Sinch vs Twilio

Black Friday 2026: Retailers Need Email Infrastructure Compliance

As Black Friday 2026 approaches, retailers must ensure their email infrastructure can handle high-volume surges and comply with stricter sender protocols from Gmail, Yahoo, and Microsoft. Key compliance measures include maintaining a spam complaint rate below 0.1%, implementing one-click unsubscribe, and using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication. Infrastructure readiness involves dedicated send capacity, dedicated IP addresses, load-tested send windows, real-time trigger monitoring, and fallback plans. The stakes are high: in 2025, Shopify merchants generated $14.6 billion in sales over BFCM weekend, and Adobe reported Cyber Week online sales of $44.2 billion. Email remains a crucial channel, with 77% of consumers preferring it for promotions. Sinch's Mailgun, which handled 30% more emails during Black Friday 2025 and delivered over 20 billion emails, provides a checklist to help retailers maximize revenue and avoid deliverability failures that can lead to missed sales and customer dissatisfaction.

• Gmail, Yahoo, and Microsoft have increased security protocols for bulk senders ahead of Black Friday 2026.
• Retailers must keep spam complaint rates below 0.1% to avoid email throttling or blocking; crossing 0.3% triggers blocks.
• In 2025, Shopify merchants generated $14.6 billion in sales over BFCM weekend, up 27% year-over-year.

Shoppers Cautious About AI Holiday Shopping, Sinch Study Finds

A new study by Sinch across eight markets with 2,501 consumers reveals that fewer shoppers believe AI will make holiday shopping easier, dropping from 48% in 2025 to 43% in 2026. Trust in human advice over AI increased to 53%. Data privacy remains the top concern (43%). Consumers are most willing to delegate order tracking and shipping updates (48%), product research (47%), and customer service (36%). Despite consumer caution, 63% of retailers have deployed AI customer communication agents. The findings suggest that AI gimmicks risk alienating shoppers, while high-quality authentic content remains crucial for affiliates.

• Sinch surveyed 2,501 consumers across eight markets.
• 43% of shoppers believe AI will make holiday shopping easier, down from 48% in 2025.
• 53% trust advice from a real person more than AI, up from 51% in 2025.

Twilio Traffic Optimization Engine Launched

Twilio announces the launch of the Traffic Optimization Engine, a new product to prioritize messages at scale.

10-Q Financial Filing Analysis for Twilio (2026-08-07)

Twilio reported strong financial results for Q2 2026, with total revenue reaching $1.50 billion, representing a 22% year-over-year increase driven by higher usage from existing customers (DBNE of 116%) and new customer additions. Operating income rose significantly to $84.5 million, up 129% year-over-year, despite absorbing a $32.8 million impairment loss on prepaid assets from troubled network service providers. GAAP net income surged to $1.07 billion ($6.68 diluted EPS), primarily fueled by a discrete $944.1 million income tax benefit resulting from the release of valuation allowances on U.S. deferred tax assets after demonstrating sustained cumulative three-year profitability. Twilio generated $352.6 million in non-GAAP free cash flow and repurchased $66.0 million in stock during the quarter.

• Q2 2026 revenue grew 22% YoY to $1.499 billion, supported by a Dollar-Based Net Expansion Rate of 116% and $71.1 million in incremental carrier A2P pass-through fees.
• GAAP operating income expanded to $84.5 million (up from $37.0 million in Q2 2025), while non-GAAP operating income reached $284.6 million (19% non-GAAP operating margin).
• Net income reached $1.067 billion due to the discrete release of a $944.1 million U.S. deferred tax asset valuation allowance based on sustained profitability.

Bird Raises $450M Debt, Cuts Headcount to 120

Bird, the business communications platform formerly known as MessageBird, has raised $450 million in debt financing led by JP Morgan, Capital One, and Citi. The funding includes a $400 million term loan and a $50 million revolving credit facility, with seven banks participating. The proceeds will provide liquidity to existing shareholders, including current and former employees. The company has drastically reduced its headcount from over 1,000 at its peak to 120, driven by automation and a strategic pivot toward AI. Bird is focusing on its AI Agentic Harness platform, which enables AI agents to communicate via SMS, calls, and email. The company reported $165 million in profits last year.

• Bird raised $450 million in debt financing led by JP Morgan, Capital One, and Citi.
• The financing comprises a $400 million term loan and a $50 million revolving credit facility.
• Bird's headcount has been reduced from over 1,000 at its peak to 120 employees.