Apps
YouTube launches new Shopping features to help creators market products and grow their earnings
9:00 am PDT • April 9, 2024
The launch of the new features come as TikTok Shop is seeking to take on YouTube Shopping and other competitors in the space.
With the Find My Device network, users will be able to locate their Android phones and tablets — even when they’re offline — by ringing them or viewing their location…
Uber Eats is launching a TikTok-like short-form video feed to boost discovery and help restaurants showcase their dishes. Uber Eats’ senior director of Product, Awaneesh Verma, told TechCrunch exclusively in…
Transportation
Apple lays off over 600 employees in California after abandoning electric car project
7:28 am PDT • April 5, 2024
Apple is laying off 614 employees in California after abandoning its electric car project. According to the WARN notice posted by the California Employment Development Department, Apple notified the affected…
Brave’s AI assistant, called Leo, allows people to ask questions, summarize pages, create content and more.
Apps
Spotify brings its audiobooks perk for Premium users to Canada, Ireland and New Zealand
9:13 am PDT • April 2, 2024
Spotify announced on Tuesday that it’s bringing its free audiobooks perk to Canada, Ireland and New Zealand. Users in these markets will be able to access 15 hours of free…
Apps
Yahoo is acquiring Instagram co-founders’ AI-powered news startup Artifact
6:42 am PDT • April 2, 2024
Yahoo is acquiring Artifact, the AI-powered news app from Instagram’s co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, the company announced on Tuesday. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.…
As TikTok continues to face increased pressure in the U.S. and the U.K., the company is signaling its commitment to fostering educational content on its app. The company announced on…
Apps
Instagram is developing ‘Blend,’ recommended Reels for you and a friend
10:37 am PDT • March 29, 2024
Instagram is developing a “Blend” feature that creates a private feed of Reels recommended for you and a friend. The company told TechCrunch on Friday that the feature is an…
Apps
YouTube now lets creators share exclusive Shorts with their paying subscribers
11:42 am PDT • March 28, 2024
YouTube is launching “members only” Shorts, allowing creators to share short-form videos exclusively to their paying viewers.
Apps
LinkedIn is experimenting with a TikTok-like video feed in its app
1:15 pm PDT • March 27, 2024
LinkedIn is testing a new TikTok-like short-form video feed, the company confirmed to TechCrunch on Wednesday. With this new test, LinkedIn joins numerous other popular apps that have launched their…
Apps
Google will now let you use AI to build travel itineraries for your vacations
9:00 am PDT • March 27, 2024
As we inch toward the summer holidays, Google is announcing a slate of travel updates that place it squarely in the travel planning process and give it a lot more…
Apps
Google will let you swipe right or left on clothes to get better fashion recommendations
9:00 am PDT • March 27, 2024
Google is rolling out an update that makes it easier for users to find personalized shopping results, the company announced on Wednesday. The new feature lets users rate different products…
Apps
Match appoints two board directors after talks with activist investor Elliott Management
7:15 am PDT • March 25, 2024
Tinder-owner Match Group has appointed two new members to its board of directors and signed an agreement with Elliott Management, the company announced on Monday. Chief marketing officer at Instacart…
Apps
Threads is adding live scores for sports games, starting with the NBA
10:56 am PDT • March 22, 2024
Threads, the Twitter-like app from Instagram, is adding live scores for sports games. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on Friday that Threads has started testing live scores for NBA games,…
Apps
DOJ calls out Apple for breaking iMessage-on-Android solution, Beeper
11:17 am PDT • March 21, 2024
As soon as Beeper launched, the companies entered into a game of cat-and-mouse, which Apple ultimately won.
DoorDash is expanding its partnership with Alphabet’s Wing to bring its drone delivery pilot to the U.S., the company announced on Thursday. Select users in Christiansburg, Virginia will be able…
Apps
Meet Cherry, an AI shopping assistant that helps you discover products using screenshots or images
6:18 am PDT • March 21, 2024
A new app from a startup called Cherry is aiming to transform the online shopping experience with its AI assistant that allows users to discover products across the internet using…
Threads, the Twitter-like app from Instagram, is rolling out its “trending now” feature widely to all users in the U.S. The official rollout comes a month after the app started…
Remember when you would “poke” your friends on Facebook to get their attention, annoy them or just start a poke war? Well, Facebook is trying to bring back that experience…
Apps
Roblox’s new AI features reduce the time it takes to create avatars and 3D models
9:00 am PDT • March 18, 2024
Roblox is introducing two new AI technologies to reduce the time it takes to create avatars and 3D models, the company announced on Monday. The technologies, which were built on…
Apps
YouTube now requires creators to disclose when realistic content was made with AI
8:08 am PDT • March 18, 2024
YouTube is now requiring creators to disclose to viewers when realistic content was made with AI, the company announced on Monday. The platform is introducing a new tool in Creator…
Apps
TipTop, the new app from Postmates’ founder and CEO, now lets you buy devices with trade-ins and cash
8:00 am PDT • March 15, 2024
Customers can trade in an old Samsung Galaxy for a discount on an iPad, an Apple HomePod mini for a Nintendo Switch, or an iPhone for a Nothing phone.
Apps
Reddit introduces a new ad format that looks similar to posts made by users
8:35 am PDT • March 14, 2024
Reddit is introducing a new ad format that looks similar to posts made by users on the platform, the company announced on Thursday. The launch comes as Reddit is readying its…
Apps
Instagram is working on a feature that would allow you to let others put a ‘Spin’ on your Reel
6:15 am PDT • March 14, 2024
Instagram is working on a “Spins” feature for Reels, its short-form video TikTok clone, the company confirmed to TechCrunch. The feature, which was first spotted by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi,…
Don Lemon announced on Wednesday that X owner Elon Musk has canceled the deal for his upcoming talkshow on the platform. Lemon, a former CNN anchor, says Musk terminated the…
Startups
Journey acquires mental health startup Felt to enhance its employee assistance program
5:00 am PDT • March 13, 2024
Employee-focused mental health company Journey is acquiring Felt, a startup formerly known as Mine’d that specializes in matching individuals with therapists using artificial intelligence. The financial terms of the deal…
Apps
Bluesky launches Ozone, a tool that lets users create and run their own independent moderation services
1:54 pm PDT • March 12, 2024
Decentralized Twitter/X rival Bluesky announced on Tuesday that it’s open sourcing Ozone, a tool that lets individuals and teams collaboratively review and label content on the network. The company plans to…
Apps
TikTok is now letting creators in more countries earn money for their effects
10:00 am PDT • March 12, 2024
TikTok is expanding its Effect Creator Rewards monetization program to more regions and lowering its payout threshold, the company announced today. The program, which launched in May 2023, rewards creators…
Airbnb is banning the use of indoor security cameras in all of its listings, the company announced on Monday. Previously, Airbnb has allowed hosts to have indoor security cameras in…
