Karol Severin

Karol is a co-founder and Research Director at MIDiA. With over a decade of experience in consumer research, industry analysis, and consulting, Karol oversees the direction, coverage and quality of all MIDiA’s research output. Prior to co-founding MIDiA, Karol gained experience in TMT market research and consulting, as well as an entertainment industry startup founder. He holds a business management degree from Queen Mary, University of London, with specialisation in strategy, quantitative methods, and entrepreneurship.

Meitu Is Going Public, But Can It Monetize?

Karol Severin

7 Dec 2016

Meitu, the smartphone manufacturer, digital beauty, photo and video apps company, is undertaking initial public offering (IPO) on the 15th of December, looking to raise $750 million at a $5.2 billion valuation.

min read

Facebook Messenger User Profile
Streaming Savvy Mainstream Messaging App Users

Karol Severin

December 2016

Facebook messenger

Mobile messaging

Messaging apps

Facebook Messenger has caught up with WhatsApp, boasting more than 1 billion Monthly Active Users (MAUs). Along with WhatsApp and Instagram, Messenger is part of Facebook’s bet on the future of audiences as they migrate away from social networks. Facebook’s messaging apps are the company’s gateway to owning as much as possible of consumers’ mobile life.

Could Facebook Spell Trouble For Snapchat’s IPO?

Karol Severin

2 Dec 2016

messaging platforms

Snapchat is gearing up for its IPO which, if successful, could provide enough capital to finalize the company’s pivot from a trendy social messaging app into a full-fledged mobile platform. With new capital Snapchat will be able to compete much more effectively with Facebook.

min read

MIDiA Research Predictions 2017
The Year Of The Platform

Cover image for MIDiA Research Predictions 2017

Karol Severin, Mark Mulligan, Tim Mulligan and Zach Fuller

November 2016

Streaming

Streaming Music

Paid Content

As we correctly predicted, 2016 was the year video ate the world. 2017 is going to be shaped by the battle for consumer attention through formatting and distribution wars. VR is likely to cede further ground to AR, bots will become established, while messaging apps add to their dominant position (even though user growth will slow).

Next Generation Apps
The Rise Of Mobile Life Ecosystems

Cover image for Next Generation Apps

Karol Severin

November 2016

app economy

next generation apps

mobile life ecosystems

The world of mobile is undergoing a seismic shift. It used to be that the smartphone platform world was largely understood in terms of a couple of big operating systems (iOS and Android) and their respective app stores. But now a succession of apps have emerged as platforms that exist both within and across OS boundaries.

Quick Take: Are Telcos Shooting Themselves In A Foot With Google’s RCS?

Karol Severin

28 Nov 2016

Mobile messaging

Google has partnered up with 58 telcos via GSMA to deploy a standardized revamp to SMS in form of Rich Communication System (RCS). The upgraded system will give telcos a shot at competing with mobile messaging platforms on Android, which are miles ahead in terms of the features, which they offer.

min read

Why Integrating Siri Into iMessage Matters For Apple

Karol Severin

18 Nov 2016

In June,I wrote about Apple finally making leaps towards revamping iMessage in a bid to turn it into a fully-fledged messaging platform able to compete with the leaders like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp (in terms of the iOS user segment).

min read

Should The European Commission Penalize Google?

Karol Severin

11 Nov 2016

In April 2016, The European commission accused Google of abusing the market leadership of Android to prevent rivals from competing with alternative software and services. Google is now dismissing the claims .

min read

Why Facebook’s Outlook Remains Strong Despite A Worried Wall Street

Karol Severin

4 Nov 2016

Media and Marketing

Facebook released its Q3 2016 results. Though the company beat analysts’ revenue estimates, it suggested a coming slowdown in ad revenues as it is nearing maximum ad load in its current shape. For a growth story obsessed Wall Street, this meant wiping 7% off the company’s value overnight.

min read

Are You Acquiring App Users At A Loss?

Karol Severin

24 Oct 2016

Media and Marketing

It is no secret that reliable metrics are crucial for successful mobile growth, but even more important is knowing which ones to use when and how to use them. Technology is changing so fast that it is hard to keep up with which metrics you should be using.

min read

Adblocker User Deep Dive
High Value Users that Cannot Be Ignored

Cover image for Adblocker User Deep Dive

Karol Severin

October 2016

adblocking

mobile advertising

adblockers

Adblocking is arguably the single biggest disruptive threat digital media businesses have faced. But it is the users of adblockers and their motivations rather than the technology itself that matter most. Adblocker users comprise a segment that advertisers are no longer reaching online and on mobile.

Could Limited Ad Tracking Make Apple The Largest ‘Adblocker’?

Karol Severin

17 Oct 2016

You may have noticed the setting on your iPhones and iPads called ‘Limit Ad Tracking’ – LAT (Setting->Privacy->Advertising->Limit Ad Tracking), or if you are most people, you may not have.

min read

Pokémon Go User Deep Dive
Life After The Hype

Cover image for Pokémon Go User Deep Dive

Karol Severin

September 2016

pokemon go

pokemon

niantic

With over 100 million downloads and 20 million daily active users, Pokémon Go has taken the digital world by storm. Although the initial hype is inevitably becoming grounded by reality, Pokémon Go is still performing strongly. Although niche by overall digital measures, the Pokémon Go player user base has a sizeable foothold, and behavioural traits that make it a compelling addressable audience for digital content providers.

From Adblocker To Ad Exchange: Eyeo Embeds Itself Into The Digital Advertising Value Chain

Karol Severin

21 Sep 2016

adblock plus ad exchange

Last week a major strategic puzzle piece fell into place on an adblocker’s journey to become a commercial part of the digital advertising industry’s value chain. Eyeo, the company behind Adblock Plus announced that it is launching an ad exchange.

min read

Quick Take: Google’s ‘In Apps’ Surface Content Stored In Apps On Android Phones

Karol Severin

1 Sep 2016

Amidst the transformation from siloed mobile experiences to more integrated and fluid mobile ecosystems, Google is rightly concentrating on what it knows best – search. After starting to surface apps on Google Search, and letting users ‘stream’ certain apps without the need to install them, the company now added a new mobile search mode called In Apps to Android phones.

min read

Shine Adds Econet To Its Network-Level Adblocking Client Roster

Karol Severin

25 Aug 2016

On Thursday last week, Shine, the company behind offering adblocking solutions to mobile operators, announced a new mobile operator partnership. Econet is a telecommunications group mainly active in Africa, but with existing operations and investments in other continents, such as Asia, North and South America as well as Europe.

min read

Candy Crush, Clash Of Clans And The Future Of Mobile Games
From Silos To Ecosystems

Cover image for Candy Crush, Clash Of Clans And The Future Of Mobile Games

Karol Severin

August 2016

mobile games

clash of clans

freemium games

Though mobile games differ largely by genre, demographics and business models, most share the status of social connector and cultural identifier. Much like music companies, mobile gaming companies often struggle with conversion to payment as well as a regular production of hits to retain momentum in the long term.

Quick Take: Why Mr. Robot App Is an Exciting Case To Watch

Karol Severin

19 Aug 2016

Mobile messaging

Mr. Robot is a cyber-security psychological thriller of NBCUniversal, popular with the tech-crowd. The company has partnered up with Telltale Games and Night School Studio and created a mobile game as a spin-off.

min read

How Facebook Is Trying To Defend Against Adblocking

Karol Severin

10 Aug 2016

adblocking defense tactics

desktop adblocking

Yesterday, Facebook announced changes to its ad control tools for users along with the intention to start serving ads to adblocking users on desktop. Bypassing adblockers is a bid to mitigate the resulting revenue leakage.

min read

Why Disney Is Going Into Mobile Messaging

Karol Severin

5 Aug 2016

Disney announced a launch of Disney Mix, a messaging platform aimed at kids, tweens and their families. This is an important case to watch because it shows that: In a seemingly crowded space, there is still room for niche media platforms to integrate messaging functionalities and benefit from a reinforcement of community and engagement.

min read

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