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Apple to Allow EU iPhone Users to Select Default Apps Soon
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Kristoffer Lindström
August 23, 2024
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Uber has announced a multiyear partnership with autonomous-car specialists Cruise, aiming to offer self-driving taxi rides via its app from next year. Riders in areas where the robotaxis are in operation will have the choice between a Cruise autonomous vehicle or a traditional driver-operated vehicle. The move aligns with Uber's broader strategy of partnering with autonomous technology developers, as opposed to creating its own in-house solution. Both companies are recovering from past mishaps involving autonomous vehicles, taking measured steps towards a future of driverless urban mobility.
Instagram's private messaging app, Threads, is reportedly exploring ad technology despite no immediate plans for monetization. Developers discovered references to ads in the app's code alongside a test JSON file. Instagram head Adam Mosseri confirmed that ads are part of Meta's future plan for Threads, which aims to reach 1 billion users in a few years. The platform, being familiar to marketers via Meta's other ad tools, could potentially offer advertisers another venue for their products and services.
Controversial artificial intelligence start-up, Perplexity AI, plans to launch ads on its popular AI-assisted search app in Q4. The company, valued at over $1 billion following April's funding round, asserts that the app currently has 230 million monthly users, with U.S. queries skyrocketing eightfold within a year. Despite previously facing plagiarism accusations, Perplexity has debuted a revenue-sharing model with publishers and aims to enroll 30 publishers by year-end.
Apple is introducing an option for EU iPhone users to choose their preferred default apps, including for phone calls, messaging, keyboards, and password managers. In 2023, default navigation and translation apps will also be allowed. Simultaneously, users will gain the ability to remove most in-built apps, save for Settings and Phone. Alongside these updates, alterations to Safari's browser choice screen will occur, offering a more streamlined user process and equal visibility for all browser options.
Meta has introduced a new feature that allows users to cross-post from Instagram and Facebook to Threads. This move is intended to maximize the use of shared content across Meta's suite of apps. The feature is available to the billions of users on its larger app ecosystem, bolstering Threads, which recently passed 200 million active users. However, this cross-posting option is only applicable to text and link posts and not available for Instagram Reels.
AI-driven coding aids drew nearly $1bn in funding, indicating software engineering to be the first job sector transformed by AI. These coding "co-pilots" increase efficiency, with aspiring tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, and Google competing for dominance. "Co-pilot" GitHub Copilot, with nearly 2mn paying subscribers, has become the model for " better code than the average developer". “However, use still implies careful manual scrutiny before deployment.
Fintech company Stripe Inc. is set to buy back its employee shares, using its own cash reserves instead of external funding. The move comes despite venture capital firm Sequoia Capital recently offering to buy shares at $27.51 each, setting Stripe's valuation at $70 billion.
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Revolut Alumni Secure $18M for Live-Shopping App Tilt Amid E-commerce Evolution - London-based live-shopping app Tilt secured $18M in a Series A round led by Revolut and Balderton Capital. The app, targeting Gen Z fashion brands, facilitates real-time e-commerce transactions.
Opkey Bags $47M to Boost AI-Driven ERP Test Automation - Opkey, an AI continuous test automation platform, secured $47 million in Series B funding to accelerate product development, expand globally, and enhance its AI capabilities. The platform reduces ERP changes time by 50% and defect rates by over 70%.
Dropbox Takes Over AI Scheduling Tool, Reclaim.ai, Backed by Index Ventures - Dropbox has acquired Reclaim.ai, an AI scheduling tool with over 43,000 company users. The full team of 22 is set to integrate with Dropbox.
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