Welcome to the Weekly Review (WiR), TechCrunch’s regular column that summarizes the week’s tech news. I don’t know about you guys, but it feels like a long time – and I’m grateful for extending the weekend. For Memorial Day observers, enjoy. If not, take some time off if you can. We all need rest here and there.
First, a few PSAs.
This week, TechCrunch Live organization Flint Capital and Sensi.AI, a startup that uses audio-based software to monitor patients and support healthcare workers and family members. To those of you who have followed, many thanks. But if you missed it, don’t worry – we’ll update the record soon.
Then in September, there interrupt, the annual meeting of TC. Whether you’re a startup rookie learning experience, a seasoned investor looking for the next big thing, or a founder aspiring to change the world, Disrupt provides the tools, knowledge, and insights you need. knowledge and connections to help you make it happen.
Now, continue with the news.
Most read
After 28 years, Windows gets RAR support: Devin writes about Microsoft bringing native support for the RAR archive format to Windows. Miraculously, it took more than three decades for the .rar file to finally be supported in Windows without any kind of additional software. That’s how long I’ve lived, dear readers – not to date myself!
Netflix starts cracking down on passwords: After a delayed launch, Netflix’s password-sharing prevention is now starting to roll out to subscribers in the US and other global markets. The live streamer already has originally intended to introduce “paid share” for U.S. subscribers in the first quarter of this year but pushed the start date back to the summer after seeing cancellations in markets it launched change.
More layoffs at Meta: Meta is conducting its latest round of layoffs on Wednesday, which are estimated to affect around 6,000 people. These cuts are part of the so-called corporate Effective yearwhere Meta is being massively restructured to save money and flatten the organizational structure.
EU orders Meta suspension: In other Meta news, Meta was hit this week with a formal suspension ordering it to stop exporting EU user data to the US for processing. Nice weather European Data Protection Commission announced that Meta was fined 1.2 billion euros (nearly $1.3 billion), which the Council confirmed was the largest fine ever issued under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of block.
Meta forced to sell: Meta, once again dominating the headlines this week, sold Giphy — the animated GIF search engine it acquired for 400 million USD three years ago — to Shutterstock. The sale is not necessarily voluntary; seven months ago, the UK’s antitrust authority final command for Meta to sell Giphy, citing the merger to reduce competition.
WhatsApp adds message editing feature: WhatsApp announced one of its most anticipated features this week — message editing. WhatsApp users can now modify messages within 15 minutes of sending the message. Edited messages will have an “edited” tag next to the timestamp to mark the change.
Problem with payment verification: The fake Pentagon hack that went viral this week shows the dangers of Twitter’s paid verification scheme. Gist? Combination of blue check pay And artificial intelligence makes the spread of misinformation so easy — and fast.
Investing in India: Amazon plans to invest $12.7 billion in its cloud business in India by 2030, the e-commerce group said on Thursday, as it ramps up its expansion. AWS infrastructure in an important foreign market at a time when it has reduce some other services in the area.
Bigger and better: Amazon launched its biggest tablet this week. Called Fire Max 11, it has an 11-inch display. The company is pricing the device at $229.99 — offering a cheaper option for users than the 10.9-inch iPad and new Pixel tablet with a screen of similar size.
AI to build websites: This week at its annual Build conference, Microsoft debuted Copilot in Power Pages — an AI-powered assistant for Microsoft’s low-code business website creation tool — in preview for US customers. Given prompts, Copilot can create text, forms, chatbots, and website layouts, and can create and edit images and website design themes.
TechCrunch (virtual) in Atlanta
Image credits: Bryce Durbin (Opens in a new window)
On June 7, TechCrunch will host City Spotlight: Atlanta. We’ve got a bunch of great shows planned, including a side chat with Ryan Glover, the co-founder of fintech Greenwood, as well as a workshop examining the venture ecosystem in the Atlanta area. and identify the best ways to raise funds and meet with local venture capitalists. But that’s not all. If you are an early stage founder based in Atlanta, apply to pitch with our guest judges/investors for our live pitch contest; winners will get a free booth at this year’s TechCrunch Disrupt to showcase their company in our startup alley. Register here.
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Need a podcast (or several)? You’ve come to the right place — there’s no shortage of options from TC HQ. this week on EstablishThe team includes Sarah Sandnes, co-founder and CTO of SafetyWing, which is creating a global safety net for people working remotely. TechCrunch Livemeanwhile, featured Mark Rostick from Intel Capital and Garima Kapoor from MinIO, a startup that has found a niche for selling object storage while competing directly with Amazon S3.
TechCrunch+
TC+ subscribers get access to in-depth commentary, analysis, and surveys — things you’d know if you were already a subscriber. If you do not, consider signing up. Here are a few highlights from this week:
Profitability on growth: In this piece by Kate, five investors explain their mantra for startups in Korea. Kate spoke with select investors who are investing in the Korean market to hear their predictions for 2023, their investment strategies, what sectors excite them, etc.
Cybersecurity degradation: Alex writes about how, based on decent earnings reports and valuations, public cybersecurity companies are outperforming the broader tech segment. However, funding for cybersecurity startups has dwindled.
Startup in the enterprise AI race: Another work by Alex explores whether startups have a chance to get into enterprise AI. He notes how profitable it can be to sell software to large corporations, players who are not chasing a small market.
