Sarah Perez
TechCrunch
Tampa, FL, United States
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Recent articles by Sarah:
Roku, Roblox and others disclose their exposure to SVB in SEC filings
The fallout from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank is impacting a range of startups and larger firms including, as we know now from SEC filings, publicly traded companies like Roku, Roblox, Quotient, and others. Roku said in a filing that it had around $487 million held at SVB, representing around 26% of its cash […] → Read More
This Week in Apps: Meta's paid verifications, Instagram's founders' new app and Spotify's AI DJ
This Week in Apps offers a way to keep up with this fast-moving industry in one place. → Read More
Google Photos’ AI-powered ‘Magic Eraser’ is now a Google One subscription perk
Google says Magic Eraser, the HDR effect and new collage Styles will begin rolling out today. → Read More
Meta announces ‘Facebook Jail’ reforms that focus more on better explanations of policy, less on ‘timeouts’
“Facebook jail,” the name the social network’s users have bestowed on the company’s system for determining policy violations, is getting an overhaul. Meta announced today it will be reforming its penalty system based on the recommendations from the Oversight Board, the independent body of experts, academics, civic leaders, and lawyers who now weigh in on […] → Read More
YouTube launches a multi-language audio feature for dubbing videos, previously tested by Mr. Beast
The Korean-language Netflix series “Squid Game” became one of the streaming service’s most popular shows of all time, thanks to the ability to subtitle or dub episodes in the viewer’s own language. Now, similar technology is coming to YouTube for the broader creator economy. YouTube announced today it’s rolling out support for multi-language audio tracks […] → Read More
Instagram’s co-founders’ personalized news app Artifact launches to the public with new features
Artifact is dropping its waitlist and phone number requirements, introducing the app's first social feature and adding feedback controls. → Read More
Spotify launches ‘DJ,’ a new feature offering personalized music with AI-powered commentary
Ahead of Spotify’s upcoming Stream On event, where the company is expected to announce a redesigned home feed and other updates, the company today launched a new AI feature called “DJ” to better personalize the music listening experience for its users. Similar to a radio DJ, Spotify’s DJ feature will deliver a curated selection of […] → Read More
Elon Musk suggests Twitter could open source its algorithm ‘next week’
A new tweet by Twitter owner Elon Musk suggests the company is preparing to open source its algorithm as soon as next week. → Read More
Tumblr iOS revenue increased 125% since launching its parody of paid verification
Tumblr’s parody of paid verification has already delivered the social network and blogging platform a 125% boost in iOS in-app purchase revenue since November, according to a new analysis of the app’s in-app consumer spending. The company, now operated by WordPress owner Automattic following its 2019 acquisition, launched its response to Twitter’s paid verification hustle […] → Read More
iOS 16.4 to bring 31 new emoji, including shaking face, pink heart, two pushing hands and more
With the release of iOS 16.4 developer beta, we're getting our first look at the new Emoji 15.0 coming to our iPhones, thanks to Emojipedia. → Read More
Snapchat announces 750 million monthly active users
At its Investor Day event on Thursday, Snap shared a handful of new metrics about its business and teased its prospects. Notably, it said its social media app Snapchat has now grown to over 750 million monthly active users. While the number falls far short of the roughly 2.96 billion monthly active users Facebook reported […] → Read More
Tile takes extreme steps to limit stalkers and thieves from using its Bluetooth trackers
Apple took a big PR hit as news spread that its item tracker the AirTag was being used for stalking and car thefts, which led the company to retool its software with a closer eye on user safety. AirTag’s competitor Tile is now introducing its own plan to make its device safer, with the launch […] → Read More
Is the ‘exodus’ over? Here’s how Twitter alternatives have fared since Elon Musk’s acquisition
New data takes a look at how a range of "Twitter alternatives" have fared in the months following Musk's acquisition of the popular microblogging network. → Read More
In a boost for the ‘metaverse,’ Roblox stock pops 25% after strong Q4 earnings
It looks like the metaverse is doing okay. No, not the one Meta is trying to make happen in VR — the gaming platform Roblox is where the kids are still spending their money, apparently. After reporting its fourth-quarter results on Wednesday, Roblox shares popped 25%, as investors reacted to the company’s better-than-expected earnings. Made popular […] → Read More
Meta improves its consumer-facing tool that explains why you’re seeing that ad
Meta today announced it’s making changes to increase transparency around ads. The company says it’s updating a nearly decade-old Facebook feature “Why am I seeing this ad?” to better explain to consumers how an AI technique called machine learning may have played a role in the ad’s placement, among other factors. Specifically, it will now […] → Read More
Instagram is killing live shopping in March, will focus on ads instead
As Meta gears up for its “year of efficiency,” the company announced today it’s exiting the livestream shopping business on Instagram, following a similar shutdown on Facebook. Starting on March 16, 2023, Instagram users will no longer be able to tag products while livestreaming — a capability that has been broadly available to U.S. businesses […] → Read More
YouTube launches its new commercial music licensing resource, Creator Music
YouTube today announced its new marketplace, Creator Music, is now fully open to all YouTube Partner Program participants in the U.S. → Read More
The AI photo app trend has already fizzled, new data shows
Is the AI photo app trend already over? Over the past several months, AI-powered photo apps had been going viral on the App Store as consumers explored AI powered-experiences like Lensa AI’s “magic avatars” feature and other apps promising to turn text into images using AI tech. But new data from app intelligence firm Apptopia […] → Read More
Samsung adds temperature-based period tracking to its Galaxy Watch5
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch5 will now offer improved period tracking features thanks to a new partnership with Natural Cycles that leverages the smartwatch’s temperature sensors to make better predictions. The launch follows last fall’s announcement of a new temperature sensor on the Apple Watch Series 8 that similarly allows wearers to improve their period predictions as well […] → Read More
This Week in Apps: AI apps, Bing hits the Top Charts, Google and Mozilla test non-WebKit browsers
This Week in Apps offers a way to keep up with this fast-moving industry in one place with the latest from the world of apps, including news, updates, startup fundings, M&As and much more. → Read More