Sarah Perez
Reporter
The Latest from Sarah Perez
OpenAI’s ChatGPT app tops 500K downloads in just 6 days
Despite being U.S.- and iOS-only ahead of today’s expansion to 11 more global markets, OpenAI’s ChatGPT app has been off to a stellar start. The app has already surpassed half a million do
YouTube Stories are shutting down June 26 as company focuses on Shorts
Stories are over — at least on YouTube, that is. The Google-owned video site announced today that YouTube Stories will be shutting down on June 26, 2023, as the company aims to focus on other ke
TikTok is testing an in-app AI chatbot called ‘Tako’
AI chatbots, like ChatGPT, are all the rage, so it’s no surprise to learn that TikTok is now testing its own AI chatbot, as well. Called “Tako,” the bot is in limited testing in sele
Netflix tests its staying power with global password crackdown
Netflix is at a turning point where the company will soon discover whether or not its brand still has staying power and the ability to dominate in today’s streaming market, given the abundance o
Netflix begins its password sharing crackdown in the US and global markets
Netflix’s crackdown on password sharing is now beginning to roll out to U.S. subscribers and other global markets, after a delayed launch. The streamer had originally planned to introduce “
Spotify may use AI to make host-read podcast ads that sound like real people
With Spotify’s AI DJ, the company trained an AI on a real person’s voice — that of its head of Cultural Partnerships and podcast host, Xavier “X” Jernigan. Now the streamer may t
Google to experiment with ads that appear in its AI chatbot in Search
AI chatbots have only just been put into consumers’ hands, but tech giants are rushing to monetize them. For instance, shortly after Bing Chat’s arrival, Microsoft began slipping ads into
Flipboard becomes first app to support Bluesky, Mastodon and Pixelfed all in one place
Social magazine app Flipboard is continuing its investment in the federated social web with today’s news that it’s integrating with decentralized social networks Bluesky and Pixelfed. The
Increased oversight: Discord tests new parental controls for teens
New usernames aren’t the only change coming to the popular chat app Discord, now used by 150 million people every month. The company is also testing a suite of parental controls that would allow
Amazon’s palm-scanning payment tech will now be able to verify ages, too
Amazon One, the retailer’s palm-scanning payment technology, is now gaining new functionality with the addition of age verification services. The company announced today that customers using Ama
This Week in Apps: ChatGPT comes to iPhone, Bing AI efforts expand, Instagram’s Twitter clone
Welcome back to This Week in Apps, the weekly TechCrunch series that recaps the latest in mobile OS news, mobile applications and the overall app economy. The app economy in 2023 hit a few snags, as c
Google’s podcast search results can now open shows directly in Apple Podcasts
Google has made it easier to stream from Apple Podcasts and others when searching for podcasts in Google Search. After earlier this year winding down a feature that let users play podcasts directly fr
OpenAI launches an official ChatGPT app for iOS
ChatGPT is going mobile. Today, OpenAI announced the launch of an official iOS app that allows users to access its popular AI chatbot on the go, months after the App Store was filled with dubious, uno
Apple TV officially launches its multiview feature for sports fans
Apple is officially launching its new multiview feature for sports fans on the Apple TV 4K, allowing viewers to watch up to four simultaneous streams at once. The feature was previously in beta and is
YouTube is bringing 30-second unskippable ads to TVs
YouTube is making its service more appealing to TV ad buyers with a new ad offering announced on Wednesday at its annual YouTube Brandcast upfront event in New York. The company said it will introduce
Pew: 60% of U.S. Twitter users have ‘taken a break’ from the platform in the past year
A new study by Pew Research Center paints a picture of a pause in Twitter usage by U.S. adults, but the data doesn’t necessarily point the finger at Elon Musk’s takeover of the social medi
Years after its Audm acquisition, The New York Times launches its own audio app
Several years ago, The New York Times acquired audio journalism app Audm with the goal of using it as the basis for its own audio product. Today, the media company is unveiling the result of that work
Audio journalism app Curio can now create personalized episodes using AI
Curio, a startup building a platform that turns expert journalism into professionally narrated content, is embracing AI technology to create customized audio episodes, based on your prompts. The compa
Amazon refreshes its Echo lineup, adds a Wi-Fi extender and smart speaker combo, Echo Pop
After last fall’s Amazon hardware event, which brought us a handful of new Echo devices, like the Dot with the clock and other minor updates, Amazon today is rolling out a broader refresh of its
Bird Buddy introduces an AI-powered Smart Hummingbird Feeder and Bird Bath
Bird Buddy, the AI-powered smart bird feeder, is bringing the popular pastime of bird-watching into the digital age — and growing its line of products in support of the hobby. With the startup&#