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Google Play has revealed its annual Best of 2024 awards for India, celebrating the apps and games that defined the year. With five of the seven top apps developed by Indian creators, the awards underscore India’s rising prominence in the global tech ecosystem. Mobile gaming also continues to boom, as the country solidifies its position as the second-largest market for gaming downloads worldwide. In a blog post announcing the winners, Google also shed light on how India is the world's second largest market in terms of mobile gaming downloads. "On the gaming front, the Indian gaming scene continues to thrive, with India adding 23 million new gamers in FY24, reaching a total of 590 million. In fact, India now boasts the world's second-largest market for mobile gaming downloads, with average weekly playtime increasing by 30%." Leading Apps: India at the Forefront of AI Innovation The blog post revealed that this year’s top apps showcased India’s innovative spirit, particularly in harnessing AI to meet user needs. Alle - Your AI Fashion Stylist, developed by Hey Alle, emerged as the year’s Best App and also won the Best for Fun award. Leveraging AI, Alle provides personalised fashion advice tailored to users’ occasions, body types, and preferences, reflecting the growing trend of AI-powered app experiences in India. Prateek Agarwal, Co-Founder &amp; CEO, Alle, said in a statement, “We noticed that the recent developments in Gen AI, combined with evolving consumer preferences for visual inspirational content, will create a massive opportunity to reimagine &amp; rebuild how people discover and shop for fashion. This realization led us to start Alle...As a new startup, Google Play has been crucial in helping us reach our early users organically. The platform's detailed analytics and crash reporting have been invaluable - they've helped us quickly identify and fix issues, improving our app stability.” Other app winners included: • Headlyne: Daily News with AI (Best for Personal Growth), offering curated news tailored to individual preferences. • Sony LIV: Sports &amp; Entertainment (Best for Large Screens), delivering immersive content on tablets and other big-screen devices. • WhatsApp Messenger (Best Multi-device App), enabling seamless communication across devices. • Fold: Expense Tracker (Best Everyday Essential) and Rise: Habit List (Best Hidden Gem) also captured user interest with practical and engaging features. The blog post added that India’s dominance in the AI app space is significant, accounting for 21% of global AI mobile app downloads this year, with nearly 1,000 Indian apps and games incorporating AI. Games that thrilled millions India’s gaming industry continued its upward trajectory, adding 23 million gamers this year, taking the total to 590 million. With gaming preferences increasingly reflecting local culture, many award-winning titles integrated Indian storylines and visuals. Squad Busters, a fast-paced multiplayer game, won Best Game for its simple yet engaging design. Meanwhile, Indus Battle Royale Mobile by SuperGaming earned the Best Made in India title for the second year running. Roby John, Co-Founder and CEO of SuperGaming, said in a statement, "We are committed to making Indus a standout Battle Royale experience. Our team has spent over three years thoughtfully crafting its characters, environments, and gameplay features to represent Indian Art and Culture authentically. The community's enthusiasm validates our vision of Indian games thriving globally. Winning this award is an incredible honor, not just as a milestone but also a motivation to keep striving for excellence. Google Play’s expertise and responsiveness have empowered us to deliver world-class gaming, pushing the boundaries of Indian gaming. We’re more committed than ever to raising the bar and making Indian gaming shine on the global stage.” Other top games included: • BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India) (Best Ongoing), for its India-centric updates featuring cricket, festivals, and celebrity collaborations. • Bloom – A Puzzle Adventure (Best Indie), for its unique mechanics and creativity. • Clash of Clans (Best Multi-device Game) and Yes, Your Grace (Best Story) also stood out for their engaging gameplay.

Google Play announces best apps and games of 2024 in India: All you need to know

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Starbucks wants to curb chaotic and complex mobile orders.</li><li>CEO Brian Niccol announced that "common sense" guardrails will soon be put on app customizations.</li></ul>Starbucks will soon start to crack down on excessive customizations made in its app as the company aims to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-online-orders-might-stand-in-way-new-ceo-plans-2024-10">improve its mobile ordering </a>and in-store experience.CEO Brian Niccol said the coffee chain will implement "common sense guardrails" on app orders in the coming months as part of the company's effort to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-workers-requested-store-changes-new-ceo-2024-10">separate the pick-up process from in-store orders.</a>The former Chipotle head made the announcement during a "disappointing" <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-ceo-to-lay-out-strategy-to-fix-coffee-chain-2024-10">third-quarter earnings call</a> on Wednesday. Niccol joined Starbucks in September and has been tasked with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-new-ceo-looking-to-baristas-as-part-of-turnaround-2024-10">overhauling the struggling chain</a>.The company's app currently offers "all kinds of customization" on food and drinks, Niccol said, which complicates the ordering process for customers and incentivizes them to create drinks that are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-worker-long-wait-times-down-to-staffing-mobile-orders-2024-8">complex for baristas to execute.</a>"I also think we have some pricing architecture tied to guardrails to ensure that we end up with no surprises for, frankly, anybody, on what the price is of what they just built," he added.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-new-system-to-make-slow-ordering-better-isnt-solution-2024-9">Mobile orders</a> make up more than 30% of transactions at Starbucks stores, he said. But longer-than-expected wait times and crowded cafés have soured some customers on the Starbucks experience, Niccol added.Niccol said the company is also prioritizing a new sequencing algorithm that enables accurate pickup times for mobile orders to avoid overwhelming the cafés.

Starbucks will add 'guardrails' to app in effort to streamline mobile ordering

New Delhi: 78 per cent of consumers now prefer to do most of their banking digitally through <keyword id="19915384" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mobile-apps" source="keywords">mobile apps</keyword> or websites, according to the Alkami report. This shift is part of a broader trend towards <keyword id="21227659" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cashless-transactions" source="keywords">cashless transactions</keyword> and <keyword id="21012835" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="contactless-payments" source="keywords">contactless payments</keyword>, which have become the default for many, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the report, nearly 80 per cent of financial institutions have seen an increase in cashless transactions over the past two years. This change has been accelerated by the pandemic, with many consumers opting for digital payments to avoid handling cash. About 60 per cent of these institutions noted that the volume of cashless transactions has surged by more than 20 per cent. Cashless payments aren't a new concept--personal checks and credit cards have been around for decades. However, today's digital payments, whether made through a smartphone, laptop, or tablet, are quickly becoming the standard. The convenience and safety of these transactions, especially in a post-pandemic world, have made them more popular than ever. Allison Cerra, Chief Marketing Officer at Alkami Technology, said, "The banking leaders of the future will be those that can harness data for the best use, gain a holistic view of their relationships, and meet the rapidly changing needs of digital consumers." With more people turning to <keyword id="20028215" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-banking" source="keywords">digital banking</keyword>, there's been a noticeable decline in the use of ATMs and checks. Chad Rogers, Executive Vice President at Connexus Credit Union, noted that even millennials are moving away from traditional banking methods. "What we're seeing, even with our millennial users, is that they're no longer ordering checks, or making cash withdrawals from our ATMs as we would expect. Instead, they are self-serving from home or wherever they are. They're moving money through our digital banking platform," he said. Interestingly, even though fewer people are visiting bank branches in person, their overall engagement with banks has increased. Thanks to the ease of mobile and <keyword id="19998466" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="online-banking" source="keywords">online banking</keyword>, customers are now interacting with their banks more frequently, often on a daily basis. While cashless transactions are on the rise, the adoption of cryptocurrency is growing more slowly. Around 21 per cent of financial institutions reported that their customers are asking for Bitcoin products and services. Although this is still a relatively small percentage, 35 per cent of banks believe that offering cryptocurrency options could give them a competitive edge. Banks are also feeling the heat from fintech companies like PayPal, Stripe, and Venmo. Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, has called these fintechs "enormous competitive threats" to traditional banking. The popularity of fintechs has only increased during the pandemic, with many consumers turning to these platforms for their financial needs. Despite the competition, some banks are partnering with fintechs to stay relevant. According to the report, 50 per cent of banks and 40 per cent of credit unions have teamed up with fintech companies in the past three years to enhance their digital offerings. Looking ahead, many experts believe that the future of banking will revolve around personalised experiences. However, only about a quarter of financial institutions are currently using hyperpersonalization to gain a competitive advantage. There's a growing opportunity for banks to leverage personalised recommendations and offers to better serve their customers. Data is also playing a crucial role in this digital transformation. Most banks are now using data analysis to improve customer experiences, guide decision-making, and reduce development time and costs. By unlocking the potential of customer data, banks can better anticipate their clients' needs and offer tailored solutions. Allison Cerra Chief Marketing Officer at Alkami Technology, said, "We are now at a place where technology has democratised financial advice and counsel. It is no longer just the privileged upper class who can afford to get financially fit and prepare for the future."

78 pc of consumers choose digital banking over cash transactions

A <keyword id="19925751" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mobile-app" source="keywords">mobile app</keyword> could help predict if a pregnant woman will develop depression in the latter stages of pregnancy, according to new <keyword id="19913261" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="research" source="keywords">research</keyword>. By asking women to respond to surveys during their first trimester, researchers identified various risk factors, including <keyword id="20015710" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sleep-quality" source="keywords">sleep quality</keyword> and <keyword id="20406931" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="food-insecurity" source="keywords">food insecurity</keyword>, for developing depression. "We can ask people a small set of questions and get a good sense of whether they'll become depressed," said lead author Tamar Krishnamurti, an associate professor of general internal medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, US. "Strikingly, a lot of risk factors for future depression are things that are modifiable -- such as sleep quality, concerns about labour and delivery and, importantly, access to food -- meaning that we can and should do something about them," said Krishnamurti. Identifying women vulnerable to developing depression in the earlier stages of pregnancy could help tailor preventive care and offer support to address underlying causes, the researchers said. For the study, the researchers analysed the survey responses of 944 <keyword id="19905236" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pregnant-women" source="keywords">pregnant women</keyword> who used the app as part of a larger study and did not have a history of depression. In their first trimester of pregnancy, the women responded to questions about demographics and their medical history, along with those on stress and feelings of sadness. Some of the 944 women also responded to optional questions on social factors related to their health, such as food insecurity. All women were screened for depression once every trimester. The researchers developed six machine-learning models using all the data. The best one was found to be 89 per cent accurate in predicting depression in a pregnant woman. A machine learning algorithm is a form of artificial intelligence that learns from past data to make predictions. The accuracy of the model rose to 93 per cent when the researchers included the responses to optional questions on health-related social factors. They found that food insecurity, or access to food, emerged as an important risk factor for pregnant women to develop depression in the latter stages of pregnancy. The researchers are now developing methods to integrate these survey questions into clinical settings and identifying how clinicians could have these conversations with patients about the risk of depression. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/tata-altroz-racer-hatchback-launched-in-india-starting-at-9-49-lakh/articleshow/110798203.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/tata-altroz-racer-hatchback-launched-in-india-starting-at-9-49-lakh/articleshow/110798203.cms" target="_blank">Tata Altroz Racer hatchback launched in India starting at ₹9.49 lakh</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/webstories/nvidia-beats-apple-becomes-second-most-valuable-company-top-10-companies-by-market-cap/slidelist/110793951.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/webstories/nvidia-beats-apple-becomes-second-most-valuable-company-top-10-companies-by-market-cap/slidelist/110793951.cms" target="_blank">Nvidia beats Apple, becomes second most valuable company: Top 10 companies by market cap</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/indian-smartwatch-shipments-remain-flat-in-q1-2024-the-year-expected-to-end-in-a-decline/articleshow/110789121.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/indian-smartwatch-shipments-remain-flat-in-q1-2024-the-year-expected-to-end-in-a-decline/articleshow/110789121.cms" target="_blank">Indian smartwatch shipments remain flat in Q1 2024, annual shipments expected to end in a decline</a>

Mobile app may predict depression in pregnant women

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has some thoughts on the company's poor quarterly sales.</li><li>He said the chain needs to fix its app and focus on the customer experience.</li></ul>Howard Schultz says <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-menu-drink-order-why-coffee-2024-5">Starbucks</a> needs to fix its stores and mobile app to reverse its "fall from grace."The longtime former CEO wrote in a LinkedIn post on Sunday that the coffee chain should focus on improving its customer experience. This comes after Starbucks posted <a target="_blank" href=" https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-says-mornings-are-too-busy-leading-to-abandoned-orders-2024-4">disappointing quarterly results</a> last week."The company's fix needs to begin at home: US operations are the primary reason for the company's fall from grace," Schultz <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7193044402255110144/">wrote</a>. "The stores require a maniacal focus on the customer experience, through the eyes of a merchant. The answer does not lie in data, but in the stores."<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-howard-schultz-ceo-gen-z-2023-3">Schultz</a> had multiple stints leading Starbucks, where he was CEO for more than two decades.Though he wasn't a founder — he <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-howard-schultz-success-story-2017-12">bought the company from its previous owners</a> — Schultz shaped the company's growth and turned it into a global giant.He most recently returned as interim CEO for nearly a year after <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-ceo-kevin-johnson-retire-howard-schultz-interim-ceo-coffee-2022-3">Kevin Johnson retired</a> in April 2022."Senior leaders — including board members — need to spend more time with those who wear the green apron," Schultz wrote on LinkedIn in reference to Starbucks' baristas. He added that the chain needs to "overhaul" its strategy and reinforce its "premium position.""Through it all, focus on being experiential, not transactional," Schultz wrote. Starbucks has long positioned itself as a "third place" where people can spend time outside their home or workplace, although this model is increasingly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-embracing-drive-thrus-and-mobile-over-traditional-mode-2022-8">under threat</a> as the chain embraces drive-thru and delivery sales.Schultz said that one of leadership's first actions should be to "reinvent" its mobile app to make it an "uplifting experience" once again, without elaborating further. App orders made up 31% of all US transactions last quarter.CEO Laxman Narasimhan told investors last week that a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-says-mornings-are-too-busy-leading-to-abandoned-orders-2024-4">"mid-teens percent" of potential mobile orders weren't being completed</a>, with customers putting items into their carts but then not finalizing orders. Baristas have complained that the app can leave stores <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-mobile-ordering-app-barista-pandemic-coffee-customers-online-digital-2021-6">inundated with too many orders</a> and that customers have used it to order drinks with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-baristas-drinks-ingredients-orders-customization-stickers-coffee-2021-6">excessive modifications</a>.<h2>Recovery 'certain'</h2>Starbucks posted a 1.8% fall in quarterly net revenues to $8.56 billion, with fewer visits from what Narasimhan described as "occasional" customers.In North America, comparable sales fell 3%, driven by a 7% drop in the number of transactions. That's where almost half of Starbucks' stores are located, and the region accounts for almost three-quarters of its revenues.The decline was even worse in China, Starbucks' second-biggest market behind the US, where comparable sales plunged 11%. The number of orders was down 4%, with an 8% decline in ticket size. Total revenues in China fell 8% to $705.8 million.Sharon Zackfia, an analyst with William Blair, said in a note to clients that the chain had posted a "stunning across-the-board miss on all key metrics."The stock is down 22% this year, and by almost a third over the past 12 months, leaving Starbucks worth about $82 billion.It's not the first time Schultz has offered some advice to management. Earlier this year he said Starbucks should go on a soul-searching journey and reinvent itself in a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-founder-wants-it-to-do-some-soul-searching-2024-3">two-page letter posted on LinkedIn</a>.However, the chairman emeritus hasn't lost faith in the business."Starbucks will recover — of that, I am certain," Schultz wrote on Sunday. "I am confident the China business will return to health and become the company's largest market. The brand is incredibly resilient, but it's clearly not business as usual."Do you work at Starbucks? Got a story? Email this reporter at gdean@businessinsider.com

Howard Schultz tells Starbucks to fix its stores and mobile app to reverse 'fall from grace'  

<keyword id="6355315" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="elon-musk" source="Orion">Elon Musk</keyword>’s <keyword id="6396317" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="hyperloop" source="Orion">hyperloop</keyword> has been rubberbanding between revolutionary and a literal pipe dream since the SpaceX founder popularised the concept over a decade ago. However, many companies have diligently kept at it, with one recently hitting a major milestone. Let’s look at the breakthrough that marks an important step in developing this high-speed <keyword id="34991" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="transportation" source="Orion">transportation</keyword> system that could reshape future travel. <h2>But first, what is the hyperloop?</h2>The hyperloop is a proposed transportation system in which passenger pods would travel through vacuum-sealed tubes at extremely high speeds — estimated to run at over a 1000 kilometres an hour! Introducing the concept in 2012, Musk envisioned a transportation solution where pods would use magnetic levitation and air bearings to travel at remarkable speeds with minimal air resistance. The low-pressure environment within the tubes would make the system highly energy efficient while slashing travel times between major cities. Though Musk initiated the idea, his direct involvement in hyperloop development has been sporadic. Instead, he opened the technology to the world, encouraging companies and universities to take the idea forward. Over the years, various organisations have attempted to make the hyperloop a reality. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113196061" title="Elon Musk may be world&amp;#39;s first trillionaire by 2027, Adani to touch the mark by 2028, Ambani in 2033: Report" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>What happened in the new test?</h2>The latest breakthrough comes from a September 2024 test by <keyword id="23112501" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hardt-hyperloop" source="keywords">Hardt Hyperloop</keyword> in the Netherlands. In this test, the capsule was successfully levitated and propelled inside a 420-metre-long tube using magnetic fields and a depressurised environment. The vehicle reached a modest speed of about 30 kmph in this initial test over 100 metres, while the goal is to eventually achieve speeds of 700 kmph. "The most difficult things that we are doing now is to test all of these functions together. Levitation, propulsion, guidance, all of those functions we are now capable of executing as an orchestra, making them work together," explains Roel van de Pas, commercial director of Hardt Hyperloop. The company aims to implement passenger operations by 2030, though the technology still faces challenges like high infrastructure costs. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113178707" title="Not everyone is impressed by Elon Musk&amp;#39;s shiny new AI supercomputer" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>International hyperloop advances and India’s stance</h2><keyword id="1334" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="china" source="Orion">China</keyword> has also made strides in hyperloop technology. In 2023, China’s maglev hyperloop capsule reportedly reached speeds of 623 kilometres per hour in a controlled environment. With China’s rapid pace of technological development and infrastructure expansion, it has positioned itself as a strong competitor in the global race to perfect hyperloop technology. Several countries beyond China are also advancing hyperloop research. In the United States, the <keyword id="3356943" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hyperloop-one" source="Orion">Hyperloop One</keyword> conducted a manned test in 2020, reaching speeds of over 160 kmph. The pod even had two daring passengers — Virgin Hyperloop’s co-founder Josh Giegel and Head of Passenger Experience Sara Luchian. Unfortunately, the company has now shut down, despite being one of the most promising and well-funded hyperloop startups since the introduction of the concept. However, if you’re waiting for the futuristic tech to arrive in India, you’re going to have to wait quite a while longer. Expressing a cautious stance on hyperloop development, NITI Aayog member V. K. Saraswat explained that India is unlikely to see hyperloop trains anytime soon due to the high infrastructure costs and uncertain feasibility for mass transport applications. As per Saraswat, the tech is still at a “low level of maturity”. While the hyperloop has long been touted as a revolutionary transit system, its path to reality has been slow and uncertain. The technology still faces major obstacles, including high costs, regulatory hurdles, and the challenge of building extensive tube networks across countries. However, the recent successful tests, coupled with China’s progress, offer hope that this ambitious project might eventually come to fruition.

Remember Musk's hyperloop? A European company has just completed its first vehicle test for the next-gen mobility tech!

<keyword id="19956271" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ola-Electric-Mobility" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Ola Electric Mobility" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Ola Electric Mobility">Ola Electric Mobility</keyword> on Wednesday reported a higher consolidated loss of Rs 347 crore for the April-June quarter compared to the year-ago period. The company's losses in the April-June period of 2023 were Rs 267 crore, according to an exchange filing. Revenue from operations for the quarter under review was Rs 1,644 crore against Rs 1,243 crore in the same quarter of the previous fiscal, according to the filing. The Bengaluru-based firm said its total expenses during the first quarter grew to Rs 1,849 crore compared with Rs 1,461 crore in the June quarter of FY24. The company made its market debut earlier this month. The company in a statement said its automotive segment (E2W) posted a strong improvement in EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) margin and is close to EBITDA breakeven. The quarter witnessed the highest-ever deliveries of vehicles by the company at 1,25,198 units as against 70,575 units delivered in the same period last year, <keyword id="4393078" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ola-Electric" source="Orion">Ola Electric</keyword> Mobility said. The company also said it ramped up deliveries of its mass-market scooter portfolio (S1 X portfolio) during the quarter which helped accelerate the growth, adding that the existing product portfolio also saw strong demand which continued growth momentum throughout the quarter. According to Ola, the increasing scale of operations has benefited the company in the form of lower manufacturing costs and supply chain optimization. These benefits of scale are further amplified by the company's scalable platform-based product development and manufacturing technology that results in high degrees of commonality across its products, it said. The company also announced on Wednesday the integration of its cells in its vehicles by the first quarter of next fiscal. Ola said it will launch its electric motorcycle portfolio across mass and premium segments during its annual flagship event on August 15, 2024. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/google-pixel-9-pro-fold-launched-in-india-at-172999-but-you-cant-get-your-hands-on-it-right-now/articleshow/112517193.cms">Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold launched in India at ₹1,72,999, but you can’t get your hands on it right now</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/pixel-9-pixel-9-pro-and-pixel-9-pro-xl-launched-in-india-starting-at-79999/articleshow/112512198.cms">Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL launched in India starting at ₹79,999</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/ipo-scam-two-victims-from-hyderabad-lose-over-11crore-in-fake-ipo-scams/articleshow/112488051.cms">IPO scam – Two victims from Hyderabad lose over ₹11 crore in fake IPO scams</a>

Ola Electric Mobility losses widen to ₹347 crore in Apr-Jun quarter

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stopped-going-to-starbucks-what-i-learned-benefits-downsides-2024-6">Starbucks</a> customers often face long lines to get their drinks at the chain's cafés.</li><li>One Starbucks employee in North Carolina said the problem goes back to understaffing.</li></ul>At a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-menu-drink-order-why-coffee-2024-5">Starbucks cafe</a> in North Carolina, the biggest problem isn't getting complicated customer orders right. It's that there aren't enough employees to serve them.Aside from two hours in the morning, the store usually just has three people on duty, an employee who works at the location told Business Insider. He asked not to be named in this article, citing fear of retaliation from Starbucks, but BI has verified his identity and work for Starbucks.That's not nearly enough, given the volume of orders coming in throughout the day, the employee said. The store is located near major roads and shopping centers, he added, meaning that the Starbucks store's dining room is busy throughout the day.Even more challenging to manage: the orders that customers place online and through the chain's app."Mobile orders are a huge problem because you could have 20 people place a mobile order at the same time, and then they all come through at once," the employee said.The North Carolina Starbucks worker is far from the only one who's noticed the challenges Starbucks faces in filling customers' orders.Like many national restaurant chains, Starbucks has spent years building its online system and added complimentary logistics for pick-up and delivery orders. But <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-reinvented-cafes-managment-plan-lines-waits-sales-2024-7">Starbucks customers have reported long wait times</a> — up to 25 minutes — just to get a single drink."The whole app ordering process is so seamless and easy until you get to the post-purchase and you see how long it's going to take to fill your order," Sky Canaves, principal analyst for retail and e-commerce at Emarketer, said on a recent Emarketer podcast about Starbucks. "If it's going to take more than five minutes, it's frustrating."Even Laxman Narasimhan, who stepped down as Starbucks' CEO this month, has said there's a problem. App users, many of whom are members of the chain's rewards program, often "put items into their cart and sometimes chose not to complete their order, citing long wait times or product unavailability," he said on an earnings call in April.In response, Starbucks has started rolling out a streamlined production process called the Siren Craft System, which reduces the time it takes to make its beverages.Analysts also expect changes to Starbucks and its restaurants under incoming CEO <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chipotle-ceo-niccol-will-bring-turnaround-record-to-starbucks-2024-8">Brian Niccol</a>, who beefed up Chipotle's online business through innovations such as Chipotlanes, or pick-up windows dedicated to mobile orders at stores.But Starbucks' production changes are only part of the solution, the employee in North Carolina told BI.The employee said that management at his store has cut hours. Last year, he worked between 30 and 40 hours a week and made about $30,000 at Starbucks, he said. So far this year, most of his weeks involve working between 20 and 30 hours. The store's hours have not changed, the employee added.The cuts have been persistent over the last few years, the employee told BI. "When we came back from Covid, they started saying things like 'Sales are down, so we're going to have to cut back on store payroll,'" which was fine, but it just continued," he said.Starbucks' own numbers back this up. As of October last year, the company had about 219,000 workers in the US in company-operated stores, about a 12% drop from 2022.In May, Starbucks said that it considers a variety of factors in deciding how to staff its stores, including past sales at a particular store and planned promotions. Starbucks' statement was responding to a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-05-29/starbucks-wait-times-jump-after-changing-work-algorithm-staffers-say">Bloomberg story</a> published the same month about the chain's long wait times and staffing challenges."Adding more partners is not the only solution to reduce customer wait times or produce a better Starbucks experience," the company <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2024/our-continued-commitment-to-partner-centric-scheduling-staffing/#response">said</a>, pointing to the Siren Craft System."Each store has unique staffing and partner needs, and our goal is to balance partner expectations with store needs, which means taking a store-by-store approach to creating schedules, rooted in both partner feedback and analytical tools," a Starbucks spokesperson told BI."To help determine the number of hours a store needs each week, Starbucks has a highly sophisticated staffing model, and we incorporate a robust data set to forecast store-specific staffing needs throughout each day," the spokesperson said.But at the North Carolina store, there are still fewer workers on duty on most shifts, the employee said. Employees at the store often find themselves jumping between taking orders at the register and then preparing the beverages themselves. That's led to customers waiting longer just to place their orders — and, often, waiting as long as 30 minutes to get them as well."It only takes one or two customers that are coming in to really start throwing things into chaos when you don't have every spot being managed at the same time," the employee said.Do you work at Starbucks or another major restaurant chain and have a story idea to share? Reach out to this reporter at abitter@businessinsider.com

Starbucks is suffering from a mountain of mobile orders and chronic understaffing, a store employee says

<keyword id="20448705" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Waymo" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Waymo" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Waymo">Waymo</keyword>, the self-driving car whiz kid from Alphabet (aka Google’s big parent company), just made a splash by launching its robotaxis in Los Angeles! This means that anyone with the Waymo One app can now call up a driverless cab across a whopping 129-square-kilometre stretch of the city. It’s like having a robot chauffeur — without the awkward small talk! This isn’t Waymo’s first rodeo with robotaxis. They’ve been rolling around Phoenix since 2020 and then hit up San Francisco last year. In Los Angeles, after a short trial for some lucky early testers, Waymo opened up rides to the public. Now anyone can zip around L.A. traffic in style, with the car’s AI brain in control. Waymo’s journey started as a secret project back in 2009 and has come a long way since then. The company’s <keyword id="19967698" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="self-driving-cars" source="keywords">self-driving cars</keyword> have logged over 20 million miles without any major accidents — a record that certainly leaves human drivers in the dust. Meanwhile, Waymo’s competitor, Cruise (owned by General Motors), ran into some trouble when one of its <keyword id="21485769" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="driverless-cars" source="keywords">driverless cars</keyword> was involved in an accident with a pedestrian, resulting in a license suspension in California. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="107634470" title="A crowd set fire to a Waymo taxi in San Francisco, as tensions about driverless tech grow" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>But Waymo’s big moves in the US raise an interesting question: what would happen if robotaxis rolled out in a place like India? The impact could be massive! India has millions of taxi drivers, and many rely on their daily fares to support their families. Not only is the work gruelling, such “gig workers” often earn shockingly less, and at increasingly shrinking profit margins. One source even noted earning only around Rs 30,000 a month while working as an Ola captain from Bengaluru. Thus, a widespread shift to driverless cars could be a serious blow to their livelihoods, especially in a country struggling with rampant levels of inflation. Therefore, there exists an issue of livelihoods on one hand and technological progress on the other, so if companies like Waymo ever bring robotaxis to India, it could shake things up in a big way. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="102751416" title="Sex in self-driving cars: Passengers are reportedly hooking up in San Francisco&amp;#39;s driverless taxis" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>However, on the other side of the spectrum, there are undoubtedly some benefits to moving towards a fully-automated robotaxi fleet. For instance, road accidents cause over 1,50,000 deaths annually in India. Autonomous vehicles,which are designed to follow traffic rules strictly and reduce human error, could help lower these numbers. Additionally, driverless taxis could make transportation more accessible and affordable, especially in densely populated cities with high demand. Furthermore, such robotaxis would also provide a solution for passengers who experience language barriers or inconsistent service quality, as these vehicles are designed for efficient, standardised rides. There is also the hope that they could reduce traffic congestion and pollution with AI-driven routes that minimise idle time and fuel use. Waymo may be rejoicing in the spotlight at the moment, but there are several other companies in the robotaxi race, including Tesla, which has its “Cybercab” in the works, and Amazon’s Zoox, aiming to hit the streets of Las Vegas next year. Baidu’s Apollo is already making robotaxi runs in some Chinese cities, but each company faces its own unique set of challenges. In India, where roads are a blend of honking scooters, zig-zagging rickshaws, and plenty of cows on the streets, introducing robotaxis would require some serious tech tricks and regulatory green lights. Until then, L.A. can enjoy the driverless rides while the rest of us wait to see how this wild technology shapes the future.

You Searched For "made in india mobile apps" and got 9 results

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Starbucks is suffering from a mountain of mobile orders and chronic understaffing, a store employee says

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No Driver? No Problem! Waymo’s driverless robotaxis make Los Angeles debut — but what could the tech mean for India?

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