The future of Instagram and a loss for England | Trends Report

July 11, 2021

Can you still hear the roar of the crowd from yesterday’s Euro 2020, or maybe you’re imagining what it might have been like to accompany a billionaire on his summer trip to the edge of space? However you’re starting your week, we’re glad you met us here at the Bolt Blog! Let’s jump into the latest hot topics and what you need to know for this week.

Upcoming Holidays & Observances

  • World Emoji Day – July 17
  • National Ice Cream Day – July 18
  • International Day of Friendship – July 30

 Trends You Should Know

  • It all came down to a dramatic penalty kick shootout. Delayed by the pandemic, Euro 2020 ended on Sunday with Italy beating England three to two. The energy from the crowd was audible until the very end when the echoing silence took over Wembley Stadium, signaling a loss for England. At times it looked as if England would win, but eventually Italy took the lead and the Italian players dropped to their knees in disbelief.
  • Billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson achieved a lifelong dream by making his historic spaceflight on Sunday. His successful mission to the edge of space happened aboard a rocket-powered vehicle developed by his company, Virgin Galactic. Accompanied by five crew members, Branson traveled more than 53 miles high, lasting just over an hour. This epic journey was 17 years in the making and allowed Branson to achieve his goal of viewing the beauty of earth all the way from space.
  • Can it be true? Is Instagram no longer a photo-sharing app? Instagram company chief Adam Mosseri announces that the social app is focusing on the future, and that doesn’t include remaining a “square-photo sharing app.” In a video shared on Instagram and Twitter, Mosseri explained how the platform will work toward entertainment and videos like its competitor, TikTok. He explains that the app will focus on creators, videos, shopping and messaging. Not to fear, these new features won’t stop you from posting those amazing vacation photos, but simply sharing photos just isn’t the direction Instagram is headed.
  • How long has it been since you’ve reclined in a big comfy chair and dug your fingers into a bag of movie theater popcorn? Life is starting to get back to normal, and the first Marvel movie release in two years, Black Widow, grossed over $215 million in its first weekend! This is a huge step for the movie industry since the start of the pandemic, possibly opening the door for more big theater releases.

We hope you enjoy this week of summer, and we’ll see you back on the blog next week!

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