The Microsoft Windows Phone 8 event happens tomorrow, get your liveblog here!

Welcome to Harlem and a new Spider-Man.What you need to knowAnother batch of direct feed Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales screenshots

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with RAVPower to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a 252.7Wh/70200mAh Portable

Every decade there is a change of trends in video games. According to the marketing and sales specialists, by 2021 the gaming industry will see a new transformation.Trend 1: Introduction of 5GAt first glance, the transition from 4G to 5G does not seem so important. But what does this mean for gamers? Mobile games have always been limited by the latency of the Internet. Currently, this is about 10 milliseconds on 4G tech. For the average user, this may seem like a very small number, but for games – it’s an eternity. For more information, see androidappsforme.With 5G, Internet latency will be reduced to one millisecond, which will open up new opportunities for gamers. 5G data transfer speed will open up incredible opportunities for gaming and entertainment. Widespread use of 5G will begin around 2021. Thanks to this, mobile games will show an even faster pace of development.For example, over the past 40 years, about 1.5 billion game consoles have been sold. And over the past 10 years, more than 2.2 billion people have used smartphones to play games.Trend 2: The spread of the realities of AR and VRAlso, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) will change.Since the creation of virtual and augmented reality, games have gained a truly immersive experience and a new perspective on the future of the gaming industry.In 2016, VR and AR raised $1.8 billion and $1 billion respectively; in 2021, these figures are projected to be $19 billion and $20.3 billion.The development of AR and VR proves that they are an integral part of the gaming market.Trend 3: Age categories of gamersIn addition to changes in technology, the portrait of the gamer as a whole is changing.While previously only a teenage boy was considered a gamer, today 45 percent of American gamers are women. And the average age of a player is 34 years. People play everything – from simple puzzle games to deadly shooters.By 2021, the Millennials (a generation of people born in 1982-2004) will reach its peak of purchasing power and become the main part of gamers.Trend 4: StreamingIf you find it silly and boring to watch other people play video games, you should reconsider your opinion. Thanks to streaming, video games have gained popularity in eSports.While the player base has grown by an average of 10% a year since 2015, the viewership base has doubled. In 2017, total eSports revenue was $655 million. In 2021, this figure will approach $1.6 billion.Trend 5: Gamification as attracting customers to storesSince various stores are constantly under pressure from the competition, they are looking for new solutions that would help them bring customers back to the shopping centers. Therefore, in this area, gamification solves two problems – attracting and retaining users. To increase interest in the project, the following must be present: status, new content, and free products. Within the game concept, higher levels, rewards, and belonging to a particular group or clan are valued.Especially for the Y generation – young people aged 18-27 who are more used to gamification. That is passing stages, tasks, and improving the level.For example, the Japanese retailer PARCO rewards customers with “coins” and discounts if they visit certain points or interact in any way with the store and the store’s app.Trend 6: Game data analysis will make games more profitableIn 2016, the Survios Studio used statistical data to understand player behavior. This helped them create the Raw Data shooter, which became exclusive to virtual reality helmets, earning $ 1,000,000 in a month.Data analysis for the game was done by the CDP platform, based on the player’s behavioral data, find out the answers to questions:Do gamers complete the game or stop at certain levels?Where do players prefer to launch games? In the Steam store or via Oculus?Do players choose HTC Viva or Oculus Rift?Are the players right-handed/left-handed?Do players return to the game and how much time they spend on games?Game manufacturers are trying to figure out what exactly will be the next popular trend in the gaming world using CDP data. This helps collect data about players and understand what they like best.EDITOR NOTE: This is a promoted post and should not be viewed as an editorial endorsement.

Boost Mobile on Friday announced a limited-time rate plan which could kick off an interesting season of competitive options.Available immediately, and running through the end of the year (December 31, 2020), Boost’s new offering is just $10 per month and includes unlimited talk and text, plus 2GB of high speed data.Additionally, it offers a $15 plan that doubles the data. Indeed, that’s 4GB of high speed data per month. Most carriers tend to price their plans around twice that, or approximately $30 per month.The Catch?What’s the fine print? There are two caveats to consider. First, the plan is only available to new customers who bring their own phone to the service.Also, after the three-month promotional period, Boost subscribers on the $10 plan will receive 1GB of high speed data; those on the $15 plan will receive 2GB of high-speed data.For those who don’t follow the wireless space all that closely, Boost offers five rate plans that cost less than $50 per month. Among them are the $10 (1GB) and $15 (2GB) option.