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Nvidia unveils new GPU designed for long-context inference
TechCrunch· 2025-09-09 16:35
Core Insights - Nvidia announced the Rubin CPX GPU, designed for context windows larger than 1 million tokens, at the AI Infrastructure Summit [1] - The Rubin CPX is part of Nvidia's upcoming Rubin series and is optimized for processing large sequences of context, enhancing performance in long-context tasks such as video generation and software development [1] - Nvidia reported $41.1 billion in data center sales in its most recent quarter, reflecting the company's strong financial performance [2] - The Rubin CPX is expected to be available by the end of 2026 [2]
Tesla is seeking permits to offer ride-hail services at Silicon Valley airports
TechCrunch· 2025-09-09 16:26
Core Insights - Tesla is seeking permits to operate a ride-hailing service at San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland airports, indicating a strategic move to expand its transportation services [1][2] - Currently, Tesla lacks the necessary permits for a full ride-hail service in California and is limited to a charter service that does not involve autonomous vehicle operations [3][4] - The California Public Utilities Commission and the Department of Motor Vehicles are key regulatory bodies that Tesla must engage with to launch a larger ride-hail service, especially if it involves autonomous vehicles [4] Group 1: Regulatory Environment - Tesla has not filed any permit applications with the San Jose airport, but has inquired about the permit process [2] - The California DMV is attempting to prevent Tesla from selling vehicles in the state due to concerns over the company's claims regarding self-driving capabilities [4] Group 2: Competitive Landscape - Airports have historically been competitive environments for transportation services, as seen with Uber and Lyft's entry into the market [5] - Waymo has successfully established a ride service at Phoenix's Sky Harbor International airport and recently received permission to operate at San Jose airport, highlighting the potential for autonomous vehicle services at airports [7] Group 3: Current Operations - Tesla is currently testing a limited robotaxi network in Austin, Texas, with around 20 to 30 cars in operation, although the company has faced some documented issues during testing [8][9]
Tesla revamps the Megapack in attempt to reverse its declining storage business
TechCrunch· 2025-09-09 16:10
Core Insights - Tesla is launching the Megapack 3 and Megablock to revitalize its energy storage business, which has seen a decline in recent quarters [1][3] - The Megapack 3 offers increased storage capacity and a longer lifespan, while the Megablock combines four units for enhanced efficiency [2][3] - Production of these new products will begin in the latter half of 2026 at Tesla's Megafactory in Houston, which has a capacity of 50 gigawatt-hours per year [3][6] Product Details - Megapack 3 stores approximately 1 megawatt-hour more electricity than Tesla's largest current offering and features an updated thermal management system [1][2] - The Megablock configuration allows for 20 megawatt-hours of storage and reduces installation times by 23% and construction times by up to 40% [2] - The operational temperature range for Megapack 3 is from –40˚ F to 140˚ F, making it suitable for diverse environments [2] Market Context - Tesla's energy storage business has reported two consecutive quarters of declining performance, despite being the leading supplier in 2024 [3] - The overall energy storage industry is experiencing rapid growth, indicating potential opportunities for Tesla to regain market share [4] - Tesla installed 9.6 gigawatt-hours of stationary energy storage last quarter, highlighting its current operational scale [6] Strategic Partnerships - Tesla's energy storage solutions may benefit from internal demand from xAI, which has already integrated 168 Megapacks at its data center [7]
Snap breaks into ‘startup squads' as ad revenue stalls
TechCrunch· 2025-09-09 01:41
Core Insights - Snap is restructuring into small "startup squads" of 10 to 15 people to enhance competitiveness against larger rivals [1] - The company is facing challenges with advertising revenue growth stagnating at 4% in Q2 and a 2% decline in North American daily active users to 98 million [1] Revenue and Growth Opportunities - Snapchat+ subscriptions are generating over $700 million in annual recurring revenue from more than 15 million paying subscribers, marking it as one of Snap's fastest-growing revenue streams [2] - Snap is investing in AR glasses, referred to as Specs, which are envisioned to replace smartphones, indicating a significant shift towards human-centered computing [2] Market Valuation and Stock Performance - The current stock price reflects skepticism, but there is potential for "startup-style return" at Snap's valuation of approximately $12 billion, which is a 90% decrease from its peak market cap of $116 billion in September 2021 [2]
Netskope follows Rubrik as a rare cybersecurity IPO, both backed Lightspeed
TechCrunch· 2025-09-08 22:35
Core Insights - The cybersecurity sector is experiencing a trend where startups are more likely to be acquired rather than going public, as evidenced by Wiz's decision to sell to Google instead of pursuing an IPO [1] - Netskope, a cloud cybersecurity platform, is set to become a public company, aiming for a valuation of up to $6.5 billion [2][3] Company Overview - Netskope is recognized as a Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) provider, offering cybersecurity solutions for cloud infrastructure, including secure web gateways and firewall as a service [6] - The company has major competitors such as Zscaler and Palo Alto Networks [6] Investment and Valuation - Lightspeed Venture Partners, a significant investor in Netskope, owns 19.3% of the company and previously held a 23.9% stake in Rubrik when it went public at a valuation of $6.6 billion [2][3] - Netskope's last valuation was $7.5 billion following a $300 million Series H funding round in 2021, and it also raised a $401 million convertible note in 2023 [6] Financial Performance - For the first half of the year, Netskope's revenue increased to $328.5 million from $251.3 million year-over-year, while its net loss narrowed to $169.5 million from $206.7 million [7] - If Netskope goes public at a valuation of $6.5 billion, it would join other VC-backed companies that debuted below their last private market valuations [7][8]
Meta suppressed children's safety research, four whistleblowers claim
TechCrunch· 2025-09-08 17:29
Core Points - Current and former Meta employees have disclosed documents to Congress alleging that the company may have suppressed research on children's safety [1] - Allegations include changes in Meta's policies regarding sensitive research topics following the leak of internal documents by whistleblower Frances Haugen [2] - The whistleblowers claim that Meta discouraged discussions and research on the use of its social virtual reality apps by children under 13 [4] Policy Changes - Meta proposed two methods for researchers to limit risks in sensitive research: involving lawyers to protect communications and using vague language in findings [3] - A former researcher reported being instructed to delete recordings of an interview related to a serious safety concern on Meta's VR platform [3] Legal and Regulatory Context - A Meta spokesperson stated that information from minors under 13 must be deleted if collected without parental consent, but whistleblowers argue that employees were discouraged from addressing concerns about children's safety [4] - A lawsuit filed by a former employee raised similar concerns about the safety measures for users under 13 on Meta's Horizon Worlds platform [7] Racial and Safety Issues - Allegations in the lawsuit include that users with Black avatars faced racial slurs shortly after entering the platform [8] - The company is also facing criticism regarding the impact of its AI chatbots on minors, with reports indicating that previous rules allowed inappropriate conversations with children [9] Company Response - Meta claims that since the start of 2022, it has approved nearly 180 studies related to social issues, including youth safety and well-being, countering the narrative presented by whistleblowers [5]
How to watch Apple announce the iPhone 17
TechCrunch· 2025-09-08 17:05
Core Insights - Apple is set to host its "Awe dropping" hardware event, expected to unveil the iPhone 17 lineup, updates for Apple Watch, and AirPods [1] - The iPhone 17 Air is rumored to replace the Plus model, featuring a thinner design and a larger 6.3-inch screen with a 120Hz display [2] - Significant redesigns are anticipated for the Pro model, including a new rectangular camera bar [3] iPhone 17 Features - The iPhone 17 is expected to include a 24-megapixel front camera and enhancements in display technology [2] - The Pro model may feature a new camera layout with a rectangular bar design [3] Other Product Announcements - Apple is likely to announce the third-generation Apple Watch Ultra and SE, along with the Apple Watch Series 11 [3] - Enhanced active noise cancellation is expected for the AirPods Pro 3 [3] Software Updates - Details regarding the public release of iOS 26, which introduces a Liquid Glass interface, may also be provided during the event [4]
YouTube's first exclusive NFL broadcast attracts over 17M viewers
TechCrunch· 2025-09-08 15:24
Core Insights - YouTube's first exclusive global broadcast of an NFL game achieved a record with over 17.3 million concurrent viewers from more than 230 countries and territories [1] - The average minute audience (AMA) for the game was 16.2 million in the U.S. across various platforms, with YouTube reporting 1.1 million AMA outside the U.S. [2] - The broadcast is part of YouTube's expanded partnership with the NFL, aimed at increasing ad revenue, although viewership was lower compared to Netflix's NFL broadcasts [3] YouTube and NFL Partnership - The exclusive broadcast is part of a broader partnership with the NFL announced in May, focusing on attracting advertisers [3] - YouTube aims to differentiate itself through a creator-driven viewing experience, featuring popular YouTubers during the broadcast [4] Viewer Reactions - Audience reactions to the involvement of YouTubers were mixed, with some fans enjoying the presence of their favorite creators while others found the sports commentary to be "cringe" [5]
Adtech company PubMatic sues Google over monopoly violations
TechCrunch· 2025-09-08 14:41
Core Viewpoint - PubMatic has filed a lawsuit against Google, alleging illegal monopolization of the ad technology market and seeking billions in damages [1][2] Group 1: Lawsuit Details - This lawsuit is the second instance of an advertising exchange suing Google following a federal judge's ruling in April that found Google had illegally monopolized ad exchanges and ad servers [2] - A trial is scheduled for this month to determine if Google should divest parts of its advertising business due to its illegal conduct [2] Group 2: Company Perspective - PubMatic's CEO Rajeev Goel emphasizes that the lawsuit is not solely about financial compensation but aims to ensure fair competition in online advertising markets [2] - Goel expressed that for years, innovation was hindered by Google's illegal monopoly, which created barriers that were not related to technological limits [3] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - PubMatic competes directly with Google Ad Manager, and the company has previously been considered for acquisition by Google in 2011, although Google opted to purchase AdMeld instead [3]
Uber and Momenta to test autonomous vehicles in Germany in 2026
TechCrunch· 2025-09-08 06:00
Core Insights - Uber and Momenta plan to test robotaxis in Munich, Germany starting in 2026, marking the first continental European city for this initiative [1][6] - The partnership was first announced in May 2025, with initial operations involving human safety operators onboard [1][2] - Momenta is a significant player in China's autonomous vehicle market, having tested self-driving cars since 2018 [2] Company Developments - Momenta has been involved in the autonomous vehicle sector since its founding in 2016 and is recognized for its competitive position in China [2] - Uber's entry into the European AV market puts it in competition with other ride-hailing companies, such as Lyft, which has partnered with Baidu for robotaxi deployment [2] - Uber has established partnerships with 20 global AV companies, generating an annualized rate of 1.5 million mobility and delivery trips [3] Market Expansion - Uber's international strategy includes partnerships with Chinese AV startups like WeRide and Pony.ai for robotaxi services in the Middle East [4] - Current AV services are offered in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, with plans to expand to Dubai [4] - Uber and Wayve are also planning public road trials of Level 4 AVs in London [4] Technical and Regulatory Aspects - Munich was chosen for its engineering heritage and strong automotive ecosystem, with Uber's CEO highlighting Germany's historical significance in the automotive industry [6] - Momenta's robotaxi deployment in Europe will require certification from German regulators, including safety standards and geo-fenced area approvals [7][8] - Momenta is also developing advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in collaboration with major German automakers, with ADAS already installed on 400,000 vehicles [9]