Sarah Perez
Reporter
The Latest from Sarah Perez
Roku announces a second set of layoffs impacting 200 employees, or 6% of its workforce
Roku is the latest tech company to announce a second round of layoffs with today’s news that it’s letting go of 6% of its workforce, or around 200 employees. The company disclosed the cuts
Spotify is testing new card-style user profiles focused on discovery
At Spotify’s Stream On event this month, the company introduced a redesigned app with TikTok-like discovery feeds, an AI DJ and other tools for artists and podcasters. But the app’s change
Apple spotted developing a ‘multiview’ feature for watching sports on Apple TV
Earlier this month, YouTube TV launched a new “multiview” feature that allows viewers to watch up to four streams of sports content at once. Now it looks like Apple TV is working on a simi
TikTok ban backup plan? ByteDance-owned Instagram rival Lemon8 hits the US App Store’s Top 10
As U.S. lawmakers move forward with their plans for a TikTok ban or forced sale, the app’s Chinese parent company ByteDance is driving another of its social platforms into the Top Charts of the
Library e-book app OverDrive to shut down on May 1st, readers directed to Libby instead
For over a decade, the OverDrive app has offered a service that allows institutions, including public libraries and schools, to lend their digital catalogs of e-books, audiobooks and other digital med
Apple Music Classical is now available for download to everyone
Apple's new app for classical music, Apple Music Classical, is available for download to iPhone users.
Casetify launches iPhone cases that look like Crocs with Jibbtiz. Yes, for real.
Have you ever wanted an iPhone case that looks like a pair of Crocs? You know, the ugly-but-comfy slip-on shoes covered in holes that you can optionally decorate with colorful push-pins? You havenR
Apple releases iOS 16.4 with new emojis, web push notifications, voice isolation for calls & more
Apple today released the iOS 16.4 update to users, which includes a number of new features, like an expanded set of emojis, voice isolation for calls, website push notifications and more. Users can up
Epic Games produces documents in antitrust case showing Googlers avoiding its litigation hold [Update: judge agrees]
In a new filing in Epic Games’ antitrust case against Google, lawyers for the plaintiffs have submitted a number of exhibits that attempt to demonstrate Google employees’ tendency to switc
Snap exec and head of growth Jacob Andreou heads to Greylock
Snap’s head of growth and previously longtime product head Jacob Andreou is leaving the social media company after eight years to join Greylock as a general partner. The exec announced his trans
Despite uncertain US future, TikTok launches Branded Effects for marketers
While the U.S. government debates TikTok’s future following last week’s congressional hearing, the video entertainment platform today announced a new product called Branded Effects aimed a
This Week in Apps: TikTok goes to Congress, apps connect to ChatGPT, Microsoft’s mobile games store plan
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
Woolly introduces a Twitter and TweetDeck-inspired Mastodon app
The slow but steady Twitter exodus has brought a new abundance of third-party Mastodon apps like Ivory, Mammoth and Ice Cubes that connect users to the increasingly popular open source and decentraliz
TikTok CEO says company scans public videos to determine users’ ages
Amid questioning about TikTok’s use of biometrics in today’s Congressional hearing, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew offered some insight into how the company vets potentially underage users on its
TikTok questioned on ineffective teen time limits in congressional hearing
In hopes of heading off concerns over the addictiveness of its app, TikTok earlier this month rolled out new screen time controls that limited minors under the age of 18 to 60-minute daily screen time
In congressional hearing, TikTok commits to deleting US user data from its servers ‘this year’
In his testimony before the U.S. Congress this morning, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said the company plans to delete all U.S. user data from company servers by year-end. The commitment was shared as part
The top 10 AI mobile apps have already pulled in over $14 million this year
Consumer demand for AI chatbot experiences has been funneling millions of dollars into mobile apps advertising their association with ChatGPT or OpenAI technologies. According to a new analysis of the
Amazon expands Fire TV lineup with more QLED models, entry-level 2-Series TVs and new markets
As competition among smart TV makers heats up, Amazon today is introducing an expanded Fire TV lineup which now includes more sizes for its top-of-the-line Omni QLED series as well as a new, lower-cos
Retro camera app Hipstamatic makes its return as an anti-Instagram social network
Amid user complaints over the current state of Instagram, Hipstamatic is returning to the App Store today with a relaunch of its social network for iPhone photography enthusiasts.
Amazon’s palm-reading payment tech is coming to Panera Bread
Panera will now become the first restaurant to deploy Amazon's palm reading payment and loyalty system, known as Amazon One.