Welcome back to This Week in Apps, the weekly TechCrunch series that recaps the latest in mobile OS news, mobile applications and the overall app economy. The app industry continues to grow, with a record number of downloads and consumer spending across both the iOS and Google Play stores combined in 2021, according to the…
Data centers, which drive the apps, websites, and services that billions of people use every day, can be hazardous places for the workers that build and maintain them. Workers sometimes have to service a data center’s electrical equipment while it’s being energized. And they can become exposed to chemicals like chlorine, which is used as…
Forgive me if I’m over here, in the corner, having vibrant flashbacks to the Commodore 64, my very first computer. Today, Pentaform launches its AbacusBasic, a computer built into a keyboard. It comes with Windows 10 and everything you need to do computer-y things. You still need a monitor, but there are a few solutions…
Hey Siri, when does a “macroeconomic downturn” become a “recession”? It’s another bleak week for startups weathering dismal tech stocks and even worse cryptocurrency prices. But let’s start with some good news: your children can get vaccinated against COVID-19! Back to the bad news: We’re writing another weekly layoffs column, because once again, there’s been…
Most of us have a variety of fermented food products in our kitchen: you can’t make tofu, chocolate, vinegar or bread without agreeable microorganisms that can be produced at scale. Today, precision fermentation is innovating the alternative protein industry as food tech startups find the best methods for brewing eggs, dairy, meat and seafood in…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized user of the COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and BioNTech, and from Moderna, for kids between 6 months and 5 years of age. The FDA’s decision follows a length review process, and the dosage for children under 5 is greatly reduced relative to those for older children and…
Huobi Thailand will shut down its exchange permanently on July 1, according to an announcement posted on its website. This marks the exchange’s short-lived ambition in the Southeast Asian country where crypto adoption is flourishing. According to blockchain analysis company Chainalysis, Thailand has one of the world’s highest adoption rates of DeFi, or decentralized financial…
Millions of Indians each year assemble virtual sports teams, placing their hopes on the players they pick to perform exceedingly well in real-world matches. If the predictions are right, users make money. FanClash, a two-year-old Indian startup, is attempting to bring esports such as sleeper hit titles PUBG Mobile, COD and DOTA 2 to this…
Stephanie Capouch Contributor As VP of marketing at Terminus, Stephanie Capouch serves the brand, content and customer marketing organization. Traditionally, sales and marketing teams have relied on tactics like lead capture forms, landing and generic web pages, and follow-up outreach to connect with and convert prospects to sales. This onerous process requires an average of…
Q-commerce is known for its tough unit economics and thin margins. Why is Jumia making a play? Profitability has been an ongoing theme for Jumia since it went public in 2019. Each time the pan-African e-commerce platform releases its quarterly financials, investors and tech stakeholders dwell on its adjusted EBITDA and operating losses. While the…
