15 TechCrunch stories you don’t want to miss this week

This week, Apple’s iOS 10 beta was released, Tesla Autopilot went under scrutiny and the tech world responded to the devastating shootings and protests that occurred across the country. These are the top tech stories to bring you up to speed.

1. It was a tragic week in the U.S. as headlines and live social video brought to light the fatal shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old black man, was shot by a Baton Rouge, Louisiana police officer, according to a video captured by a bystander. Philando Castile, a 32-year-old black man, was shot by an officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His final moments before death were broadcast on Facebook Live by his girlfriend. The tech world responded as diversity advocate Anil Dash spoke out via Twitter. In reference to the incidents that were caught on Facebook Live, Mark Zuckerberg posted a statement that read, “The images we’ve seen this week are graphic and heartbreaking, and they shine a light on the fear that millions of members of our community live with every day.”

2. Apple released the first iOS beta to everyone, which includes new features like extensions for Siri and Maps and the Messages overhaul. We tested out the beta for you so you can wait for the polished version. Apple is also releasing an option within iOS 10 that allows users to become organ, eye and tissue donors with just a few taps.

3. Tesla Autopilot has made headlines this week, as government regulators continued an investigation into a fatal Tesla crash involving Autopilot on May 7. Investigators are still looking into the cause of recent Tesla crashes. This is the first case of a widespread deployment of self-driving vehicles and the first death linked to it, so it could have big implications depending on the result of the investigation.

4. Snapchat introduced what could be a game-changing feature called Memories. Memories changes Snapchat by letting you capture content in the moment, and post to your Story later. You can import existing Snaps, search by caption, get creative with clips and keep sensitive content for your eyes only. However, the feature is kind of a gamble, as it will create a fundamental shift in how people use the app.

5. After traveling five years through the solar system, the Juno probe finally reached its destination and is currently in orbit around Jupiter, traveling nearly 150,000 mph. Juno will provide data to improve our understanding of Jupiter’s formation and evolution. TechCrunch also spoke with the mission’s principal investigator, Scott Bolton.

6. An SEC filing gave more clarity about what led up to Microsoft acquiring LinkedIn for more than $26 billion. Apparently, Microsoft wasn’t the only prospective buyer. While it is not known who the other buyers could have been, it’s possible that Alphabet, IBM, Oracle and Facebook engaged in conversations with LinkedIn.

7. Google made two acquisitions this week. The search giant swooped up Anvato, a media streaming and monetization platform, signifying Google’s desire to get deeper into the tech of the broadcasting business. Google also purchased the French image recognition startup Moodstocks, which has been described as the “Shazam for images.”

8. Kevin Turner left his position as COO of Microsoft after 11 years at the company to take on the roll of CEO at Citadel Securities. Turner was a key figure at Microsoft and was involved in everything from sales and marketing to product development.

9. Facebook expanded its mission to connect the world with the launch of OpenCellular, a new open source hardware and software project that aims to bring a more affordable wireless access platform to remote areas.

10. Silent Circle, the maker of encrypted messaging apps and a security-hardened Android smartphone, called Blackphone, has discontinued its warrant canary, claiming it was a business decision.

11. Alibaba unveiled its first smart car. The RX5 is available for pre-order now, and is priced upwards of RMB 148,800 ($22,300). It includes three LED screens and space for four detachable 360-degree cameras to record video and take photos, as well as a smart rear view mirror. There’s support for voice controls, while an on-board “intelligent” mapping system should work without GPS or Wi-Fi.

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12. We spoke with Sir Tim Berners-Lee, computer scientist and creator of the World Wide Web, about a new short film, “Foreveryone.net.” The film is about the creation of the World Wide Web and is currently showing at the Seattle International Film Festival. He spoke about encryption, social media and the need to, as he calls it, “re-decentralize the web.”

13. In the gadgets space, Bose announced its $349 QuietComfort 35 headphones. They’re not exactly cheap, but between the good sound quality, excellent noise canceling, comfort and long battery life, these are exactly the pair of headphones fans have been waiting for Bose to deliver. We also got up close with Fujifilms’s new X-T2 mirrorless camera, determining that Fujifilm has built a worthy successor on top of a solid foundation.

14. In the decade since its launch, Amazon Web Services has grown into the most successful cloud infrastructure company ever, garnering more than 30 percent of the market. That’s more than its three closest rivals — Microsoft, IBM and Google — combined.

15. Despite market volatility, Twilio continues to impress after its recent IPO. If the first few weeks after an IPO are fueled by emotion, the first few months are fueled by numbers. Public market aside, the company has already made an impact on the tech world.

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