What are the biggest insights and observations in AR and adjacent sectors this week? Welcome to Reality Bytes, featuring lightning-round commentary from AR Insider partner M7 Innovations. Founder Matt Maher lends his insights from the trenches of AR experience creation.

We continue the narrative this week with Maher’s look at TikTok’s Shopify partnership, Spotify letting artists manipulate algorithms, and Disney robotics. See the quick summary below, followed by embedded video. And stay tuned each week for more AR-related musings from Maher.

🎥 TikTok is the latest social media platform to partner with Shopify. We discuss how Shopify is primed to take over the (e-commerce) world.

🎼 Spotify is letting artists manipulate their algorithms by promoting certain songs for less royalties in return. Sounds like a lose-lose for listeners.

🤖 Disney has a research division and they’re building lifelike robots. They’ve nailed the subtle eye movements and gazes, but not the aesthetic. We discuss the implications for the future of “experiences” at their parks.

More from AR Insider…