Promotional push notifications drive nearly 10 times as many users to make a purchase compared to customers who did not receive a message.

Despite highly publicized efforts by platforms to curb fraudulent apps, the problem is still costing marketers a ton of green. That's according to new findings from security research firm DataVisor. Like a virus adapting to its host, fraudsters are adjusting to shifting user acquisition strategies, says Ting-Fang Yen, director of research at DataVisor.

It may be a little late in the season for beach-reading recommendations, but -- if you haven't already -- you need to put Daniel Kahneman's "Thinking, Fast and Slow" on your list. In relatively simple terms, the book summarizes the psychologist's Nobel Prize-winning research into decision-making, cognitive biases, and behavioral economics. "Thinking" was published in 2012, but I was reminded of its worth this week, when I read about the release of a report from app marketing and retargeting startup Liftoff.

Amid reports of unhappy advertisers, merciless competition, and a slumping stock price, Snap watchers have had a field day bashing the young company. For my part, I recently said Snap was getting desperate. But, ahead of its quarterly earnings report, some knowledgeable folks are betting on a bright future for the social maverick.

Revenue from the Apple Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, and iCloud pumped $7.3 billion into the company's coffers during the fiscal third quarter. That's up 22%, year-over-year, and an all-time high for Apple.