Deutsche Bank and Mastercard announced a strategic partnership designed to accelerate the evolution of open banking and redefine the payment experience for merchants and consumers across Europe. The collaboration will elevate Deutsche Bank’s Merchant Solutions offering, particularly its Request to Pay (R2P) service, by introducing new levels of choice, flexibility, and efficiency with account-to-account based payments on Mastercard’s trusted open banking network. This partnership positions Deutsche Bank and Mastercard at the forefront of payment innovation enabling merchants to offer “Pay by Bank” functionality through Deutsche Bank’s Merchant Solutions. The partnership empowers merchants to leverage R2P as a preferred payment method giving consumers the ability to authorize payments directly from their bank accounts with real-time processing and immediate confirmation. Mastercard’s open banking technology will be fully integrated into Deutsche Bank’s platform, supporting faster settlement, enhanced reconciliation, and greater payment transparency.
Drive-thru users prioritize order accuracy as the most critical feature they want from the experience
Grabbing food from the drive-thru is the top preference for consumers when it comes to visiting quick-serve chains. 54% of customers said they “always” or “very often” choose drive-thrus over dining inside at QSRs, according to a new survey from Mood Media, signaling a strong preference for convenience. Order accuracy was ranked as the most critical drive-thru feature, while 73% respondents ranked timeliness among their top three most important drive-thru features, with more than half putting it squarely in slots two or three. While 23% of customers say technology is the most important drive-thru feature, 21% rank it second-to-last, showing that it can be “polarizing” among guests. Only 5% of respondents ranked mobile ordering as the most important feature for drive-thrus to have. However, 38% regularly use mobile ordering when it is offered. 72% of consumers do not decide to visit a QSR based on the digital features in their drive-thru. However, 92% of respondents have a neutral to positive sentiment about digital features enhancing their experience at QSRs. 82% are neutral or positive about QSRs collecting data to deliver personalized offers and recommendations. 60% ranked human interaction between third and fifth in importance, showing that customers still value friendly service. When it comes to what consumers don’t like about drive-thrus, long wait times (64%), inaccurate orders (58%) and outdated or unclear speaker systems (47%) top the list. Millennials and Gen Z are the most frequent drive-thru users, as 65% said they “always” or “very often” use them. Four-in-10 consumers say they are uninterested or concerned about AI taking their order, while 47% are open to it or have used it with little to no issue. The main concerns include AI not understanding them (37%) and not allowing order changes (24%).
Target looking to use large-format store to accommodate a bigger-than-average fresh and frozen food and beverage section, including organic produce options and back-room fulfillment space to support shoppers’ digital orders and Drive Up and Order Pickup
Target recently opened a new large-format store in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area at 2755 West University Drive in Denton, Texas. The Denton North store marks the second Target location for the Denton community. At about 147,000 square feet, Denton North is one of Target’s biggest new builds — and an example of what’s to come as the retailer focuses on these large-format stores. With its extra space, Denton North can accommodate a bigger-than-average fresh and frozen food and beverage section, including organic produce options, bakery and deli. Helping to keep the store in stock is Target’s Dallas sortation center and Denton food and beverage supply chain facility, the latter of which serves 158 Target stores in Texas. “We can show up for guests for all their grocery needs, where they don’t have to look at a competitor,” said Store Director LaShon H. “We can be their one and only, from fresh produce to amazingly priced meats. Everything is affordable, and then joy can be given when you walk through the departments in our store. [It has guests saying] ‘This is bright, this is big. I’m glad you’re on this side of town.’” More square footage also means room for a back-room fulfillment space, which is about five times larger than Target’s older stores of a similar size, to support shoppers’ digital orders and Drive Up and Order Pickup same-day services. The company expects to add more than 300 stores over the next decade, with a total of 20 openings slated for 2025
PayPal’s Deal Week rewards program to let customers earn up to 10% cashback on in-store payments at 2,000 partner locations with offers recuring every week
PayPal has announced multiple long-term, strategic partnerships with a range of Germany’s favorite brands, as part of a major expansion into in-store payments. The first resulting initiative – Deal Week – is available to consumers across Germany today. Deal Week cashback from PayPal can be earned on in-store purchases at the following German brands. On different days of the week, customers can earn up to 10% cashback when they pay contactless in-store with the PayPal app. The offers recur every week, which means consumers could earn hundreds of euros in cashback a month using PayPal in-store. The new contactless feature can be accessed through the latest version of the popular PayPal App (both iOS and Android). Customers can pay safely and easily with a simple tap of their phone at any location that accepts Mastercard contactless payments, as well as benefit from Deal Week offers, once activated in the PayPal app, at approximately 2,000 partner locations4. For the first time, the PayPal App brings together a consolidated view of both online and offline purchases for the consumer. The latest version of the PayPal App also enables consumers to pay in installments for in-store purchases with Ratenzahlung To Go. Fast and flexible, customers can seamlessly apply directly in the PayPal App at any time. Ratenzahlung To Go is available in 3, 6, 12 and 24-month installments, helping consumers spread the cost of in-store purchases to meet their needs (in addition to PayPal’s popular online Pay Later options).
Avio Health’s Agentic AI predicts healthspan by analyzing decades of medical records, lab results, and lifestyle data offering personalized insights and intervention
Avio Health is redefining the future of medicine with Agentic AI, a proprietary deep-learning platform that predicts healthspan by analyzing decades of medical records, lab results, and lifestyle data. Instead of reacting to illness, Agentic AI identifies early shifts in biological aging, offering personalized insights and intervention plans before symptoms appear. Its Clinical Correlation engine acts like a digital health detective, transforming fragmented data into predictive intelligence. It analyzes hormone fluctuations, inflammation markers, cardiovascular metrics, and even long-forgotten test results, weaving them together into a timeline of your biological aging and functional capacity. Designed as an enterprise-grade solution, Avio empowers healthcare institutions and labs to process complex medical data at scale — making proactive, precision medicine a reality. By using AI to connect the dots across fragmented data sources, Agentic AI brings true precision to longevity care, making personalized, proactive healthcare finally scalable. “Avio’s Agentic AI leverages multimodal deep learning to transform fragmented health data into predictive, precision diagnostics — enabling preemptive intervention before clinical onset,” says Dr. Elvin Siew, founder of Avio Health.
2025 Apple Design Awards includes Speechify text to audio solution and Play that lets users build interactive prototypes with SwiftUI frameworks
Apple announced the winners and finalists of this year’s Apple Design Awards, celebrating 12 standout apps and games that set a high bar in design.
App:CapWords
Developer: HappyPlan Tech (China)
CapWords is a dynamic language learning tool that transforms images of everyday objects into interactive stickers — helping learners explore new words in a more intuitive and visual way. Supporting nine languages, the app is a delightful way to learn independently while immersing users in their surroundings.
Game: Balatro
Developer: LocalThunk (Canada)
Balatro is a satisfying fusion of poker, solitaire, and deck-building with roguelike elements. Players combine poker hands with joker cards — each with their own unique abilities — to create varied synergies. Hallmarked by clever details, gripping gameplay challenges players to advance their scores by crafting original decks to beat devious blinds and secure victory.
App: Play
Developer: Rabbit 3 Times (United States)
Play is a sophisticated yet accessible tool that lets users build interactive prototypes with SwiftUI frameworks. Its thoughtfully crafted user interface is both powerful and easy to navigate, helping designers create interactive prototypes and collaborate across Mac and iPhone, all synced in real time for seamless creativity.
Game: PBJ — The Musical
Developer: Philipp Stollenmayer (Germany)
PBJ — The Musical is snack-based Shakespeare, a charming game that tells the story of Romeo and Juliet with condiments. PBJ creatively mixes rhythm-based gameplay with narrative storytelling and a wonderful soundtrack. And with haptic feedback, clever camera work, and fun dialogue, it’s joyful from the start.
App: Taobao
Developer: Zhejiang Taobao Network (China)
Taobao offers a convenient and engaging shopping experience on Apple Vision Pro, providing incredible 3D models comparable to their real-life counterparts. The immersive experience enhances shopping for users, taking into consideration placement, position, controls, size, and function, and giving people the ability to compare items side by side from an extensive selection of products.
Game: DREDGE
Developer: Black Salt Games (New Zealand)
DREDGE blends slow-burn horror with exploration and adventure. Players take the helm of a fishing boat to navigate eerie islands, uncover strange wildlife, and piece together a haunting mystery. The game offers seamless interactions and a fun world of hidden treasures across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
App: Speechify
Developer: Speechify (United States)
With support for hundreds of voices in over 50 languages, Speechify is a powerful tool that transforms written text into audio with ease. Designed with accessibility at its core, and by offering features like Dynamic Type and VoiceOver, the app serves as a vital resource for people with dyslexia, ADHD, and low vision, as well as anyone who learns best by listening.
Game: Art of Fauna
Developer: Klemens Strasser (Austria)
Beautifully illustrated and mindfully designed, Art of Fauna is a puzzle game that blends vintage-inspired wildlife imagery with a deep commitment to inclusivity and conservation. Players can solve puzzles by rearranging visual elements or reordering descriptive text, making gameplay uniquely interactive. With features like full VoiceOver support and haptic feedback, accessibility is woven throughout the experience.
App: Watch Duty
Developer: Sherwood Forestry Service (United States)
During devastating wildfires in Southern California, Watch Duty once again served as a lifeline, delivering up-to-the-minute updates, evacuation information, and critical resources with clarity and reliability. The app reports information like active fire perimeters and progress, wind speed and direction, and evacuation orders.
Game: Neva
Developer: Devolver Digital (United States)
Visually stunning and emotionally resonant, Neva is an action-adventure tale that follows a girl and her wolf companion through a beautiful world in decline. As the seasons shift, so does their relationship — offering a quiet meditation on care, connection, and the cost of environmental loss. With themes of friendship and leadership, players guide the pair through breathtaking landscapes, and a story that is as moving as it is timely.
App: Feather: Draw in 3D
Developer: Sketchsoft (South Korea)
This drawing tool allows users to transform 2D designs into 3D masterpieces. Developed with a focus on creativity and user experience, Feather makes it easy for people of all skill levels to build advanced 3D modeling designs on iPad, drawing on touch and Apple Pencil interactions to help users bring their imaginations to life.
Game: Infinity Nikki
Developer: Infold Games (Singapore)
With its enchanted realm of color, detail, and rendering, Infinity Nikki is a true visual achievement. This cozy open-world adventure challenges players to collect wonderful things, and is packed with magical outfits, whimsical creatures, and unexpected moments.
Google Photos albums redesign adds Material 3 Expressive toolbar, QR code sharing for albums
Google’s Material 3 Expressive for Photos — a redesign of the albums view — is now live on Android. QR code sharing for albums is also now available. Upon opening, the previous design showed an “Add description” field and buttons for Share, Add photos, and Order photos underneath the album cover. That is now gone and replaced by a Material 3 Expressive toolbar. That floating toolbar is how you Share, Add photos, and Edit the album. The latter was previously in the overflow menu, which has been tweaked and gains some icons. Google has also elevated the Sort photos button to the top bar. The Edit view has a docked toolbar to Add photos, text, and locations, which was previously in the top bar. You can add the description here, while there are two cards up top for editing Highlights and Album cover. There are more than a few Material 3 Expressive components with this albums redesign, but the full bleed design for the cover is not here yet. Overall, it’s a bit cleaner than before, with M3E giving apps the opportunity to consolidate things. The rest of Google Photos has yet to be updated, with that possibly coming later this month with the redesigned editor interface. Meanwhile, opening the share sheet shows the new “Show QR Code” option that was announced last week. The design uses a Material 3 shape with the Google Photos logo at the center. We’re seeing both the albums redesign and QR code sharing with Google Photos 7.30 on Android.
PayPal adds new physical card to its digital offering, PayPal Credit for in-store purchases, featuring limited-time travel offer and six-month promotional financing on PayPal purchases over $149
PayPal announced that PayPal Credit can now be used everywhere with the introduction of a new physical card, issued by Synchrony. This expands its popular digital PayPal Credit offering to use both online when checking out with PayPal and in-store and everywhere Mastercard® is accepted. When using the new physical card, customers will also have access to a limited-time offer to pay for travel purchases over six months with promotional financing and no minimum spend1. This gives account holders a more manageable way to pay for qualifying travel purchases like flights, hotels, cruises, and ride shares, which can be spread over time to best suit their budget and needs. This is PayPal’s next flexible payment innovation that caters to customers looking to take PayPal Credit everywhere. In addition to the limited-time travel offer, customers can continue to enjoy six-month promotional financing on PayPal purchases over $149. Customers looking for flexibility at checkout can also apply for a PayPal Buy Now Pay Later loan which lets them break purchases into smaller payments over weeks or months. The physical card will be rolling out in the coming weeks to US customers.
Reciprocal deposits enable banks to support community lending, use them for lending and investments while offering simultaneous access to depositors in aggregate FDIC insurance across network banks
Deposit networks enable customers to diversify their deposits across a network of banks and to receive protection for deposits that, in the aggregate, are over the FDIC standard maximum of $250,000. Networks give depositors access to millions in aggregate FDIC insurance at network banks, all with the simplicity of doing so through just one bank relationship. And importantly, most such networks offer banks the flexibility to move deposits on and off the balance sheet as needed, thus enabling much needed optimization on the liability side of the balance sheet. A key feature of deposit networks, reciprocal deposits enable banks to maintain usage of such deposits for loans and other investments while at the same time enabling depositors to have access to millions in aggregate FDIC insurance across network banks. Importantly, these depositors are no different than any other depositor that has walked through their door and with whom they have developed a relationship. Reciprocal deposits are relationship-based deposits of the bank. An additional benefit of reciprocal deposits—appreciated by bankers and depositors alike—is that the full amount of funds placed through reciprocal deposit services can stay local to support community lending. Reciprocal deposits help keep locally sourced deposit amounts in local institutions, which in turn helps drive economic growth in communities of all sizes and types throughout the U.S., including some of the most underserved locales. Deposit networks not only help banks bring deposits on balance sheet with a reciprocal option, but also enable selling deposits to other network members—allowing banks to “store” deposits off balance sheet for a future need. By participating in a deposit network, a bank can immediately address a new or existing customer’s concerns about protecting their large cash balances. Participation in a network helps banks attract and retain large deposits (six, seven, eight, or even nine figures at a time) from loyal, local safety-conscious customers, such as businesses, nonprofits, government entities and high-net-worth individuals. Influential community members, such as CPAs, financial planners and estate lawyers, are also quick to recognize the benefit of deposit safety and may welcome outreach about deposit placement network services. As their name implies, deposit networks come with a network effect—they can help your bank strengthen connections with depositors and with knowledgeable industry participants. Joining a network can provide access to professionals with deep expertise in banking and banking technology that can smooth your bank’s onboarding process and help maximize its use of network offerings. A deposit network can be a powerful tool for banks to retain and grow key depositor relationships while ensuring their customers’ large deposits are protected. By leveraging a deposit network, banks can enhance customer loyalty, optimize their balance sheets and ultimately help drive community growth and economic stability.
OpenAI plans to turn ChatGPT into a “super-assistant” that is personalized to each user and available to them via the chatbot’s website, the company’s native apps, phone, email and third-party platforms
OpenAI reportedly plans to turn ChatGPT into a “super-assistant” that is personalized to each user and available to them via the chatbot’s website, the company’s native apps, phone, email and third-party resources like Apple’s Siri. The plan is described in an OpenAI internal document from late 2024 that came to light in the Department of Justice’s antitrust case against Google. The super-assistant will be able to handle tedious daily tasks like answering questions and managing calendars, and more complicated ones like coding. It will be, the document said: “One that knows you, understands what you care about, and helps with any task that a smart, trustworthy, emotionally intelligent person with a computer could do.” OpenAI has announced several updates over the last month that suggest the company aims to expand the capabilities of its artificial intelligence tools. Chief Operating Officer, Brad Lightcap said that OpenAI wants to build an “ambient computer layer” that doesn’t require users to look at a screen.