Latest news with #DSPs
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Amazon Ends Speedy Delivery by Kia Soul in Favor of Gig Workers
(Bloomberg) -- Inc. is ending an experiment that saw drivers in Kia Souls make same-day deliveries and will rely on its network of gig-economy workers instead. Security Concerns Hit Some of the World's 'Most Livable Cities' One Architect's Quest to Save Mumbai's Heritage From Disappearing JFK AirTrain Cuts Fares 50% This Summer to Lure Riders Off Roads NYC Congestion Toll Cuts Manhattan Gridlock by 25%, RPA Reports Taser-Maker Axon Triggers a NIMBY Backlash in its Hometown In the test, Amazon contract delivery firms in several US states deployed drivers for four- or five-hours shifts in the boxy little Kia Corp. hatchbacks. The trial, which began to roll out in 2023, gave the world's largest online retailer more control over deliveries. If widely deployed, it also could have reduced the company's reliance on Amazon Flex drivers, who use their own cars to ferry orders to customers' homes. Those gig workers will now pick up the affected routes. Owners of the participating Delivery Service Partners, as Amazon calls its contract delivery firms, were recently notified that the quick-delivery program will be winding down over the next few months, the company confirmed. 'After more than a year of gathering feedback from customers, DSPs, and teams at Same-Day Delivery facilities, we've determined that the DSP model isn't currently the right fit for Same-Day Delivery and we'll be moving away from it,' Amazon spokesperson Steve Kelly said in an emailed statement. 'We appreciate the contributions from participating DSPs and their teams, and we'll provide support throughout this transition.' Amazon tested the concept in Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Ohio, Texas and Washington. Kelly said the affected DSPs can operate other Amazon routes and that the company will help drivers get jobs with other firms, if necessary. The program's vehicles were rentals and will be returned to the vendor, he said. Amazon, which started out relying exclusively on the US Postal Service and other carriers to get goods to customers, in the last decade built a sprawling logistics operation centered around small businesses. These DSPs lease blue Amazon Prime-branded vans and employ the drivers, who might deliver 200 or more packages a day. Flex drivers opt in via a smartphone app and typically deliver packages from Amazon's same-day delivery depots. Both programs have been criticized by workers' advocates who contend that the drivers, operating at Amazon's direction, should be classified as company employees. Luxury Counterfeiters Keep Outsmarting the Makers of $10,000 Handbags Ken Griffin on Trump, Harvard and Why Novice Investors Won't Beat the Pros Is Mark Cuban the Loudmouth Billionaire that Democrats Need for 2028? The US Has More Copper Than China But No Way to Refine All of It Can 'MAMUWT' Be to Musk What 'TACO' Is to Trump? ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Broadcast Pro
3 days ago
- Business
- Broadcast Pro
Tuned Global expands Social Radio with real-time tipping
The latest feature mints superfans and empowers artists, all while saving music streaming services years of development work and delivering deeper, more insightful user data. Tuned Global has unveiled a major upgrade to its Social Radio platform with the introduction of real-time tipping, enabling fans to financially support artists, DJs, and creators during live streams. This new monetisation feature adds to Social Radio's interactive capabilities, allowing DSPs (digital streaming platforms) to integrate dynamic fan experiences while saving extensive development time and costs. Drawing inspiration from platforms like Twitch and TikTok, Tuned Global's latest innovation responds to growing industry demand for more immersive and participatory music streaming. The Social Radio platform transforms traditional audio streams into live, fan-driven broadcasts. Listeners can join virtual rooms where hosts curate music, interact with fans, and now receive direct tips. With tipping rolling out in Q3 2025, fans will be able to reward their favourite streamers in real time, further strengthening the artist-fan connection. The SDK also supports features like live voice overlays, AI-assisted transitions via AutomixIQ, and instant audience interaction. This update arrives at a time when DSPs are under increasing pressure to deliver social-first experiences that move beyond static listening. As Spotify's CEO recently highlighted, fostering meaningful artist-fan connections is becoming essential for platforms looking to stay competitive. Tuned Global's Social Radio offers a turnkey solution to meet this demand, blending monetisation, emotional engagement, and nuanced fan data into one powerful tool. Con Raso, Tuned Global's Managing Director, explained: 'Social Radio turns static streams into the interactive experiences listeners now expect. Fans don't just want to listen; they want to participate, support, and belong. Social Radio turns a traditional streaming experience into something social, expressive, and monetisable. The platforms that move first will define the standard for what streaming looks like in the fan-driven era.' At the core of Social Radio's evolution is Tuned Global's 2023 acquisition of AI music tech company Pacemaker. Its patented technologies, including the Recipe format and advanced backend infrastructure, now power the interactive features of Social Radio. Jonas Norberg, Tuned Global's Head of AI and founder of Pacemaker, added: 'Pacemaker's patented Recipe format, proprietary backend, and advanced AI-driven mobile creation tool—with over 20 man-years of dedicated development—offer a market-proven solution that will save DSPs years of development time, significantly accelerating their entry into interactive audio experiences.' Social Radio's unique data capabilities also offer streaming platforms a fresh way to understand user behaviour. Beyond measuring what was played, the platform captures emotional reactions, social sharing, and real-time engagement—insights that can enhance recommendation engines and help platforms foster deeper loyalty. With strong global interest already emerging, particularly from regions where fan culture is deeply ingrained like Asia, Tuned Global is positioning Social Radio as the essential social layer for DSPs aiming to turn casual listeners into committed superfans. Upcoming updates include show replays, creator tools, and user follow options, further expanding the toolkit for platforms ready to embrace the next generation of music streaming.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
95% of Indian IT leaders say data streaming simplifies AI adoption: Confluent report
- 96% of Indian IT leaders to boost data streaming investments in 2025 - 90% cite DSPs as key to AI innovation, faster product launches, and better customer experience. - 5x ROI, real-time decision-making, and AI scalability driving India's data streaming adoption in 2025. Confluent, Inc ., the data streaming pioneer, today released findings from its fourth annual Data Streaming Report , which surveyed 4,175 IT leaders across 12 countries, including 650 respondents from results reiterate that data streaming platforms (DSPs) are no longer a nice-to-have. For Indian businesses looking to scale AI meaningfully, it's become a core enabler. A majority of IT leaders (95%) see DSPs easing AI adoption by tackling data access, quality, and governance challenges head-on. And that explains why 96% plan to increase investments in DSPs in 2025. 'Whether it's product recommendations, service interactions, or support queries, customers today expect responses that are tailored, impactful, and real-time. And they expect the same from AI. For businesses, meeting these expectations requires infrastructure that can keep up. AI is only as good as the data it's built on. Without continuous, trustworthy, real-time data flowing through the organization, AI can't deliver on its promise. That's where data streaming becomes essential, not just for enabling AI, but for staying competitive in a market driven by speed and precision', said Rubal Sahni, Area Vice President, India and Emerging Market at Confluent. Key Takeaways From the 2025 Data Streaming Report Driving force behind AI breakthroughs: 91% say DSPs will be used more to feed AI systems with real-time, contextual, and trustworthy for business strategy: 94% rank data streaming as an important strategic priority. High-impact investment: 86% report 2-5x return on investment (ROI) for data streaming, compared to 80% in 2024.'Shift left' gains momentum: 81% of IT leaders reduced costs and risks across development and operations by adopting a shift-left approach to data processing and governance. 'The pace of execution in India is striking. Teams are going beyond experimentation and solving real business problems with streaming data. Enterprises aren't treating data streaming as just another tool, it's now a strategic muscle helping them act faster, build better, and stay responsive in a fast-changing market.' added Rubal. Unlocking Deeper Value Indian organizations are experiencing tangible benefits in terms of time-to-market, with 89% of respondents noting that DSPs enable them to deploy innovations faster and more efficiently. This increased speed directly contributes to the quality of their implementations, as 95% are seeing enhanced product and service innovation. Furthermore, the impact of DSPs extends to customer experiences, with 86% of organizations reporting improved customer satisfaction. Looking beyond these direct impacts, the adoption of a "shift left" approach to data processing underscores a fundamental prioritization of safety and governance. This early emphasis on governance and data quality leads to reduced processing costs for analytical workloads, where 90% report significant benefits, and for operational workloads, with 93% experiencing similar substantial gains. By embedding quality and governance at the beginning of the data lifecycle, organizations are ensuring the reliability of their systems and, consequently, achieving a reduction in overall business costs and risks, a benefit reported by 85%. Dive into the Data Download the 2025 Data Streaming Report here . The report was based on a survey designed by Freeform Dynamics and conducted by Radma Research. Responses from 4,175 IT leaders were collected across Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Qualifying respondents are familiar with data streaming and work at companies with 500 or more employees.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Certain Aussies the ATO is targeting this tax time: 'Don't think they won't notice'
The ATO has listed capital gains tax as a particular focus area that it will be examining this year when it reviews people's tax returns. ATO data indicates that many taxpayers are either not recording taxable disposals or under-declaring the proceeds from sales. This is backed up by a wide variety of third-party data, most recently loan information received from mortgage lenders and information on cryptocurrency ownership received from Australian designated service providers (DSPs). This information is used to identify the buyers and sellers of assets and quantify the related transactions. It isn't just property and cryptocurrency that the ATO has in its sights. Also included are share sales and managed investment transactions. RELATED ATO data reveals $830 tax deductions millions of Aussies miss out on: 'Nothing' $4,400 ATO car tax deduction that most Aussies miss: 'Easy win' Centrelink payment change happening next week: 'Will increase' As a reminder, CGT comes into effect when you dispose of assets. It is calculated based on the difference between the amount you paid for the asset and the amount you disposed of it for. Any profit is subject to CGT, which can potentially be discounted by 50 per cent if you hold the asset for more than 12 months. Your capital gain is worked out like this: Deduct the cost base from the sale proceeds. The cost base is the price you paid for the cryptocurrency plus incidental costs. Next, take away any capital losses you have. Then discount the gain. Individuals are entitled to a 50 per cent discount. The asset must have been held for 12 months or more for the discount to be available. The resulting figure is your net capital gain. This is subject to tax at your marginal rate. To ensure you are meeting your obligations and paying the right amount of tax, you need to calculate a capital gain or capital loss for each asset you dispose of unless an exemption applies. The main CGT exemption is in relation to your main residence. However, if you have used your home to produce income, such as renting out all or part of it through the sharing economy, for example Airbnb or Stayz, or running a business from home, you could still find that CGT applies to the part of the property that was used to earn income. It is vitally important that you keep records of the income-producing period and the portion of the property used to produce income to calculate your capital gain. Another exemption could apply in relation to any business assets that you have sold. The small business CGT concessions are available to reduce or, in some cases, totally eliminate capital gains arising where small businesspeople dispose of their business or part of it. There are four CGT concessions that may apply on the disposal of a small business: The 15-year exemption The 50 per cent reduction The retirement exemption Roll-over of the gain Broadly speaking, the concessions are available provided you run a small business (which for these purposes is one with a turnover of less than $2 million) and the assets being sold are active assets, which basically refers to assets which are used in a business. Shares in a private company can also be active assets if the underlying business of the company is trading in nature, rather than investment-driven. It's worth mentioning, in addition, the general 50 per cent discount which is available against most capital gains arising on the sale of assets, including shares, property and business assets. You will be eligible for this discount – in effect halving the rate of tax – if you have owned the asset for more than 12 months. The main features of the discount are as follows: The discount is available to individuals, trusts, partnerships and complying superannuation funds but not to companies. The rate of the discount is 50 per cent for individuals, trusts and partnerships and 33 1/3rd% for superannuation funds So, don't fall into the trap of thinking the ATO won't notice if you sell an asset for a gain and don't declare it. However, do be aware of the various concessions and exemptions which can reduce your gain. It's always worth talking to a tax agent if you think you are liable to capital gains tax. They will make sure your tax return is correct, complete and that all transactions have been properly disclosed. They will also make sure that you claim any discounts, concessions or exemption available to while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data
Business Journals
02-06-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
The last-mile entrepreneur: How a Bay Area business owner turned Amazon deliveries into success
In August 2020, a customer came into Ronald Dubon's mechanic shop and asked him to repair an Amazon delivery truck. After completing the job, the customer mentioned that he had many more trucks needing service if Dubon could handle them. 'My eyes went big,' Dubon remembers. 'I thought I was coming up on an Amazon contract to fix vehicles.' But soon, Dubon discovered a different opportunity. The customer explained that Amazon doesn't operate the ubiquitous vans that take packages from its warehouses and deliver them to customers' homes. Instead, it contracts with more than 4,400 independent logistics companies to handle last-mile delivery. Dubon, who owned a delivery company of his own, was intrigued. He completed an online application for Amazon's Delivery Service Partner program the next day. He moved quickly through Amazon's interview process and, by October, was taking delivery of a fleet of 20 vehicles to launch his business. 'My life changed in that moment,' he said. expand Inside Amazon's DSP program Turning his Inner City Logistics business into an Amazon DSP was relatively simple, Dubon said. Amazon negotiates with vendors that supply most of the equipment DSPs need to purchase for their businesses, such as Amazon-branded vans, uniforms and handheld devices. The company also offers access to various optional business services, such as insurance, accounting and payroll software. Amazon's commitment to its DSPs is growing, too. In September 2024, the company announced it plans to incrementally invest more than $2.1 billion in the DSP program. It plans to spend the money on safety programs, rate cards, training, value-added services, incentives and other areas to support the businesses that handle its last-mile deliveries. 'I was awarded contracts with other logistics companies in the past, but it was like, 'Do you want a contract? Do you have a truck? OK, bring the truck and start running loads the next day,' Dubon said. 'The vetting process with Amazon is just a different world. When I started seeing all of these things and the level of the structure, I knew I was onto something that was going to be the future.' Today, Inner City Logistics ranks among Amazon's top-performing DSPs. Dubon's team of more than 100 employees operates 38 Amazon routes across San Francisco, Milpitas, San Jose and Fremont, scaling to as many as 100 routes during peak periods. Discovering the recipe for business success Amazon's training, structure and support to its DSPs has benefitted Dubon's other entrepreneurial efforts, including L'Roco Grill, a Salvadoran restaurant in San Jose. Dubon's wife, Lady Ruiz, runs the restaurant and handles backend responsibilities for Inner City Logistics. 'I used to operate businesses with a fear that came from not knowing if what we were doing was right or wrong because we didn't have that guidance,' he said. 'We learned a lot about how to run a good business. It's been a big change.' Amazon's training also underscored the importance of intentionally building your company culture to serve two types of customers: external customers who purchase goods and services and internal customers who work for your business, Dubon said. 'That concept alone makes a huge difference on how you walk into your building and how you treat people,' he said. 'Not only the people who come in to spend money at your business but also your employees because, ultimately, they are your clients. You need to make them both happy.' Elevating entrepreneurship Dubon's passion for entrepreneurship and professional development extends beyond his businesses. He's helped one employee go on to open his own DSP business, and two more are on their way to doing the same. Dubon has become a champion for Road to Ownership, an accelerated training program Amazon offers to help high-performing DSP employees become DSP owners. The 16-week program includes classroom-style training and mentorship by a successful DSP owner. People who graduate from Road to Ownership receive a $30,000 grant to help them launch their businesses. 'I pride myself on developing the best people and taking them up to the next level,' Dubon said. 'We've done that in the restaurant business, too, my wife and I. This is what I love doing.' The first person Dubon mentored through the Road to Ownership program was Jose Mejia, who started working for Inner City Logistics as a helper supporting the company's drivers. He moved up through the company quickly, serving as a driver, then a trainer, dispatcher and operations manager. 'This is probably the guy with the best work ethic that I've ever met,' Dubon said. 'He is an extremely amazing guy, and I thought he deserved an opportunity for something even better.' Mejia has continued his professional growth. He received a Rising Star award from Amazon for having the best DSP launch in 2023. Today, he has close to 100 employees in the Sacramento region. It is a success story Dubon said he hopes to help repeat by supporting more entrepreneurs. 'I have a motto in my company,' Dubon said. 'I want you to come to my company as a driver, but if you leave, I want you to leave as a business owner.'
