Snapchat

At long last, Snap Inc., Snapchat’s parent company, reported strong sales and user growth — and Wall Street is loving it.

Shares of Snap leaped 34 percent to about $18.80 a share in early morning trading on Wednesday, one day after the company reported its best quarter since going public last March. It’s the highest Snap has reached since June, with the the company spending the last seven months languishing below its $17 IPO price.

Snap pulled in about $30 million more in revenue than was expected, while adding 9 million daily active users — running past analyst estimates of about 6 million. Snapchat now has 187 million DAUs.

Also Read: Snapchat Now Lets You Book Uber, Find Restaurants

Another reason for investor enthusiasm is Snapchat’s redesign, which is continuing to be rolled out to select users. Searching Twitter for reactions often leads to unpleasant first impressions, but Wall Street is behind CEO Evan Spiegel’s plan to make the app “easier to use.”

“We are more optimistic on Snap’s redesign, which will fully roll-out in the first quarter. Snap’s new app redesign — more clearly separating social from media — has been pushed to 40 million users (of 187 million daily active users) with the remainder to come in the first quarter,” noted JP Morgan on Wednesday.

Also Read: Snapchat Is Cooler Than Facebook, According to Tweens at Least

Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter also pointed out to TheWrap Snap is starting to make more money per user — and still has much room to grow. Snap pulled in more than $1.50 in average revenue per Snapchatter, a 36 percent quarter-over-quarter increase.

Maybe the hints of a good Q4 were there when Spiegel paid Drake to perform at the company’s holiday party.

8 Eye-Popping Gadgets at CES 2018, From Storytelling Robots to Augmented Reality Glasses (Photos)

Tech companies have gathered at CES in Las Vegas to show off their newest gadgets for 2018. From Samsung's massive 146' TV to the first fingerprint sensor smartphone, check out what has caught our eye so far.
Vivo
Samsung has taken the big screen to a whole new level. "The Wall" is literally bigger than most walls, coming in at 146' wide. The picture is just as eye-catching, with its MicroLED display representing a major step up from the LED screens found on most TVs. If you're looking to cover your living room wall with "The Wall," it's coming out sometime in 2018, although the company hasn't put even a ballpark price tag on it yet.
TheWrap
Rokid's AR Glasses highlight the main reason TheWrap continues to be bullish on AR compared to VR. In short: functionality. Throw on a pair of these wi-fi enabled glasses, look someone in the face, and you'll be hit with their social media profiles and contact information. It's a bit Terminator-esque. The glasses, manufactured out of San Diego, will be arriving later in 2018. Rokid wouldn't put a price on it, yet, but said it'll be "competitive" with VR headsets like Oculus, which run for roughly $400.
TheWrap
Dolls are out, robots are in. That's what AvatarMind wants parents to believe, at least. The China-based company was showing off its three-foot robot, aimed as a 21st century educational toy for kids. The bot will sing lullabies and read stories, among other features. They'll cost around $1,600 to $2,000 when they come out in the U.S. later this year.
TheWrap
Samsung and Apple lost the race to fingerprint sensors to Vivo. The Chinese smartphone maker has put th scanner right on the front of its unnamed phone. Similar to signing in at the gym, simply place your finger on a blue dot at the bottom of your locked screen, and it'll open up. It's the first smartphone to integrate the tech.
VIvo
XYZ's 3D Da Vinci printer shows you can make nearly anything in minutes... even a bust of President Trump, if you want.
Getty Images
Sony is showing off its three new "extra bass" SRS speakers, running between $100 and $250. The Bluetooth-enabled speakers have 24-hours of battery life.
Sony
Japan-based Omron's electronic censors can mirror human movement by building an artificial intelligence-powered ping-pong partner. Unfortunately, you can't buy this for practicing in your basement. But the global company's tech is being used at U.S. companies like Tesla, where it helps assemble its cars.
TheWrap
Saving the adult content for last. Mashable recently pointed out porn accounts for 60 percent of the top virtual reality sites, and the industry is now betting on augmented reality as well. Naughty America, a San Diego-based studio, is displaying an upcoming AR app that'll allow fans to superimpose themselves right next to their favorites adult performers.
TheWrap

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The first fingerprint sensor-enabled smartphone is also on display

Tech companies have gathered at CES in Las Vegas to show off their newest gadgets for 2018. From Samsung's massive 146' TV to the first fingerprint sensor smartphone, check out what has caught our eye so far.

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