SoundHound AI expands voice ordering to 10,000 restaurant locations
SoundHound AI launched its Dynamic Drive-Thru platform in February 2025, enabling AI-powered ordering via phone, text, and in-car voice at over 10,000 restaurant sites.
Retail Industry News — Monday, October 26, 2026
Monday, October 26, 2026
Social commerce growth outpaces platform checkout changes
Social commerce is projected to grow from $683 billion in 2024 to over $1 trillion by 2029, even as Meta removed native in-app checkout in 2025 to direct shoppers to brand websites.
Starship and Uber launch robot delivery in Leeds
Starship Technologies and Uber Technologies announced a collaboration to deploy Level 4 autonomous sidewalk robot delivery starting in Leeds, UK in December 2025, with multiple European countries in 2026 and US expansion planned for 2027.
Freightos launches integrated suite for air, ocean, and ground freight procurement
Freightos introduced Freightos Enterprise in April 2025, a platform combining freight procurement, booking, and market intelligence that early adopters report reduces freight spend by 20% and quote-related email traffic by 80%.
Apple opens NFC ecosystem to third parties in US and other markets
Apple has expanded its NFC and contactless payment ecosystem to third parties in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Japan, and New Zealand, enabling digital wallets like PayPal and Curve to operate on iPhones.
Convenience operators adopt AI vision and software to cut food waste
Convenience store chains are implementing AI-powered computer vision and data-driven production software to monitor roller grill performance and generate precise build-to forecasts, aiming to reduce waste and improve labor efficiency.