Sam Altman's ChatGPT parenting pitch draws viral pushback
Sam Altman pitched ChatGPT Work as a way to script kids' morning-drive updates, but cartoonist Alex Hirsch's one-line reply went more viral than his original post.
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Apps & Consumer
889 storiesEight apps trade phone access for real-world movement
A wave of apps now locks distracting social and streaming apps behind step counts, workouts, or even a photo of grass, giving users a structural way to cut doomscrolling.
India's app market hits a record $345M quarter
India's mobile app market generated a record $345 million in consumer spending during the second quarter, up 35% from a year earlier, driven increasingly by AI, streaming, and productivity apps rather than gaming, according to a new Sensor Tower report.
Google pulls Earth AI image feature a day after launch
Google scrapped a new Google Earth feature that let users generate fabricated satellite imagery with AI, just a day after launch, following criticism that it could spread misinformation.
Snapchat stops rewarding fully AI-generated Spotlight videos
Snapchat says its recommendation systems will no longer surface fully AI-generated videos in Spotlight, reserving discovery for content made by real people.
Reddit tests video and audio feeds for its viral posts
Reddit is developing a "video Reddit" experience that lets users watch and listen to posts, CEO Steve Huffman said on the company's second-quarter earnings call.
WhatsApp tests folder to sort messages from large businesses
WhatsApp is testing a feature that automatically moves messages from large businesses like banks and airlines into a new "Offers & Updates" folder, TechCrunch has learned exclusively.
Friend, the AI wearable, adds a voice — and a higher price
Friend, the AI companion necklace that debuted two years ago, has relaunched with a built-in voice and a new $249 price, up from $99 at launch.
LinkedIn adds a button to flag AI-generated 'slop'
LinkedIn is rolling out a "Seems like AI slop" button that lets users flag posts they suspect were written by AI, part of a broader push to cut down on inauthentic content.
Spotify launches 'User Notes' to attach memories to songs
Spotify has launched "User Notes," a feature letting users aged 16 and older add personal captions to individual tracks on free and premium plans in select markets.
Meta says AI is speeding up new app launches, more coming
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says large language models are letting the company ship consumer apps faster, with several new launches already out and more on the way.
Netflix strikes $500M global licensing deal for 'The Walking Dead'
Netflix has signed a global licensing deal, reportedly worth $500 million, for co-exclusive streaming rights to "The Walking Dead" franchise's 371 episodes.
Spotify adds a running mode with AI-tuned playlists
Spotify's new running mode cues songs to a run's phase and the listener's pace, arriving Wednesday for Premium subscribers on iOS in seven countries.
Winamp partners with Deezer to power its return as a paid streaming app
Winamp and Deezer announced a partnership on Wednesday under which Deezer will power Winamp's upcoming premium music subscription service, using Deezer's white-label technology and global licensed catalog while Winamp keeps its own branding.
Waymo resumes freeway robotaxi routes after safety pause
Waymo is gradually restoring freeway routes for its robotaxis, starting in Phoenix, more than two months after pausing them over how the vehicles behaved near construction zones.
Google expands age-assurance API to Android developers worldwide
Google will expand its Play Signal API, which lets Android developers identify younger users, to all markets worldwide by the end of 2026.
Martha Stewart co-founds Hint, an AI app for home maintenance
Hint, a new AI-powered home-management app co-founded by Martha Stewart, launches today with $10 million in funding from investors including Montauk Capital and Brian Kelly.
Polar raises $5.7M for an AI browser built for knowledge work
Polar, an AI-first browser startup whose CEO previously worked on Perplexity's Comet browser, has raised $5.7 million in a seed round led by Madrona.
New app launches surge 60% worldwide as AI coding lowers barriers
Worldwide new app releases rose 60% year-over-year in Q1 2026, with Apple's iOS store alone up 80%, as AI coding tools help more developers ship niche software.
HBO Max launches short-form video feed and AI-powered search
HBO Max is rolling out a TikTok-style "Shorts" feed and an experimental AI-powered conversational search tool, Warner Bros. announced Tuesday.