Spotify doubled down on podcasts last week with a double deal to buy podcast networks Gimlet and Anchor. Those acquisitions were initially undisclosed, but Spotify has quietly confirmed that it spent €300 million, just shy of $340 million, to capture the companies. That’s according to an SEC filing — hat tip Recode’s Peter Kafka — which deals the […]
View More Spotify says it paid $340M to buy Gimlet and AnchorCategory: operating systems
Manipulating an Indian politician’s tweets is worryingly easy to do
Here’s a concerning story from India, where the upcoming election is putting the use of social media in the spotlight. While the Indian government is putting Facebook, Google and other companies under pressure to prevent their digital platforms from being used for election manipulation, a journalist has demonstrated just how easy it is to control […]
View More Manipulating an Indian politician’s tweets is worryingly easy to doApple tells app developers to disclose or remove screen recording code
Apple is telling app developers to remove or properly disclose their use of analytics code that allows them to record how a user interacts with their iPhone apps — or face removal from the app store, TechCrunch can confirm. In an email, an Apple spokesperson said: “Protecting user privacy is paramount in the Apple ecosystem. Our […]
View More Apple tells app developers to disclose or remove screen recording codeApple to compensate teenager who found Group FaceTime eavesdrop bug
Apple has said it will compensate the teenager who first found a security bug in Group FaceTime that allowed users to eavesdrop before a call was picked up. The bug was initially reported to Apple by 14-year-old Grant Thompson and his mother, but the family struggled getting in contact the company before the bug was discovered elsewhere. The […]
View More Apple to compensate teenager who found Group FaceTime eavesdrop bugSkype can now blur the background during video calls
Thanks to the rise of WhatsApp and other free calling and messaging apps, Skype is no longer the go-to service it once was for many people. But the company just added a new feature which might raise its appeal among users. The Microsoft-owned service’s latest addition is a screen-blurring feature designed to obscure your messy room […]
View More Skype can now blur the background during video callsMany popular iPhone apps secretly record your screen without asking
Many major companies, like Air Canada, Hollister and Expedia, are recording every tap and swipe you make on their iPhone apps. In most cases you won’t even realize it. And they don’t need to ask for permission. You can assume that most apps are collecting data on you. Some even monetize your data without your knowledge. […]
View More Many popular iPhone apps secretly record your screen without askingProfits at The New York Times show media dinosaurs are ruling the internet
Today’s news that the (failing?) New York Times reported net income of $55.2 million, after losses a year earlier — and that its digital business raked in $709 million — is just one indicator that some of the nation’s oldest media properties are finally crossing the bridge into the 21st century. The Times managed to turn […]
View More Profits at The New York Times show media dinosaurs are ruling the internetSpotify buys Gimlet and Anchor in podcast push, earmarks $500M for more deals
Spotify is going after podcasts in a major way in 2019. The music streaming service today confirmed that it has snapped up two podcast networks — Gimlet and Anchor — in undisclosed deals. But that’s not all, the firm said it has plans to spend a further $400-$500 million “on multiple acquisitions in 2019” to get […]
View More Spotify buys Gimlet and Anchor in podcast push, earmarks $500M for more dealsChat app Line injects $182M into its mobile payment business
Japanese messaging app company Line is pumping 20 billion JPY ($182 million) into its mobile payment business as it tries to turn things around following a challenging year in 2018. The company announced the infusion into Line Pay, a subsidiary that it fully owns, in a filing which stated that the new capital is “necessary […]
View More Chat app Line injects $182M into its mobile payment businessEverything you need to know about Facebook, Google’s app scandal
Facebook and Google landed in hot water with Apple this week after two investigations by TechCrunch revealed the misuse of internal-only certificates — leading to their revocation, which led to a day of downtime at the two tech giants. Confused about what happened? Here’s everything you need to know. How did all this start, and […]
View More Everything you need to know about Facebook, Google’s app scandalApple has blocked Google from running internal iOS apps after certificate misuse
Apple has blocked Google from distributing its internal-only iOS apps on its corporate network after a TechCrunch investigation found the search giant abusing the certificates. “We’re working with Apple to fix a temporary disruption to some of our corporate iOS apps, which we expect will be resolved soon,” said a Google spokesperson. A spokesperson for Apple […]
View More Apple has blocked Google from running internal iOS apps after certificate misuseGmail on mobile gets a fresh coat of Material Design paint
Gmail on mobile will soon get a new look. Google today announced that its mobile email apps for iOS and Android are getting a redesign that is in line with the company’s recent Material Design updates to Gmail, Drive, Calendar and Docs and Site. Indeed, the new UI will look familiar to anybody who has […]
View More Gmail on mobile gets a fresh coat of Material Design paint