes easier for anyone to take advantage of blockchain without requiring in-depth technical knowledge.

The Metaverse will bring a lot of new entrants: is it finally time for VR and AR to go mainstream? Will 2022 be the year for Meta? “Metaverse” is all the rage these days and will need significant cloud support to take off. In the meantime, Meta might struggle to act as a team player, although Mark Zuckerberg has already (grudgingly?) admitted that one platform wouldn’t rule all.

AR Glasses, Quantum Computing, And Self-Driving Cars

Apple set to get involved in the AR market: With its announcement of new technologies at WWDC and AR-compatible glasses rumored to launch in 2022, Apple’s demand for 5G and low-latency telecom/cloud infrastructure will become significant increase.

although it has been around since 2019, it may be too late to compete with tech giants Google and IBM here. In any case, the impetus will not come from large tech companies but numerous research institutions and regional start-ups. The race has only just begun!

Self-driving cars will not catch on yet: Tesla is making efforts in this area. But broader acceptance requires comprehensive inner-city, extra-city, interstate, and cross-border infrastructure and legislation. And a change of heart that might be more difficult to achieve than the steel for 5G towers. 

ALSO READ: UX Design: The Biggest Challenges When It Comes To Implementation

UX Design: The Biggest Challenges When It Comes To Implementation

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UX Design These Are The Biggest Challenges When It Comes To Implementation

The UX design puts users and their needs first. At the same time, however, the product designers have to observe the technical requirements, of how companies master the challenges of implementation. To design products in users’ interests, the team responsible for implementing UX design must have enough information about the wishes, problems and behaviour of potential users.

The word “sufficient” is crucial here. In practice, designers often receive either too much data from the client or no data at all. In the first case, the data is often confusing and chaotic. To classify the information correctly, designers need further details: When, how and why was the data collected? If there are none at all, the situation is even more difficult in the second case. Because gut feeling, intuition and cloudy ideas are not enough to bring a successful product onto the market. Every step in the design process has to be validated – even if it costs time and money.

UX Design: Evaluate Data And Avoid Dark Patterns

What is the solution? If no user data is available, it must first be collected and, above all, processed. The designers can participate in this exploratory process by formulating critical research questions. When too much information is available, the design team needs to sift through the data to get a clear picture of the situation. If necessary, you hire a data analyst – but one is recommended anyway.

Unwanted purchases, newsletters and services that are difficult to unsubscribe, or even consents given inadvertently: dark patterns are the dark side of UX design. This term is a collective term for tricks that confuse users and thus lead them to take unwanted action. Dark patterns are the epitome of lousy UX design because they are used against and not for the user. Those who use them forget the principles of user-centric design, act unethically and put the company’s interests ahead of user expectations. This can have fatal consequences: The users get angry and want nothing more to do with the product. Above all, this costs trust and damages the reputation of a company.

Balancing The Gap Between Business Goals And User Needs

UX design challenges are walking the tightrope between the company’s business goals and its mission – to identify and meet user needs. Sales are essential to any business, and most websites and apps are created to sell a product or service. However, from the UX designer’s point of view, there is no reason to manipulate one’s users or prevent them from unsubscribing from the unwanted service.

For UX designers, the situation is clear: anyone who wants to cancel service is dissatisfied. This is essential information for the company. So it makes a lot of sense to find out why people are leaving, rather than locking users into the app, newsletter, or subscription. The valuable feedback allows the online experience to be continuously adapted to retain future users. Anyone who learns more about customers’ needs and pain points can improve the product.

UX Design: Testing, Testing And Testing Again

The 3G rule in UX design is test, test, test. Why is that so important? Correctly performed user tests are a prerequisite for a significant financial investment in the further development of the product making sense. Even if an idea makes sense, it must first and foremost be validated.

An example clarifies: A customer approaches a development company with a product idea. At first glance, the picture appears relevant and valuable. But: Instead of directly tasking the development team with the implementation, the design team conducts an extensive user test and finds that potential users are not interested in the product after all. The customer is, of course, disappointed. Ultimately, however, it can save a lot of time and money.

The problem: many clients are sceptical about user testing. They believe that testing is time-consuming and expensive. A round of testing can be completed within one to three weeks. Even if no tests can currently take place on-site, they can be carried out remotely without any problems. These even have another advantage: test persons from all over the world can participate because all they need is a stable internet connection. 

Accessibility Is Relevant For All Users

When I’m young and physically fit, accessibility isn’t an issue. Not really. All people are at risk of encountering a disability, whether temporary or permanent, at some point in their lives. For example, if they have had eye surgery, are blinded by the intense sun, or are trying to use their phone and are out and about at the same time. Well-designed products are accessible to everyone, regardless of physical and mental ability, because it makes ethical and economic sense to exclude certain population groups as users.

The difficulty? Accessible design can only be achieved through good cooperation between designers and developers. Many people these days are always on the lookout for reputable react native companies that are able to provide a smooth and responsive user interface for mobile applications and make them easier to use and navigate. Accessible solutions are not always easy to implement because many existing websites and apps do not take accessibility into account. That’s why it’s always worth thinking about accessibility from the start of product development.

Competitor Analysis Cannot Replace User Analysis

Competitor analysis is one of the essential steps in the early stages of product development. But it is also true: Competitive analysis cannot replace research into the actual needs of future users. Ideally, new products should be better than what the competition offers and solve the fundamental problems of the target group.

Hard-to-find buttons, weird links, illegible text: nobody has time to deal with lousy UX design these days. Usability and user satisfaction are the essential prerequisites for a successful product. But good UX design doesn’t just fall out of the sky. Therefore, it is worth investing in user testing, validation, data analysis, and well-implemented accessible solutions. To create a product with real added value, you have to understand your users’ pain points, do enough testing, and make sure that the application is accessible to all. And stay away from dark patterns that only annoy users.

ALSO READ: Spatial Computing To Edge AI: 15 Most Essential Terms In The XR Guide

Spatial Computing To Edge AI: 15 Most Essential Terms In The XR Guide

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Spatial Computing To Edge AI 15 Most Essential Terms In The XR Guide

Spatial Computing: Technological development progresses inexorably. New abbreviations, acronyms, and terms keep appearing. We explain the 15 most important abbreviations and designations to you in our XR guide. The future is XR because augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) alone are no longer sufficient to cover all scenarios and technologies. The basics and interfaces for this include AI, ML, and VPS.

So far, understood? No? This is not a problem, nor is it surprising because the interpretation debate about the digital future is teeming with acronyms, abbreviations, and many English technical terms.

Spatial Computing: The XR Guide For Beginners: These Are The 15 Most Important Terms

They stand for highly complex systems whose function is challenging to understand. That’s why we explain the most important terms that you should know in our XR guide.

X

XR is the umbrella term for augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and Mixed Reality and includes all experiences that create new forms of Reality for users.

Augmented Reality (AR)

Augmented Reality allows physical Reality to be “extended” by a digital layer in which 3D objects are added with the correct perspective. To see this augmented reality, transparent data glasses or an appropriately equipped smartphone are usually used.

Virtual Reality (VR)

On the other hand, virtual Reality allows you to immerse yourself in virtual worlds created entirely on the computer. Access is provided by mostly completely shielding data glasses. 360-degree films can also be shown, which enables a complete all-around view.

Mixed Reality (MR)

Mixed Reality is a subcategory of AR. The term itself describes the ability of an AR device – usually a headset such as the Microsoft Hololens – to scan physical space in 3D and place virtual content behind the real one.

This also requires mostly transparent data glasses or a smartphone.

Spatial Computing

This is also a subcategory of AR. It describes the placement of content in space using AR technology. Spatial computing is often combined with “machine vision” and “IoT.”

spatial Audio

Spatial audio, on the other hand, is a subcategory of VR. It describes the placement of audio in space. The technology is used to enable realistic audio imaging in virtual space. To hear these, users usually need a closed headset with audio output.

machine Vision

Machine vision enables computers, AR headsets, and smartphones to use artificial intelligence (AI) to recognize and classify physically visible in our experienced world.

Internet Of Things (IoT)

Behind this term hides the connection of formerly “dumb” devices via the Internet. The light bulb, which you control via your smartphone, is an example here.

Digital Twin

A digital twin is a digital 3D image of a real object for planning, simulations, training, and more. It is used, for example, in medicine, architecture, or mechanical engineering.

Photogrammetry

This technique makes it possible to create a digital 3D model based on many photos of an object.

AR Cloud

The AR cloud is the concept of a world-spanning system that allows virtual content to be stored in an exact location in physical space for an unlimited amount of time. To see the virtual object at this point, the user needs appropriate data glasses or a smartphone.

Visual Positioning System (VPS)

The abbreviation VPS stands for a system that enables smartphones and other devices to determine their position in space with an accuracy of a few centimeters using their camera.

ARCore

The Google counterpart of the augmented reality platform is called AR Core.

Game Engine

A game engine forms the digital working basis for all virtually created or calculated content. The origin lies in game development. Hence the name. However, current applications already go far beyond that. The best-known representatives and systems include Unity and Unreal Engine.

EdgeAI

This term includes devices that can carry out their AI-based processes without connecting to the cloud. The name “Edge” is symbolic of the edge of the infrastructure.

ALSO READ: iPod Vs Streaming: Why Do We Still Need An MP3 Player These Days?

iPod Vs Streaming: Why Do We Still Need An MP3 Player These Days?

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iPod Vs Streaming: Why Do We Still Need An MP3 Player These Days?

MP3 Player: The classic iPod has its charm: The storage space is limited. Only selected music can be stored on it. The question is: do we still want that in times of Spotify, Apple Music and Co.? A comment. I got my first MP3 player for Christmas when I was seven. Only about 50 songs fit on it. But at the time, I was delighted with it. I could always carry my favourite songs with me and listen to them whenever I wanted.

Of course, that changed as my interest in music grew. I started listening to more bands and wanted to pack full albums for on the go and select songs. Not that easy with so little storage space.

But I was lucky. A good friend gave me my first iPod when I was at school. It was a third-generation iPod Nano—a whopping four gigabytes. That was a lot of space for my favourite bands and me compared to my old MP3 player.

MP3 Player: iPod Vs Streaming- Goodbye Albums, Hello Playlists!

Everything looks a little different today. After switching from my iPod Nano to an iPod Classic with 128 gigabytes to carry around all kinds of genres, bands and songs with me, the first iPod Touch and Spotify came into my life at some point. Suddenly (almost), the entire music world was open to me – and that’s still the case today.

I’ve always travelled a lot and never left the house without an iPod. But where I used to have to own songs and albums and carefully select in iTunes which of them I was allowed to take with me on the trip and which not, everything suddenly became very easy with Spotify.

My mobile music library gradually shifted from my private digitized collection to the Swedish music streaming giant. I no longer chose entire albums to take with me on the go but made new playlists at home with the songs I liked to listen to. They were all available at once.

Convenience Trumps Romance

At first, I was still walking around with an iPhone and an iPod Touch, which somehow felt like I always had two phones with me. That changed with my first power bank. I sold my iPod and only listened to music on the go on my iPhone, so I no longer had to worry about the battery level. That hasn’t changed to this day. And I think that’s a shame.

I no longer own an iPod. But sometimes, I wish I had gone back—a 128GB iPod Classic that can hold hundreds of albums and thousands of songs. The ones I bought myself got as a USB stick from friends and – of course – pulled them off the internet myself.

I miss the romance that an iPod brings. The feeling of only listening to music and not receiving any messages. Because sometimes, I think the convenience of Spotify doesn’t make me appreciate music like I used to.

Apple Officially Only Sells The iPod Touch

In my world, iPods and MP3 players are dead. I don’t know anyone who still plays their music via iTunes or another media library on their mobile device. But friends who still run to the record store to physically buy old and new favourite albums do. That’s exactly how I handle it.

Apple has also gotten used to the new way of listening to music. Officially, the company from Cupertino only sells the iPod Touch, including Apple Music, in the Apple Shop. All other models are only available from third-party providers. Apple no longer sells even the tiny, square iPod Shuffle perfect for jogging. Streaming is the thing of the hour, and an offline media library on the go has become unnecessary.

And if you think about it, the iPod Touch doesn’t add any value if you own a smartphone anyway – unless you want to own a separate MP3 player. In addition, Apple CEO Tim Cook explained at the beginning that wearables such as Airpods or the Apple Watch have long since exceeded the maximum value that the iPod had ever achieved.

Streaming Wins

Suppose you don’t want to do without the romance of a classic iPod. In that case, you hardly need to think about buying an average MP3 player today. Even as a big music lover, I get along just fine with my iPhone and Spotify Premium – as probably most of us do.

But the MP3 player hasn’t given up yet. Modern models with streaming functions, such as the Mighty Vibe, plays Spotify music and podcasts offline without a phone. So streaming wins against the classic MP3 player. We no longer need small devices. But if you want to give your smartphone a break, modern MP3 players can still be used as nice-to-have products.

ALSO READ: The Extensive Dark Mode Guide For Instagram, Twitter, And Co.

The Extensive Dark Mode Guide For Instagram, Twitter, And Co.

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The Extensive Dark Mode Guide For Instagram, Twitter, And Co.

The dark mode is one of the most popular features that the new operating systems iOS 13 and Android 10 bring with them. We’ll show you how to set up the dim view system-wide and in the essential apps and how to use it sensibly. The long-awaited dark mode is already looking good. Since the latest operating system updates to iOS 13 and Android 10, a more eye- and battery-friendly display is available on our smartphones.

Gradually, more and more apps like Twitter (for Android), YouTube (for Android), and Instagram (for Android) support dark mode as well. However, flagship applications such as WhatsApp (for Android) and Google Maps (for Android) are still in the final stages of development or beta.

Therefore, we would like to show you how to set up Dark Mode system-wide for iOS and Android. We also give you an overview of which apps already support dark mode and how to activate it.

How To Set Up Dark Mode For iOS

If you use an iPhone with iOS 13 or iPad with iPad OS, go to the “Settings” and the “Display and brightness” options. There you can now switch from light to dark appearance. Dark mode runs through Apple’s applications and third-party apps on the iPhone and iPad if the developer has already adapted for dark mode.

You can also change more in the “Display & Brightness” settings. If you don’t always want to see Dark Mode, you can activate the Automatic slider, for example. Your iPhone or iPad then switches to dark mode from sunset to sunrise by default. You can also set your times for this.

You can also add dark mode to your iPhone or iPad’s control centre if you want to switch to dark mode quickly. To do this, adjust the corresponding control element in the control centre settings.

A dark background image is also essential for dark mode. Apple provides four matching images in the settings. These change their appearance when switching from regular to dark views. Own images are darkened.

How To Set Up Dark Mode On Android 10

You can also activate dark mode in the “Settings” on many Android smartphones. However, since many manufacturers put their user interfaces over the existing operating system, the implementation can look slightly different depending on the device.

As soon as you have activated the dark mode in the display settings – slide the corresponding slider to the right – all menus and previously compatible applications are shrouded in darkness. You can also pull down your notification bar and add a dark mode shortcut in the shortcuts. To do this, tap the pencil icon again to add the icon to your shortcuts.

Facebook And WhatsApp Are Still In The Preparations

At the moment, many manufacturers are still working on the dark mode for their apps. Appropriate updates for large applications such as WhatsApp are likely to come soon.

The dark look has not yet officially arrived in the standard Facebook app and Google Maps. So far, there is only a one-night mode for navigation, which is customarily activated automatically from sunset.

How To Enable Dark Mode In Facebook Messenger

On the other hand, Facebook Messenger is already equipped with a dark mode. With a click on your round profile picture on the upper-left edge of the screen, you reach the app settings. There you will find the controller for the night mode in the first place.

How To Enable Dark Mode On Twitter

We can also turn off the light on Twitter and YouTube: you will find controls in the settings that quickly activate the dark theme in both applications.

In the iOS app, you tap on night mode or the moon symbol in the menu bar to activate it. Using the Twitter Android app, you’ll also tap your profile icon to open the menu. There you will now find the night mode at the bottom. Activate it by sliding the slider to the right.

How To Enable Dark Mode On YouTube

First of all, you should ensure that you have the latest version of the YouTube app installed on your iPhone or Android smartphone. Then click on your profile picture to open “Settings.” You will immediately find a dark theme slider there. Slide it to the right to shroud your YouTube app in darkness.

How To Enable Dark Mode In Slack

We have already shown you in detail in a separate article how to activate the dark mode in the collaboration tool Slack.

Briefly explained, you open the Slack app and click on the three-round dots in the top right next to the magnifying glass. A menu will now open. Click on the last menu item, “Settings,” and scroll down to find the sub-item “Dark Mode. ” A pop-up will appear saying that switching to dark mode will restart the app. If you now click on “Next, “your Slack app will switch to dark mode after opening it again.

Instagram: Dark Mode Without Own App Settings

Instagram has now also arrived in dark mode. However, there is no Dark Mode option in the app settings. It is switched on when it is also activated system-wide.

For example, while the dark mode on Twitter can be activated without iOS 13, you need a smartphone with a system-wide dark mode for Instagram – i.e., an iPhone with iOS 13 or an Android smartphone with Android 10.

ALSO READ: Digital Registration Form & More: This Will Change 2022 In Digital Sector

Digital Registration Form & More: This Will Change 2022 In Digital Sector

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Digital Registration Form And More This Will Change In 2022 In The Digital Sector

What legal innovations can we expect in digital sector in the coming year? Some changes will come into force from the digital registration, form in the hotel industry to cheaper e-books and e-papers. Some changes will come into force in 2022. We’ll introduce them to you.

The world is constantly changing. Of course, this also affects our society with all its laws and legal regulations. Digitization has long since been affected by this. After all, it has changed our lives a lot in recent years and improved them in many ways.

Also, in the new year, some innovations are coming our way. The changes in 2022 in the digital sector range from a digital registration form in the hotel or accommodation industry to cheaper e-books and e-papers.

Digital Registration: Changes In 2022  This Is What Awaits Us In The Digital Sector

But of course, that’s not all. That’s why we want to introduce you to what else will change in the digital sector. A few other valuable innovations will undoubtedly make our everyday life more accessible in 2022.

As you’ll soon see, many changes will buy us more time – which is our most valuable currency, after all. So let’s take a look at what’s happening in 2022. The overview is, of course, a selection.

Digital Registration Form Possible In The Hotel Industry

As already mentioned, the first change that we have to present to you concerns the hotel or accommodation sector. In the future, hoteliers will be able to digitise the entire check-in process. The federal cabinet decided that.

Until now, hoteliers had to use paper registration forms. With the sheer number of hotels and accommodations, this was, of course, anything but environmentally friendly. Now hosts can significantly reduce internal work processes and thus their costs.

The digital registration form brings with it a digital and independent check-in for guests and a hotel app in which you can find all the necessary information for the check-in and digitally sign the corresponding registration form.

The Reduced Retention Time For Legacy Computers In Companies

So far, companies have had to keep their old computers with tax-relevant data for ten years after an information technology system change. The 2022 changes provide for this period to be reduced to five years.

Of course, companies should be pleased about that. After all, old computers take up space accordingly. When the new five-year period expires, they have to save the old files to disk and keep them.

However, there is one restriction: During an audit, the computers and software may not be disposed of until the audit is completed. This also applies if the deadline expires in the meantime.

Changes 2020: Part-time Contracts Are Also Possible By Email

The following change should also save time and nerves: If an employee submits an application following the Part-Time and Fixed-Term Employment Act and sends his employer a corresponding notification, this will be sufficient in digital text form from 2022.

If, for example, it is a question of redistributing their working hours, an employee can also inform their employer about this by email. You no longer need a signed piece of paper.

P2B Regulation Is Mandatory

A new Platform-to-Business (P2B) regulation will also come into force in Europe for more fairness in online trading. The P2B regulation, for example, states that online platforms should work transparently and write understandable general terms and conditions.

With online platforms like Amazon, they then have to explain, among other things, when and why they can block access for retailers. This is to ensure that everything is done correctly in e-commerce.

Changes In 2022: E-books And E-Papers Will Become Cheaper

The following change in 2022 should make digital book fans particularly happy: e-books and e-paper will be cheaper because the reduced sales tax of seven percent will apply to them.

The regulation should also apply regardless of whether we buy a book via download or on a physical data carrier such as CD and DVD.

Digital Supply Law For Pharmacies And Hospitals Comes Into Force

And last but not least, the so-called Digital Supply Act comes into force, which obliges pharmacies and hospitals to connect to the telematics infrastructure.

The telematics infrastructure connects everyone involved in the healthcare system – i.e., doctors, psychotherapists, (digital) health insurance companies, pharmacies, and hospitals. Pharmacies must join the infrastructure by the end of September 2022. Hospitals have until January 1, 2021. This idea is that patients should be allowed to use digital services such as electronic patient files.

Doctors who do not want to connect to the telematics infrastructure should also be charged an increased fee deduction of 2.5 percent from March 1, 2022. So far, the conclusion was only one percent.

Doctors Can Prescribe Apps

The new law also includes that doctors should prescribe health apps. The corresponding applications should help, for example, document blood sugar values ​​and think about taking medication. The costs for the apps are to be borne by the health insurance companies once the Federal Institute has checked them for Drugs and Medical Devices.

And it goes even further: video consultation hours with doctors should become quite normal in the future. Physicians can now provide information about such offers. The Federal Ministry of Health decided that.

ALSO READ: Publisher Models & Tech Partners: Growth Drivers In Affiliate Marketing

Publisher Models & Tech Partners: Growth Drivers In Affiliate Marketing

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Publisher Models And Tech Partners The Growth Drivers In Affiliate Marketing

A survey of 1,100 marketers showed that affiliate marketing was one of the growth drivers again this year. But what opportunities and risks, will the industry be dealing with in 2022? We will examine this in a three-part series. Part 3 of 3: New publisher models and technology partners.

Affiliate Marketing: The Trend Towards New Publisher Models And Technology Partners

Sixty-seven percent of advertisers see the most significant growth potential for 2022 in new affiliates.

Opportunities In Content Commerce

Large publishing houses in particular face (sales) challenges. The area of ​​content commerce, which stands for the closer integration of the content (content) with the associated shopping options (business), is seen as an opportunity.

The various cooperations between voucher sites and publishers such as Spiegel, Focus, or Welt are examples of this interlocking. The same applies to price comparisons that are integrated via RTL or NTV. According to an evaluation by PressGazette, product tests or leaderboards also generate additional traffic.

The results of “The Independent,” for example, which employs more than 15 people with its content hub “Indy Best” and register over five million visitors per month, show that great successes have been achieved.

Affiliate Marketing And The Role Of Influencers

Advertisers are also hoping for new growth from influencers. Thirty-four percent see this as a growth driver for 2022. Also, the developments that Instagram has released the link sticker for every influencer since 2021 enables many more influencers to advertise products and provide them with affiliate links.

Above all, the acquisition of target group-specific micro-influencers offers many new sales potential. The news that Instagram is already testing its affiliate marketplace in the USA, allowing influencers to advertise advertisers with their own Instagram shop, also offers a lot of new potential.

According to Business Insider, the closed beta test of the Instagram affiliate tool has already started in the USA with around 100 influencers and 30 brands. And since 2021, Pinterest has also been offering the option of linking to shops via the new Shoppable Pins using affiliate links.

Publisher Models Based On Artificial Intelligence (AI)

New publisher technologies based on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are also among the growth drivers in affiliate marketing. So offer z. For example, new publishers like UpSellit have the opportunity to create and develop personalised conversion experiences. Advertisers can use this technology to improve conversion in their shop on a performance basis.

The startup Recommended from Bielefeld also offers advertisers technology that uses artificial intelligence to automate creation and management. In addition, the technology ensures the unique design of sets of similar items.

By automating this area, retailers can save over 90 percent of the costs. The startup Bounce Commerce also offers AI-based bounce management and product recommendations technology. According to a DPD study from 2019, 62 percent of customers have already cancelled the shopping process.

This is precisely what Bounce Commerce builds on with its AI technology. First case studies show that with Bounce Commerce, up to 30 percent of visitors who would leave an online shop because they did not find the right product are addressed again with AI-based product recommendations, and the conversions by up to can be increased by 10 percent.

Publishing And App Placement

In the case of individual online shops, the proportion of new customers was even over 50 percent. But many other publishers such as Intent.ly, retail rocket, Envolve, Precise, blue knob, RevLifter, or Increasingly also offer innovative technology solutions and software.

There are also new publishers from the embedded commerce sector, such as Tipser, MikMak, Constant. Co and Monotone. These enable advertisers to be placed on digital media, platforms, or apps.

This means that advertising banners are no longer placed on the publishing pages of media companies, dealers, marketplaces, or social networks, but rather products that can be bought directly. The shopping functions are thus integrated now into websites and apps.

Especially small to medium-sized online shops that do not have enough technical capacity can use these affiliate technologies to generate new potential and save a lot of time and money through automation. There are also many other ways of developing traffic via affiliates.

TikTok, Twitch, And Co.

As one of the fastest-growing social media platforms with over 12 million users in Germany, TikTok now offers the opportunity to advertise affiliate products with the right campaign or the right influencer.

Twitch, which no longer only serves as a pure platform for eSports and gamers but also covers numerous entertainment channels, also offers a lot of potential with over 6.2 million viewers every day. More and more Twitch streamers are discovering the possibility of affiliate marketing to place advertising via the infobox or the live stream.

And podcasts, which are now regularly listened to by more than 10 million Germans, are currently marketed based on unique voucher codes with affiliate marketing.

ALSO READ: How We Use Social Media For Our Benefit

Commissions And Demand Continue To Rise

There are still other changes in the provisioning of affiliates. Fifty-one percent of affiliates see low commissions as one of the biggest problems for 2022. This is accompanied by 31 percent of affiliates naming non-transparent remuneration strategies and 57 percent non-functioning tracking as a problem.

Accordingly, 66 percent of affiliates generally want higher commissions, which means that more and more affiliates want to share the risk of missing commission allocations and incorrect tracking with the advertiser and only offer advertising placements based on hybrid commission models, i.e., fixed advertising -Costs for specific arrangements combined with CPO commissions.

In 2021, 77 percent of the advertisers were already paying additional commissions based on advertising or hybrid models. In 2020 it was still 58 percent. Therefore, fifty-four percent believe that commission payments based on marketing activities have increased. At the same time, however, 55 percent of the advertisers think that these commission models are also financially worthwhile and could achieve increased sales as a result.

The development towards hybrid commission models and increasing commissions will continue to prevail in 2022 as long as the advertisers cannot guarantee transparent and future-proof tracking to remunerate the affiliates fairly and correctly for the advertising service.

War For Talents

However, one of the most oversized brakes on growth in the coming years could be the shortage of skilled workers. Due to the industry’s growth, appropriate specialists are required to implement the campaigns.

The increasing shortage of skilled workers, affecting many industries, has also arrived in affiliate marketing, regardless of how many years of professional experience someone has or what jobs are involved.

The corona pandemic and the associated changes in the world of work have also brought further challenges that companies face. Companies have to create an environment in which talented people feel comfortable and can do an excellent job at the end of the day.

Training Offensive

In addition, more attention should be paid to ensuring that they are used according to their respective strengths and can thus assume responsibility. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a training offensive for new specialists in the affiliate industry.

For example, the BVDW already offers a specialist certificate for job starters with one to two years of professional experience in SEO. Similar models should also be developed for the affiliate industry in the future.

Likewise, companies should offer their employees further training opportunities due to the increasingly complex changes in the affiliate industry. In addition to training, this includes attending conferences (currently mainly in digital form) or participating in MeetUps.

In principle, one should also look at developments and not blindly be infected by an alleged hype. V. a. Due to the corresponding use of resources, trends should primarily be pursued that are sustainable.

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Sustainability And Quick Commerce Will Shape The Year 2022

Many experts agree that sustainability and climate change will most shape the marketing year 2022. According to a study by the Serviceplan Consulting Group and Facit, 39 percent of marketing decision-makers in the DACH region believe that these topics will be the most important in the coming year.

In addition, nine out of ten CMOs believe that sustainability communication will become more critical. According to GfK, awareness of sustainability is also increasing on the consumer side. Seventy-one percent of all consumers worldwide believe that companies should take responsibility for the environment. According to Accenture’s management consultancy, 61 percent of consumers now shop more environmentally friendly, sustainable, and ecologically conscious.

For this reason, the desire for environmentally friendly shopping opportunities is also increasing. According to the Digiday portal, large publishers such as the BBC, The Economist, Financial Times, and Bloomberg have noticed an increasing demand for advertising placements that deal with climate and sustainability issues.

Affiliate Marketing And Delivery Services

According to Awin, more and more new affiliates are registering in the network, serving this sustainability niche. At the same time, more and more advertisers are integrating sustainability aspects into their corporate goals. Another development for e-commerce is likely to be the topic of quick commerce. That means the timely delivery of products to consumers. A lot of new delivery platforms are currently emerging on the German market.

With Doordash, a new provider has now started who wants to bring pizzas, beer, and bouquets to the front door in record time, and it should not just stay with this range. Delivery services will soon deliver screws to do-it-yourselfers or bring fashion products directly to them to try on.

This development should make traditional retailers and brand manufacturers sit up and take notice because whoever controls access to the end customer will also have the power in product marketing in the future. Providers such as Flink, Gorillas, or other delivery services could soon become logistical service providers for brand experiences that would fail in brick-and-mortar retail because of the opening times alone.

Retailers, therefore, have to think about which delivery services they want to work with in the future and which service providers they want to include in their own sales strategies.

Conclusion And Development Of The Affiliate Industry In 2022

When the corona pandemic began in March 2020, no one thought it would last so long. Many retailers and online shops have benefited from the changed buying behaviour and have adapted to the situation.

According to a study by IBM, the pandemic accelerated the shift toward digital shopping by about five years. The pandemic also accelerated technical innovations among advertisers and publishers.

Due to the industry’s strong growth in 2021, most market participants also expect increasing consumer demand and sales in 2022, primarily because affiliate marketing with its performance model is a cost-efficient and risk-free marketing channel for many companies.

Many advertisers have switched to first-party tracking, adapted the consent management platforms, and are well-positioned for 2022, even if some advertisers still have some catching up to adjust to the technical infrastructure.

The further challenges lie above all in the maximisation of the consent rates through consent optimization and the additional measures through the orientation aid of the DSK and the resulting concrete technical and organisational requirements for cookie opt-ins.

Affiliate Marketing 2022: Between Influencers And Skilled Labour Shortage

That is why flexible and innovative tracking adjustments and alternatives will continue to accompany us in the coming years.

The long-running customer journey and cross-device tracking will also be discussed further. The possible potential of the technologies is currently broadly not used by the affiliate industry. Therefore, budget allocations cannot occur sufficiently, and commission attributions are sometimes unfair.

New publisher models from the field of content commerce, numerous technology partners, and access to thousands of influencers will boost affiliate marketing. There are also many other ways of generating traffic via TikTok, Twitch, and podcasts. There could also be further changes in provisioning so that the proportion of marketing centre costs and CPOs could increase.

The topics of sustainability and quick commerce will also shape eCommerce in 2022 and gain importance. Accordingly, dealers and brand manufacturers have to adjust their corporate strategy and think about their future direction.

Affiliate marketing will continue to grow in 2022 and gain market share in the online marketing mix. However, the shortage of skilled workers could slow down growth. Therefore, the industry must continue to be perceived as an attractive marketing channel and drive innovation further.

ALSO READ: The New iPad Pro Is Here: Do We Still Need MacBook?

The New iPad Pro Is Here: Do We Still Need MacBook?

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The New iPad Pro Is Here Do We Still Need MacBooks

Apple has equipped its new iPad Pro with a lidar scanner for distance measurement. In addition, the Magic Keyboard now comes with a trackpad. Thanks to iPadOS 13.4, we will soon operate older models with a mouse and trackpad. Do we still need MacBook’s at all? 

Despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Apple has completed production for the new iPad Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac Mini. The new hardware can now be pre-ordered. Visually, the iPad Pro has hardly changed. The device still has a Liquid Retina display in 11.0 or 12.9 inches. The front hardly differs from the older model.

The back, however, impresses with a new dual camera. In addition to the well-known wide-angle camera with twelve megapixels, the new generation now also has an ultra-wide-angle camera with ten megapixels. And technically, a lot has happened as well. Apple has installed a lidar scanner for distance measurement, which is used primarily in augmented reality applications.

iPad Pro With Magic Keyboard Including Trackpad

That all sounds very interesting. But the iPad Pro itself isn’t the most significant change at all. The operating system update to iPad OS 13.4, which will support a new Magic Keyboard in the future, is fascinating.

This keyboard has both a keyboard and a trackpad. Thanks to iPadOS 13.4, we can now control the iPad Pro with a trackpad or mouse. And this also applies to older models that receive the update. The Magic Keyboard’s new keyboard is even illuminated. Thanks to it, we will also be able to charge the tablet via USB-C in the future.

Do We Still Need MacBook’s?

The iPad Pro should be available from the end of March 2020. We’ll probably have to wait until May 2020 for the Magic Keyboard. So if we can soon control our iPad like a notebook – will we still need MacBook at all?

In addition to the iPad, Apple also introduced a new MacBook Air and a Mac Mini. The MacBook Air is equipped with a scissor mechanism keyboard, which we already know from the current MacBook Pro. The problematic butterfly keyboard is a thing of the past.

In addition, more powerful processors are installed in the new MacBook Air. The graphics performance should also be 80 per cent higher. Only the Pro models still have a touch bar. The fingerprint scanner Touch ID is installed. The question now is: What can a MacBook do today that an iPad Pro cannot? Of course, this question can only be answered competently after a corresponding test.

But even if the new Apple tablet can keep up with a MacBook in terms of performance, there are still a few reasons that speak in favour of Apple’s notebook.

Easier To Use In Everyday Life

If you work a lot with your iPad or MacBook, you should ideally also use a suitable screen to ensure an upright posture. So far, an iPad has not been as easy to connect to a monitor as a MacBook. Handling Apple’s notebook is much easier and more pleasant. In addition, the iPad has a mobile design. This can also become quite tiring in the long run if you are not used to it and work a lot with web-based applications.

Of course, if you travel a lot, the iPad scores a plus point in terms of weight. However, the question is what you need your iPad or MacBook for. For authors and journalists, the Apple tablet is unlikely to be a satisfactory alternative to the MacBook. We will soon be able to control it with a mouse. However, handling the notebook should still be more pleasant.

Should The iPad Pro Replace A MacBook At All?

For this reason alone, it is reasonable to assume that the iPad Pro cannot and should not replace a MacBook at all. After all, Apple would be stupid to pursue this claim – otherwise, an entire product family and thus very high income would be lost.

The Apple tablet is often the better choice, especially when you’re on the go. On the plane, on the train or in a cafe: it is easier to transport and, depending on the task, can also be used just as well as a MacBook. The MacBook should still be the better choice for use at the desk, especially for journalists and the like – despite the Magic Keyboard and trackpad.

ALSO READ: Interactive Showroom For Companies: How It Works

Interactive Showroom For Companies: How It Works

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Interactive Showroom For Companies How It Works

Interactive Showroom: When companies offer products or services that are difficult to explain, they face a challenge: How do new customers understand the concept? An interactive showroom helps with precisely this problem. We will show you how Garamantis helps with planning and design and what an interactive gallery looks like in practice.

When products require explanation, many companies still use classic presentations to inform new customers. While working through PowerPoint presentations generally works, they are often difficult to understand and not particularly interesting or interactive.

There are also other options for companies: An interactive showroom combines the presentation of all products with interactive elements. Business partners and new customers have the opportunity to independently discover the advantages of the offer and the products with the help of a networked multi-touch installation.

The great advantage of an interactive showroom is that the focus is no longer on a theoretical description or linear presentation from the first to the last slide. Still, instead, visitors grasp the actual product and understand it in detail.

Best Case: Interactive Showroom From Lingemann GmbH

As a consumer goods specialist, Lingemann GmbH, based in Brühl, has set itself the task of making the digitization of logistics tangible for industrial companies and offering them customer-oriented solutions. Since the topic is complex, the medium-sized company decided to implement an interactive showroom with the help of Garamantes. The concept on-site is as follows: 

The room is spacious with 55 square metres and a large glass front designed in dark anthracite. The room’s heart is a multi-touch scanner table coupled with a 6 x 55-inch screen wall. Thanks to intelligent room control, visitors are automatically guided through the space by dynamically adjusting the light and audio.

As soon as you enter the interactive showroom, the sensor on the table recognizes the visitor and starts the presentation. The guests are tuned to future developments in the industry with an emotional intro film. In the example of Lingemann GmbH, guests can find out everything about the future of digital procurement.

Guests then come to the high-resolution multi-touch table to learn more about products and services. This is done playfully via the attractively animated surface of the table, on which all relevant information is just a tap away.

Here, new customers, in particular, have the opportunity to assess the benefits of digitization for their own company: The multi-touch table offers an interactive configurator, with which you can playfully place and configure the IoT solutions from Lingemann GmbH in concrete production environments. The finished configuration is immediately available in the cloud and is suitable for further discussions.

An additional IoT product exhibition in the room is also networked with the presentation system and offers visitors a unique overall experience. Companies can use this for optimal product presentation, present themselves to their customers in a modern way, and make products tangible.

Interactive Showroom For Companies With Garamantes

If companies have products that they want to present innovatively, an interactive showroom from Garamantis is ideal. If you and your company are interested in an individual museum, the friendly Garamantis team will support you from concept to implementation.

ALSO READ: In Exceptional Cases – Real Names Are Not Mandatory On Facebook

In Exceptional Cases – Real Names Are Not Mandatory On Facebook

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In Exceptional Cases, Real Names Are Not Mandatory On Facebook

Exceptional Cases – Real Names: If you log on to Facebook with a pseudonym instead of your real name, you risk having your account blocked. The Federal Court of Justice has decided that this fundamental name requirement on Facebook is only partially permissible.

The fight against hate and hate speech online is not only a constant issue for the primary providers of social networks. The judiciary must intervene here again and again. Now the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) has made a judgement on the fundamental name requirement on Facebook.

Exceptional Cases – Real Names: What Is Behind The Fundamental Name Requirement On Facebook?

Facebook’s current terms of use stipulate that users “use the same name” as they use “in everyday life.”

The network justifies this commitment as follows: “When people stand behind their opinions and actions, our community is safer and more accountable.” For Facebook, the focus here is curbing hate and hate speech on its platform. But of course, the prosecution of criminal offences should also be made easier.

What Was The Basis For The BGH Judgement?

In 2018, Facebook blocked the accounts of a woman and a man concerning these terms of use. They had created their profile names with names that did not correspond to the terms of use. The two Facebook users then sued – but the Munich Higher Regional Court sided with the social network and agreed with Facebook.

The BGH has now reversed this decision. According to the verdict, users who have been registered with Facebook for a long time can also use a pseudonym.

What Does The Judgement Mean For The Fundamental Name Requirement On Facebook?

Nevertheless, the fundamental name requirement on Facebook remains. Because the judgement only refers to older cases. The reason for this is a change in the law. The German Telemedia Act was in force until May 2018, obliging social networks to “allow registration anonymously or under a pseudonym, insofar as this is technically possible and reasonable.”

In the meantime, however, the legal situation has changed. The GDPR has been in force in the EU since May 25, 2018, and does not contain such regulation on anonymity. Therefore, the BGH ruling only applies to Facebook accounts created before introducing European data protection law.

Facebook Continues To Recommend Political Groups

However, Facebook’s efforts in terms of real mandatory names are pretty contrary to the recommendation policy of political groups. Here, hate and agitation always find fertile ground. No wonder, then, that Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg wants to abolish the recommendation of political groups. The announcement of this step is now one year old.

Not much has happened since then, as the Suddeutsche Zeitung reports. According to this, groups that spread radical or ideological conspiracy content, for example, would continue to be recommended by Facebook.

“Hundreds of cases” also occurred “in which political groups were explicitly recommended.” There were also “local associations of the parties represented in the Bundestag.” This is comparatively harmless, but political advertising can distort competition, so it is strictly limited.

The Sueddeutsche Zeitung quoted a meta spokesperson saying, “in this case, a problem occurred when filtering after the group was identified.” So “some groups stayed in the recommendation tool.”

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