Daily Crunch: Spotify is testing virtual events
Spotify explores virtual concerts, Twitter tests a “quotes” count and Google’s Nest Hub becomes more hotel-friendly. This is your Daily Crunch for August 26, 2020. The big story: Spotify is… »
Category: Spotify
Warner Music acquires IMGN, a social media publishing platform, for under $100M
It’s a whole new playing field these days for music labels and publishers, and today one of the biggies made an acquisition to help it sharpen up its strategy to better… »
VCs and startups consider HaaS model for consumer devices
I’ve been following consumer audio electronics company Nura with great interest for a few years now — the Melbourne-based startup was one of the first companies I met with after… »
Former Spotify marketing exec-turned-VC Sophia Bendz on her love of early-stage investing
Earlier this month, venture capitalist and former Spotify global director of marketing Sophia Bendz announced that she was leaving London-based Atomico to join Berlin’s Cherry Ventures. Her stated reason for… »
NYSE seeks SEC approval for more direct listings
The New York Stock Exchange filed an amendment today with the Securities and Exchange Commission to allow for more direct listings. Direct listings offer a more streamlined method for companies… »
Apple Pay and iOS App Store under formal antitrust probe in Europe
Apple is under formal investigation by antitrust regulators in European Union — following a number of complaints related to how it operates the iOS App Store and also its payment… »
Facebook strikes global licensing deal with Indian music label Saregama
Facebook said on Wednesday it has entered into a global deal with Saregama, one of India’s oldest and largest music labels, to license its music for video and other social… »
Tech companies mark Blackout Tuesday
Over the weekend, music industry execs Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang called on fellow industry members to protest police violence against black people by pausing operations for the day. The… »
Spotify signs ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ to an exclusive multi-year deal
Over the past couple of years, Spotify has demonstrating a long-term commitment to the podcasting format by shelling out money hand over fist. The music streaming service has made a… »
Tencent Music bets on China’s crowded podcasting space
Listeners of podcasts, audiobooks and other audio shows are estimated to number 542 million in China this year, according to a third-party survey by marketing firm iiMedia. It’s a healthy… »
Equity Shot: 1% is the new “growth”
Happy Saturday and welcome back to an Equity Shot, a short-form episode of Equity where we drill into one particular topic. There was so much news this week in our… »
Equity Monday: What’s Clubhouse and why Marc wants us to build
Good morning and welcome back to TechCrunch’s Equity Monday, a brief jumpstart for your week. Regular Equity episodes still drop each and every Friday morning, so if you’ve listened to… »
Players Ntwrk launches celebrity gaming channel backed by WME, Daylight and Stratton Sclavos
Emerging from the smoldering wreckage of Echo Fox and Vision Venture Partners, the investor Stratton Sclavos is rising again to launch a new esports related venture — a gaming-focused digital… »
Equity Monday: Two early-stage rounds, grocery delivery and SoftBank’s bill
Good morning friends, and welcome back to TechCrunch’s Equity Monday, a short-form audio hit to kickstart your week. Before we jump into today’s show, don’t forget that the long-form Equity that… »
Fitbit adds GPS and Spotify control for the Charge 4
Let’s be real: Now isn’t the ideal time to launch a health tracker. For a majority of us, expectations have dramatically plummeted for step counts, workout minutes and other gamified… »
Datastax acquires The Last Pickle
Data management company Datastax, one of the largest contributors to the Apache Cassandra project, today announced that it has acquired The Last Pickle (and no, I don’t know what’s up… »
Jam lets you safely share streaming app passwords
Can’t afford Netflix and HBO and Spotify and Disney+…? Now there’s an app specially built for giving pals your passwords while claiming to keep your credentials safe. It’s called Jam,… »
2019: the year podcasting broke
Like any burgeoning art form, podcasts have a complicated relationship with corporate America. The form’s appeal has long been its accessibility; for years, it’s been open to anyone with an… »
Spotify spent a lot of money on podcasting, so it wants you to start listening, please
Listen. Spotify’s tired of screwing around here. The company spent a lot of money on podcasts. Like, a lot, a lot. And it really needs you to start listening to… »
Apple and Spotify’s podcasts come to Echo devices in the US
Amazon Alexa can now play podcasts from Apple, making Amazon’s line of Echo devices the first third-party clients to support the Apple Podcasts service without using AirPlay. Before, this level… »
Apple Music dives deeper into concert streaming with Billie Eilish
As music streaming apps struggle to differentiate, Apple is making concert video a more central part of its strategy with tonight’s big Billie Eilish show at its HQ’s Steve Jobs… »
Atomico Partner Tom Wehmeier reviews ‘The State of European Tech’ 2019 report
Atomico, the European venture capital firm founded by Skype’s Niklas Zennström, has released its latest annual The State of European Tech report, published in partnership with Slush and Orrick. As… »
Startups Weekly: Chinese investors double down on African startups
Hello and welcome back to Startups Weekly, a weekend newsletter that dives into the week’s noteworthy startups and venture capital news. Before I jump into today’s topic, let’s catch up… »
Morgan Stanley’s ‘Teflon banker’ talks direct listings (and much more)
After landing a seemingly endless string of coveted deals for his bank, Morgan Stanley, Michael Grimes has been dubbed “Wall Street’s Silicon Valley whisperer.” Morgan Stanley has served as the… »
Michael Grimes, “Wall Street’s Silicon Valley whisperer,” says direct listings are “absolutely” more efficient than IPOs
Michael Grimes has been called “Wall Street’s Silicon Valley whisperer” for landing a seemingly endless string of coveted deals for his bank, Morgan Stanley. In more recent years, it has… »
Spotify’s free music service will now stream on Alexa devices, plus Bose and Sonos smart speakers
Spotify has worked with Amazon Echo since 2016, but only for premium subscribers. Today, that changes as Spotify says its free tier will now stream across Alexa-powered devices, as well… »
Tesla V10.0 car software update adds Smart Summon, Netflix/YouTube, Spotify, karaoke and more
Tesla is rolling out a new software update that adds a slew of new features to its cars. These include the new “Smart Summon” feature, which will allow cars equipped… »
Europe shows the way in online privacy
Alastair Mitchell Contributor Alastair Mitchell is a partner at multi-stage VC fund EQT Ventures and the fund’s B2B sales, marketing and SaaS expert. Ali also focuses on helping US companies… »
Your guide to WeWork’s CEO shuffle
Hello and welcome back to Equity, TechCrunch’s venture capital-focused podcast, where we unpack the numbers behind the headlines. This week Kate and Alex were back at TechCrunch’s San Francisco HQ to huddle over the… »
Spotify adds two personalized playlists focused on your repeat listens
Spotify is expanding its selection of personalized playlists with this morning’s launch of two new additions: On Repeat and Repeat Rewind. Both are focused on helping you revisit the songs… »
Nicola Sturgeon announces tighter household measures as PM says England’s new restrictions ‘likely to remain in force for six months’ Boris Johnson sets out new Covid restrictions at ‘perilous turning… »
A dossier of evidence detailing how the online ad targeting industry profiles Internet users’ intimate characteristics without their knowledge or consent has been published today by the Irish Council for… »
