Sarah Perez
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This Week in Apps: Apple talks App Store fraud, responds to antitrust complaints; Facebook growth is slipping
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 industry continues to grow, with a
Pinterest to test livestreamed events this month with 21 creators
Pinterest is expanding into live events. The company is planning to host a three-day virtual event that will feature livestreamed sessions from top creators, including big names like Jonathan Van Ness
PayPal acquires returns logistics business, Happy Returns
PayPal announced today it’s acquiring Happy Returns, a returns solution provider that offers online shoppers access to easier ways to send back unwanted merchandise to retailers without having t
Walmart acquires virtual clothing try-on startup Zeekit
Retail giant Walmart announced this morning it’s acquiring the Tel Aviv-based startup Zeekit, which allows consumers to virtually “try on” clothing when shopping online. The company
Roku will launch original programming fueled by Quibi’s content on May 20
Roku today announced the launch of its own original programming, which will initially become available to viewers in the U.S., U.K. and Canada through the media platform’s free streaming hub, Th
GasBuddy tops the App Store for the first time due to Colonial Pipeline attack
The GasBuddy mobile app, which typically helps consumers find the cheapest gas nearby, has now become the No. 1 app on the U.S. App Store for the first time ever, due to the fuel shortages in the U.S.
TikTok launches a Green Screen Duet feature, tests dedicated ‘Topics’ feeds
As competition with tech giants heats up, TikTok is rolling out a series of new features to help keep its short-form video app ahead of rivals. The company today announced the launch of a new Green Sc
Sanlo raises $3.5M to help apps and games gain access to financial insights and capital
Having a great idea for an app or game is one thing, but scaling it to become a successful business is quite another. A new fintech startup called Sanlo aims to help. The company, which is today annou
YouTube announces a $100M fund to reward top YouTube Shorts creators over 2021-2022
YouTube is giving its TikTok competitor, YouTube Shorts, an injection of cash to help it better compete with rivals. The company today introduced the YouTube Shorts Fund, a $100 million fund that will
Snowman, the studio behind Alto’s Adventure and others, launches a kids app company, Pok Pok
Snowman, the small studio behind award-winning iOS games Alto’s Adventure, Alto’s Odyssey, Skate City and others, is spinning out a new company, Pok Pok, that will focus on educational chi
Apptopia raises $20M to expand its competitive intelligence business beyond mobile
Boston-based Apptopia, a company providing competitive intelligence in the mobile app ecosystem, has closed on $20 million in Series C funding aimed at fueling its expansion beyond the world of mobile
Spotify adds timestamped podcast sharing and other social features
On the heels of its expanded partnership with Facebook, Spotify this morning announced new sharing features that broaden the way Spotify content, including both music and podcasts, can be shared acros
Snack, a ‘Tinder meets TikTok’ dating app, opens to Gen Z investors
Snack, a video-first mobile dating app designed with a younger generation in mind, is opening itself up to Gen Z investors. The startup today announced the launch of its own Gen Z Syndicate on AngelLi
This Week in Apps: App Store advertising expands, Google Play plans for safety, Epic v. Apple trial begins
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 industry continues to grow, with a
Following Apple’s launch of privacy labels, Google to add a ‘safety’ section in Google Play
Months after Apple’s App Store introduced privacy labels for apps, Google announced its own mobile app marketplace, Google Play, will follow suit. The company today pre-announced its plans to in
TikTok’s new developer tools allow apps to offer ‘Login with TikTok,’ sound sharing, and more
TikTok is expanding its integrations with third-party apps. The company today announced the launch of two new tool sets for app developers, the TikTok Login Kit and Sound Kit, that will allow apps on
Snap to launch a new Creator Marketplace this month, initially focused on Lens Creators
Snap on Wednesday announced its plan to soon launch a Creator Marketplace, which will make it easier for businesses to find and partner with Snapchat creators, including Lens creators, AR creators and
Twitter rolls out improved ‘reply prompts’ to cut down on harmful tweets
A year ago, Twitter began testing a feature that would prompt users to pause and reconsider before they replied to a tweet using “harmful” language — meaning language that was abusiv
Tinder to roll out new 48-hour, in-app events called ‘Vibes’
On the heels of strong first-quarter earnings, dating app giant Match announced its plan to introduce a new live event experience to its flagship app, Tinder. Dubbed “Vibes,” the new featu
Apple expands its ad business with a new App Store ad slot
At the same time as it’s cracking down on the advertising businesses run by rivals, Apple is introducing a new way for developers to advertise on the App Store. Previously, developers could prom