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By Danielle Kovnat-Fox, Senior Director, Publicity

By Christine Lee, Account Executive, Partnerships

TL;DR

In a hurry? Here's our pick of the top news items of the week.

Uber is considering acquiring Expedia, which would be its largest purchase to date and a strategic move to evolve into a "super app". (Morning Brew)
OpenAI has launched a preview version of its ChatGPT app for Windows, featuring capabilities to interact with files and photos and integrate with the latest AI models. (TechCrunch)
Warner Bros. Discovery announced the launch of its Max streaming service in seven Asian markets, expanding its global reach to 72 markets with plans for further expansion in 2025. (The Hollywood Reporter)
Decentralized social platform Bluesky added 500K new users in a day after X made more unwanted changes. (The Verge)

Indonesia remains the top overseas travel destination for Australians in 2024, with 1.59M visitors, while Japan has emerged as the fastest-growing hotspot. (KarryOn)
Hilton’s latest trends report for 2025 predicts a rise in “Travel Maximizers,” with 70% of global travelers preferring active trips and 20% planning outdoor adventures in 2025. (Smart Brief)
About 37% of adults in Ireland have canceled one or more streaming subscriptions in the last 12 months, and 45% cited cost as the primary reason for canceling. (CEOWorld)

Netflix excels in user retention by maintaining a vast content library, early market entry advantage, genre diversity, and competitive pricing. (Advanced Television)
Amazon plans to expand its Prime Video advertising to major new markets including India, Brazil, Japan, the Netherlands, and New Zealand in 2025, offering an optional ad-free experience for a fee. (The Hollywood Reporter)
Amazon Ads introduced new full-funnel advertising capabilities aimed at optimizing media investments with features like machine learning-powered reporting. (Campaign)
Integral Ad Science (IAS) has developed a Content Block List tool, currently being tested with Meta, designed to let advertisers prevent their ads from appearing next to unsuitable content. (Marketing Dive)

Disney will simulcast six "Monday Night Football" games on ABC in addition to their usual ESPN broadcasts to boost viewership. (Variety)
For the first time in history, animated films occupy five of the top ten spots at the domestic box office, showcasing significant and diverse contributions from multiple studios. (Animation Magazine)
Streaming platform Free Live Sports has launched with a selection of 100+ live FAST sports channels. (Variety)
On October 29th, Olivia Rodrigo's new concert film "Olivia Rodrigo: Guts World Tour" will debut on Netflix. (Pitchfork)

Apple has announced an expansion of its Business Connect tools, enabling businesses to enhance their visibility across Apple platforms, including Mail, Tap to Pay, and the Phone app. (TechCrunch)
Google has revamped its Shopping platform with new AI-driven features, including a personalized feed, virtual try-on, and AI-generated product recommendations, to enhance the e-commerce experience. (Marketing Dive)
Google's NotebookLM lets users ask their AI podcast ‘hosts’ to talk about a specific topic or tailor their discussion to a certain audience. (The Verge)
Adobe teased AI tools that build 3D scenes, animate text, and make distractions disappear. (The Verge)

“Dirty Dancing: The Musical” will launch in late 2025 with aspirations for Broadway as well as a North American run. (Variety)
Universal Orlando Resort’s fourth theme park, Universal Epic Universe, will officially open on May 22, 2025. (Variety)
Major League Soccer has broken its previous attendance record, attracting over 11M fans to stadiums across the US this season. (Pulse Sports)

Google's is seeing significant MoM growth across travel-related search terms, maintaining dominance through products like Google Flights and Google Hotels. (Search Engine Journal)
Top trends from the 2024 Lodging Conference revealed rising hotel investment and trends towards experiential and extended stays, although labor and technology challenges persist. (Hotel Dive)
ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode may transform travel bookings, simplifying transactions and challenging traditional OTAs, though several operational challenges persist. (Platform Aeronaut)
Uber Eats has introduced a new feature called 'Lists', allowing users to share their favourite restaurant lists within the app, marking a step into user-generated content. (Restaurant Business Online)

The rise of mobile VR and AR technologies is reshaping the gaming landscape, with mobile gaming leading as the most preferred platform and AR enhancing user engagement.globally (Kantar)
Azra Games secured $42.7M in Series A funding to develop "Project Legends," a mobile RPG aimed at Western audiences with a 70's fantasy aesthetic. (PocketGamer.biz)
Disney announced "Disney Tron: Catalyst," a new PC and console video game set to launch in 2025, described as a story-driven, isometric action game continuing the "Tron" universe narrative. (Variety)
Sony Pictures is set to release "Until Dawn," a feature adaptation of the video game, in theatres on April 25, 2025. (The Hollywood Reporter)