Crunch Hype

The United States Department of Commerce today issued a change to its sweeping Huawei ban. Proponents of the move note that the change in policy ought not be regarded as a softening on the government’s stance toward the embattled hardware maker, but instead is an attempt to develop more streamlined standards for 5G, along with […]

Follow these seven steps to quickly go from having no SEO to a foundation for organic growth and visibility that will serve you well through any economic situation.

Amid increasing antitrust scrutiny by U.S. regulators, Apple announced an update on its App Store ecosystem. While the company normally shares some App Store metrics during its WWDC keynote, it’s today detailing the results of a new study that claims the App Store ecosystem facilitated half a trillion ($519 billion) in billings and sales globally […]

IoT devices that enable physical distancing will become an integral part of reopening businesses, facilitating sales connections and embracing a different way of living.

Echoing much of the existing data and research on the subject, SF-based Color released data today showing that based on its own testing program, most individuals who test positive for COVID-19 display either mild or no symptoms, including even running a fever. The results, taken from Color’s own testing of over 30,000 people to date […]

T-Mobile appears to be having problems. Customers are reporting that they can’t make or receive phone calls, although data appears to be unaffected. Some customers say that text messaging is also affected. DownDetector, which collects outage reports from users, indicates that a major outage is underway. It’s not clear how widespread the issue is, but […]

"...Some of the worst aggressors or most powerful and intrusive companies are basically completely out of the spotlight."

Ahead of Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference starting next week, the company has today launched a new version of its Apple Developer App to better support its plans for the virtual event. Notably, the app has been made available for Mac for the first time, in addition to a redesign and other minor feature updates. With […]

For the last few years, Microsoft has given Windows enthusiasts the ability to opt in to early release “rings,” with the choice to pick between “fast” and “slow” rings, as well as a relatively stable “release preview” option. Today, the company announced a major change to this program as it is moving to release channels, […]

U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling held a press conference this morning detailing ongoing investigations into a bizarre alleged cyberstalking campaign against a couple based in Natick, Massachusetts. Six former eBay employees face charges in connection with the events targeting a writer and her husband. The targeted writer published a blog sometimes critical of eBay and other […]

How do you give your brand a voice that feels authentic and unique? How can you communicate with users in a way that helps and engages without feeling weird or forced? We’re thrilled to announce that Anna Pickard, Head of Brand Communications at Slack, will be joining us at TC Early Stage to teach us […]

Startups need money. State and local governments need startups and the employment growth they offer. It should be obvious that the two groups can work together and make each other happy. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Each year, governments spend tens of billions of dollars on economic development incentives designed to attract […]

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revoked an emergency use authorization (EUA) that it previously issued for chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, two anti-malarial drugs also used in the treatment of chronic rheumatoid arthritis (via Washington Post). These are the drugs that Trump famously touted as effective in COVID-19 treatment, despite major concerns raised with […]

As coronavirus keeps offices closed, wealthy venture capitalists are moving out of apartments in San Francisco and New York and decamping to other vacation-friendly zip codes. In San Francisco, a city known for high housing costs, rates for a one-bedroom apartment have dropped 9% from a year ago. As one investor said to me the […]

WhatsApp is adding support for in-app payments, Apple is upgrading the MacBook Pro and Mac Pro desktop and we argue about the future of startup hubs. Here’s your Daily Crunch for June 15, 2020. 1. WhatsApp finally launches payments, starting in Brazil After months of talks and trials, WhatsApp has finally pulled the trigger on […]

SpaceX is in the process of building out its Starlink network of low-Earth orbit small satellites that will provide the backbone of a global, high-bandwidth, low-latency internet service — but there’s a clock running out in terms of at least one potential source of funding for it to recoup revenue from those efforts. The FCC […]

Quantum computing hardware continues to improve to the point where we may actually see real-world use cases in the next few years and so it’s probably no surprise that we are also seeing a steady increase in research projects that focus on how to best program these machines. One of the newest efforts in this […]

Last year, Apple introduced interest-free financing for new iPhone purchases when you pay with an Apple Card. Today, it’s expanding interest-free Apple Card monthly installments to a range of Apple products, including Mac and iPad, Apple TV, HomePod, and AirPods, plus select accessories and related products. However, the financing options available will vary by product […]

One of the first national coronavirus contacts tracing apps to be launched in Europe is being suspended in Norway after the country’s data protection authority raised concerns that the software, called ‘Smittestopp’, poses a disproportionate threat to user privacy — including by continuously uploading people’s location. Following a warning from the watchdog Friday, the Norwegian […]

Microsoft and SAS, the privately held enterprise data management and analytics company (and not the airline), today announced a far-reaching partnership that will see Microsoft’s Azure become SAS’s preferred cloud and deep integrations of SAS’s various products into Microsoft’s cloud portfolio, ranging from Azure to Dynamics 365 and PowerBI. The two companies also plan to […]

In week four of a16z’s Crypto Startup School, the spotlight shifts to building companies by growing communities of users, developers and employees in a decentralized context.

Spin has launched its scooter sharing business to Germany, the first step in the U.S. company’s plans to expand to Europe. The company, which was acquired by Ford in 2018 for about $100 million, has launched in Cologne and plans to open up in German cities Dortmund and Essen in the coming weeks. Spin said […]

Startups that paused fundraising are starting to get back into the game, but these are shaky economic times and most founders will be coming back to a different world altogether.

If you’re a teacher who has been relying on Apple’s iTunes U platform to digitally share your courses with the world, it’s time to shift to something new. After a few years of letting it mostly stagnate (the last update with anything but “stability improvements” was in 2017), Apple has quietly disclosed that iTunes U […]

One of the selling points for HBO Max, the recently-launched streaming service from WarnerMedia, is the inclusion of classic films from Turner Classic Movies and the Criterion Collection. But choosing which old movies to include, and how to present them, can get thorny. Case in point: “Gone with the Wind” is generally considered one of […]

Uber stocks tumble after reports that it will lose out on acquiring Grubhub, Reddit appoints a new board member and Republican senators question the legal protections of large social media platforms. Here’s your Daily Crunch for June 10, 2020. 1. Uber shares tumble 5% as reports indicate it will lose Grubhub deal to European rival […]

Everyone needs a webcam these days, whether for business meetings or the distant socializing accomplished via video calling — but if you’re like most, you’re using the built-in camera on your laptop or some piece of junk from years ago. But if you happen to have a nice big-brand camera, it’s possible to set it […]

Twitter and Facebook need to consistently administer their policies, even — and perhaps, especially — when they apply to figures in power.

If you haven’t checked out Quibi and the lack of Chromecast support was the thing holding you back: Now’s the time. Just a few weeks after adding AirPlay support, Quibi has released another update that brings Chromecast support into the mix. The update is live on the iOS App Store now, and is rolling out […]

Venture hiring by definition is exclusive. Legally, investors have to be able to fork out their own capital, ranging from hundreds of thousands to multi-millions, to join as a partner of a fund, meaning to be a senior partner typically requires some personal wealth. The industry is exceedingly gender imbalanced, with data showing that 84.6% […]

Starbucks announced today it will expedite the rollout of its new “Pickup” store concept, powered by mobile ordering, in response to the coronavirus pandemic. It will also expand access to curbside pickup, drive-thru, and walk-up counters in lense dense, suburban markets, the company said. These changes aren’t going to arrive as new additions to Starbucks’ […]

Last week, Google postponed its Android 11 event, because, as the company rightly noted, “now is not the time to celebrate.” Today, however, it went ahead and launched both the first beta of Android 11 and provided updates about a slew of tools that should make developing for Android a bit easier for developers. It’s […]

After a series of developer previews, Google today released the first beta of Android 11 and with that, it is also making these pre-release versions available for over-the-air updates. This time around, the list of supported devices only includes the Pixel 2, 3, 3a and 4. If you’re brave enough to try this early version […]

After touching the 10,000-point milestone yesterday, the Nasdaq Composite set a new all-time intraday high this morning of 10,028.61, per Yahoo Finance. In more normal times this would be a fanfare moment, the culmination of a long rise in the tech-heavy index indicative of an industry’s rising power. Instead, it feels a bit grubby in […]

The rate at which automation is hitting the automotive market is much faster than the rate at which sensor calibration is being improved, and this has the potential to cause massive problems in operations, after-market, and return-to-service scenarios.

San Diego-based startup Cue Health has closed a $100 million Series C funding round, including participation from Decheng Capital, Foresite Capital, Madrone Capital Partners, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, ACME Capital and others. The funding will be used to help Cue finish up development, validate and scale production of its Cue Health Monitoring System and test […]

Planck, an AI-based data platform for insurance underwriting, announced today that it has raised a $16 million Series B led by Team8 Capital. All of the startup’s existing investors—Viola FinTech, Arbor Ventures and Eight Roads—also participated, while Nationwide and Hannover Digital Investments joined as strategic investors. Based in New York, Planck provides large insurance companies […]

About two years before a recording of Marshmello took to a pixelated stage in Fortnite to make untold millions of dollars in virtual merchandise sales and usher in a new era of digital entertainment, the Los Angeles-based startup Wave brought DJs into virtual reality to play shows for audiences around the world. At the time, […]

When TechCrunch last checked in with the Y Combinator-backed Vendr in October, the company had just raised $2 million, and was crowing about its profitability. Profitable seed-stage companies aren’t super common, so the startup stood out. Today Vendr is back with more news, namely that it has raised $4 million more, this time led by […]

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in a memo its time to “go all out” and start volume production of the Tesla Semi, the all-electric Class 8 truck revealed nearly three years ago. CNBC first reported on the memo that was sent to all employees. TechCrunch has also viewed the brief memo, which lacked details such […]

The Huawei P40 Pro+ has already been on the market in China for a few days now. And in spite of various legal woes, the handset is set for international available on June 25. Given…everything the company is dealing with, it should come as no surprise that availablity outside of its home country will be […]

Today M1 Finance, a Chicago-based fintech startup focused on consumer finance, announced that it has closed a $33 million Series B. Left Lane Capital led the round, with participation from Clocktower Technology Ventures and Jump Capital. The firm has raised around $54.5 million to date. M1 Finance caught TechCrunch’s attention earlier in the year when […]

Reports this morning indicate that Uber, the American ride-hailing giant with a global footprint, will lose out on its attempt to buy Grubhub, an American food ordering and delivery service. Uber competes with Grubhub domestically with its Uber Eats service; a tie-up between the two could have given Uber suffocating market share in the United […]

Tech has dropped the ball. For an industry that holds so much power, and prides itself on being ahead of the curve, the diversity of venture capital and among tech entrepreneurs leaves so much to be desired. More than 80 percent of VC firms don’t have a single black founder. It’s no surprise, then, that […]

Babylon Health, a UK AI chatbot and telehealth startup which has been valued in excess of $2BN, has suffered an embarrassing data breach after a user of the app found he was able to access other patients’ video consultations. “Why have I got access to other patients video consultations through your app?” tweeted Rory Glover […]

Startups hit the brakes in March as COVID-19 took a toll on the global economy. As certain industries ground to a halt, cohorts of startups made staffing cuts, including those focused on serving restaurants and travel. The waves of startup layoffs in the COVID-19 era hit companies large and small, impacting even the richest, most […]

Following the launch of Inbox.ai in March — its “Slack for external communications” — Amsterdam-headquartered MessageBird is continuing to place big bets on a messaging-first future. Not content with building a platform for customer service teams that lets them communicate with customers on a channel of their choosing, including all of the most popular messaging […]

The developers behind Fleksy have launched an SDK for Android and iOS to scale demand for white labelling of their AI keyboard software which bakes in privacy-safe next-word prediction. Swipe-style input (which it calls Fleksywave) is also in beta and slated to roll out soon. Fleksy competes for smartphone users’ digits with giants like Google’s Gboard […]

The global health pandemic has shed new light on how essential it is to have accurate data about an individual’s situation to assess the severity of his or her condition, and for those responding to emergencies to have it as instantly as possible to make the right choices in terms of care. Today, a startup […]

On June 5, Alexis Ohanian announced he was stepping down from Reddit’s board of directors. “I believe resignation can actually be an act of leadership from people in power right now,” the site’s founder and former CEO announced. “To everyone fighting to fix our broken nation: do not stop.” The move came as communities across […]