Apple has announced a $500 million partnership with MP Materials, the only fully integrated rare earth producer in the U.S., to manufacture American-made rare earth magnets in Texas and launch a recycling facility in California. This deal is part of Apple’s broader $500 billion U.S. investment pledge over four years. The magnets, crucial for Apple products, will be produced at MP’s Fort Worth plant, while the California facility will reprocess recycled materials from used electronics. The partnership also promises job creation, advanced R&D, and a stronger domestic rare earth supply chain, furthering Apple’s commitment to sustainable innovation and U.S. manufacturing.

Spotify is rolling out new audiobook subscription add-ons for Premium users in 11 countries, including the UK, Germany, France, and Australia. The new plans—Audiobooks+ and Audiobooks+ for Plan Members—offer 15 hours of monthly audiobook access. Plan members on Family and Duo accounts can also request add-ons from account managers, with a 10-hour top-up available if they run out. Following trials in Ireland and Canada, this global expansion is part of Spotify’s strategy to attract more book lovers, support publishers and authors, and grow the audiobook market through more flexible and accessible listening experiences.

Luminate’s 2025 mid-year report reveals a 10.3% global rise in on-demand audio streams, reaching 2.5 trillion, despite slower U.S. growth. The real surge is outside the U.S., with India, Mexico, and Brazil rapidly gaining ground. The report also breaks down music fandom, highlighting that 18% of listeners qualify as “superfans”—those who pay for music and engage across five or more channels. Catalogue music outperforms new releases, AI music stirs mixed feelings, and platforms like Discord and Twitch are becoming powerful tools for artist monetisation. Gaming is emerging as a new stream source, while high ticket prices continue to deter festival attendance.

Anthology has announced new AI-driven features for its CRM and student engagement tool, Anthology Reach, enhancing support for at-risk students. Now integrated more deeply with Blackboard and powered by Microsoft AI, Reach enables real-time alerts for faculty and advisors based on student behaviour like missed assignments or disengagement. A no-code journey builder allows staff to create personalised, behaviour-triggered messages, with AI suggesting the best timing and content. This addresses a key challenge—nearly 25% of faculty cite a lack of early warning systems as a barrier to intervention. These updates aim to boost student retention by connecting insights and action at scale.

JPMorgan is planning to charge fintech firms like PayPal, Robinhood, and Coinbase for accessing customer bank account data—a service that was previously free. This move could generate hundreds of millions in revenue for the bank and significantly alter fintech business models, especially for companies relying on free data access. Pricing will vary depending on usage, with higher fees for payment services. These costs may eventually be passed on to consumers, potentially hurting lower-income users. JPMorgan aims to monetise data and limit excessive third-party use amid uncertain open banking regulations. The fees are under negotiation and could roll out later this year.

Opera’s MiniPay wallet is redefining stablecoin adoption, surpassing 8 million phone-verified wallets and processing over 200 million transactions. Integrated into Opera Mini and available standalone, MiniPay simplifies digital finance in emerging markets by offering fast, affordable stablecoin payments using USDT, USDC, and cUSD. Users fund wallets via mobile money or cards, with upcoming features like virtual bank accounts and local payment support. Backed by the Celo blockchain, MiniPay eliminates seed phrases and offers real-world financial utility. With 27 integrated Mini Apps and major partnerships, MiniPay is more than a wallet—it’s a digital financial hub bringing Web3 to the next billion users.

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded contracts—each with a $200M ceiling—to Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, and xAI to advance national security through frontier AI technologies. These partnerships aim to integrate cutting-edge AI models into military workflows, business operations, and intelligence systems. The initiative, led by the Chief Digital and AI Office (CDAO), is part of a broader commercial-first strategy to modernise defence capabilities. AI platforms such as Ask Sage, Advana, and Maven Smart System will play key roles in deployment. The move reflects the Pentagon’s intent to maintain technological superiority while harnessing the private sector’s best AI talent and solutions.

Europe has launched the latest version of its AI-on-Demand Platform (AIoD), a centralised digital infrastructure designed to support both AI research and industry innovation. Backed by the European Commission through AI4Europe and DeployAI, the platform offers trusted access to tools, datasets, services, and supercomputing power via LUMI. With a dual-track system for academics and businesses, AIoD helps researchers share project outcomes and provides enterprises with market-ready AI modules and resources. By promoting transparency, trust, and openness, AIoD aims to strengthen Europe’s leadership in ethical, responsible AI and drive collaboration across the continent’s AI ecosystem.

Google is rolling out powerful new features to AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers, powered by its Gemini 2.5 Pro model. Users can now access Deep Search, which performs extensive, multi-layered searches and generates fully-cited reports—ideal for jobs, studies, or major life decisions. Another standout update: Google Search can now call local businesses on your behalf to check pricing and availability, streamlining errands like finding a pet groomer. These tools are part of the new AI Mode in Search, designed to save users time and increase productivity. The features are debuting in the U.S., with broader access coming soon.

The Tourism Equity Fund (TEF), created to empower black-owned tourism businesses with R1.2 billion in funding, is under fire for a lack of transparency and sluggish rollout. SEFA, which administers the fund, refused to disclose beneficiary details, citing POPIA, prompting the Department of Tourism to seek legal advice confirming its right to the information. Parliament has now moved to summon SEFA for answers. Initially stalled by legal challenges, the TEF was relaunched in 2023. But by January 2025, only 23 applications worth R466 million were approved, with just R125 million disbursed, raising serious concerns about delivery and accountability.

For the first time in over a decade, U.S. travel spending has declined for three consecutive months, signalling a shift in consumer behaviour. Economic uncertainty is prompting Americans—especially lower-income households—to scale back vacations, favouring shorter domestic trips over international ones. Average trip budgets have dropped 25% from 2023. However, luxury travel is booming, fueled by high-net-worth individuals seeking exclusive, personalised experiences. Airlines are reconfiguring cabins to meet demand in premium segments. Meanwhile, Canada’s tourism market remains more stable, driven by growing domestic travel.

In South Africa, rising card-not-present fraud—responsible for 68% of card fraud losses—is making shoppers wary of using cards online, especially for grocery deliveries. While apps like Checkers Sixty60 and Pick n Pay asap! dominate with millions of downloads and soaring sales, their card-only checkout models alienate fraud-wary consumers. Unlike in-store shopping, which offers QR codes and BNPL options, online users lack such flexibility. Although retailers promise expanded payment options, alternatives like Mr D, OneCart, and Takealot are already stepping in with EFT, Ozow, and store credit options. As fraud grows, payment flexibility is becoming a vital part of customer trust and digital growth.

Takealot is expanding its partnership with Pick n Pay by adding more delivery pickup points in supermarkets across South Africa, aiming to reach 36 stores by the end of 2025. First piloted in 2023, the service has proven successful, with collections doubling between February and May 2025 and now surpassing 14,000 per month. The service allows customers to collect orders—mainly small items like vitamins, skincare, and wellness products—while shopping for groceries. Located near customer service kiosks, the pickup points offer added convenience and reflect Pick n Pay's vision of transforming its stores into multifunctional retail hubs.

Market Insyte offers personalised market research services tailored to entrepreneurs' needs.

If you would like to schedule a business model consultation, feel free to book a session here

If you would like us to conduct a personalised market research study, feel free to schedule a complimentary discovery call

Browse our public market research library