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Meta wants to open more retail stores
TechCrunch· 2025-05-28 17:29
Group 1 - Meta aims to expand its retail presence to enhance sales of hardware products like Ray-Ban Meta glasses and Meta Quest VR headsets, allowing customers to try products before purchasing [1][2] - Establishing retail stores will help Meta compete with Apple's upcoming AR and VR products, despite the high cost of Apple's Vision Pro headset [2] - Meta has already initiated its retail strategy by hiring the former CEO of The RealReal as its retail VP [3]
AMD buys silicon photonics startup Enosemi to fuel its AI ambitions
TechCrunch· 2025-05-28 17:23
Group 1 - AMD has acquired Enosemi, a startup focused on custom materials for silicon photonics product development, with deal terms undisclosed [1] - Silicon photonics technology uses light to transmit data, providing a faster and more efficient alternative to traditional electrical communication, which has garnered increasing interest from AMD and other chipmakers [1] - The acquisition aims to accelerate AMD's co-packaged optics innovation for AI systems, addressing the growing need for efficient data movement as AI models become larger and more complex [2] Group 2 - Enosemi, founded in 2023, specializes in photonic integrated circuits and has previously collaborated with AMD as an external development partner [2] - Prior to the acquisition, Enosemi raised $150,000 in venture capital funding and had 16 employees as of May [3] - This acquisition marks AMD's first following its significant $4.9 billion deal to buy ZT Systems, which AMD has since agreed to sell for $3 billion [4] Group 3 - AMD's AI chip revenue is projected to reach $5 billion in 2024, indicating a strong commitment to AI investments [4]
Why export restrictions aren't the only thing to pay attention to in Nvidia's earnings
TechCrunch· 2025-05-28 15:40
Core Viewpoint - Nvidia's upcoming earnings report for Q1 of fiscal year 2026 is highly anticipated, particularly regarding the impact of U.S. chip export controls on its international business and future guidance, although some analysts believe the focus should be on the rollout of the new GB200 NVL72 hardware [1][2]. Group 1: GB200 NVL72 Hardware - The GB200 NVL72 machines, which include 72 GPUs and cost approximately $3 million, are a significant focus for shareholders, especially as this is the first quarter the company has shipped the machine [3]. - Analysts have reduced their delivery estimates for the GB200 NVL72 due to chaos surrounding DeepSeek in late January, despite strong demand and high expectations [3]. - If Nvidia announces a delivery of 10,000 units in Q2, it could represent $30 billion in revenue, but estimates suggest they may deliver less than 5,000 units [4]. Group 2: Market Reactions and Stock Performance - Immediate effects on Nvidia's stock are expected based on comments regarding U.S. export controls, but long-term valuation may be more influenced by demand for the GB200 NVL72 [7]. - Nvidia's stock has shown resilience, recovering quickly from short-term market reactions, indicating a strong competitive position [8]. - The company continues to find customers outside of China, maintaining strong demand for its AI chips, with new projects like Stargate in the Middle East likely contributing positively [9]. Group 3: Enterprise Demand for AI Technology - The results from the GB200 NVL72 shipments will provide insights into enterprise appetite for the latest AI technology, raising questions about whether companies will consistently upgrade their AI hardware [4]. - The demand for GB200 NVL72 units will be a key indicator for Nvidia's performance, overshadowing fluctuations in quarterly revenue [9].
With iOS 19 on the way, Apple looks toward mobile gaming
TechCrunch· 2025-05-28 14:50
Core Insights - Apple is focusing on the mobile gaming opportunity ahead of its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) [1] - The company has acquired its first game studio, RAC7, which developed the popular Apple Arcade game Sneaky Sasquatch [2] - Apple is developing a dedicated gaming app for iOS that will replace the Game Center app and integrate with Apple Arcade [4] Company Developments - Apple already offers a subscription-based Arcade product for iOS, providing access to various mobile games, including indie titles like Stardew Valley [2] - The acquisition of RAC7 marks a significant step in Apple's investment strategy in the gaming sector [2] - The new gaming app will feature leaderboards, recommendations, challenges, and social features, potentially integrating with iMessage or FaceTime for multiplayer gaming [4] Industry Trends - The rise of cloud gaming is influencing Apple's strategy, as users increasingly prefer streaming games without large downloads [5] - Other companies, such as Netflix, are also investing in mobile gaming, indicating a broader trend in the entertainment industry [3]
Instacart appoints chief business officer Chris Rogers as new CEO
TechCrunch· 2025-05-28 13:00
Core Insights - Instacart has appointed Chris Rogers as the new CEO, effective August 15, following the resignation of Fidji Simo, who will join OpenAI as CEO of Applications while remaining Chair of the Board at Instacart [1][4]. Company Leadership Transition - Chris Rogers, previously the Chief Business Officer, has extensive experience overseeing retailer relationships, ad sales, R&D, partnerships, and mergers & acquisitions at Instacart [2]. - Rogers joined Instacart in 2019 after nearly 11 years at Apple, where he served as Managing Director for Apple Canada, and he began his career at Procter and Gamble [2]. Vision and Strategy - Rogers emphasized Instacart's mission to transform grocery shopping and address everyday needs, highlighting the company's world-class team, deep partnerships, and leading technology [3]. - Under Rogers' leadership, Instacart will maintain its focus on growing opportunities for retailers and brands, as well as providing flexible earnings for shoppers on its platform [3][6]. Support from Previous Leadership - Fidji Simo expressed confidence in Rogers' ability to lead the company, noting his critical role in shaping Instacart and commitment to a smooth transition [4][6].
Meta reportedly splits its AI team to build products faster
TechCrunch· 2025-05-27 19:12
Group 1 - Meta is restructuring its AI department into two teams: an AI products team and an AGI Foundations unit, with no job cuts reported [1] - The AI products team will focus on consumer-facing applications, including AI features in Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and a new stand-alone AI app [1] - The AGI Foundations unit will concentrate on broader initiatives, such as enhancing the Llama models [1] Group 2 - Meta is actively competing with companies like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic, launching initiatives to maintain its market position [2] - The company introduced a Llama for Startups program to promote the use of its products in generative AI applications among early-stage companies [2] - Meta's LlamaCon event in April was aimed at demonstrating its competitive capabilities against OpenAI [2]
Salesforce acquires Informatica for $8 billion
TechCrunch· 2025-05-27 15:59
Group 1 - Salesforce has acquired Informatica for $8 billion in an equity deal to enhance its AI and data infrastructure capabilities [1][3] - The acquisition involves a payment of $25 in cash per share for Informatica's Class A and Class B-1 common stock, with Informatica having a market cap of $7.1 billion at the time of the announcement [2] - This acquisition is expected to support Salesforce's ambitions in agentic AI by improving data infrastructure and governance, allowing AI agents to operate more effectively across enterprises [3] Group 2 - The acquisition follows earlier rumors in April 2024, which initially caused stock price declines for both companies due to concerns over integration challenges [3] - Informatica is not the first data management company acquired by Salesforce in the past year, as the company also acquired Own Company for $1.9 billion in cash in September [5] - Salesforce's general manager emphasized the importance of data security and how Own's expertise will enhance Salesforce's data protection and management solutions [6]
Tesla loses more ground in Europe, while BYD makes gains
TechCrunch· 2025-05-27 15:58
Group 1: Tesla Sales Performance - Tesla sales in Europe and the U.K. have fallen by nearly half, with a 49% year-over-year decline in April, selling 7,261 vehicles [1][2] - The decline in sales is notable despite the recent launch of the new Model Y vehicle, which typically would attract more consumers [2] - Competitors of Tesla have not experienced the same decline, indicating potential impacts from CEO Elon Musk's political activities and alignment with U.S. President Donald Trump [2] Group 2: Overall Market Trends - New car registrations in the EU, U.K., and EFTA countries fell by 0.3% year-over-year to 1,077,186 units, with gas and diesel vehicles seeing the largest declines [3] - Electric vehicle (EV) sales grew by 27.8% year-over-year to 184,685 vehicles in April, while hybrid vehicles saw a significant increase of 31% in sales [3] - Chinese manufacturers, such as BYD, are gaining market share, with registrations of EVs made by Chinese automakers rising by 59% year-over-year to almost 15,300 units [4]
YouTube tops Disney and Netflix in TV viewing, Nielsen finds
TechCrunch· 2025-05-27 15:28
Group 1 - YouTube has achieved a significant milestone by maintaining the largest share of TV viewing for three consecutive months, accounting for 12.4% of total audience time spent watching television [1] - This represents an increase from 12% the previous month and a notable rise from 9.6% a year ago, highlighting YouTube's dominance over major media companies like Disney, Paramount, and Netflix [2] - Disney held the second-largest share of TV viewing in April with 10.7% of the total audience time [2] Group 2 - YouTube's share of TV viewing is expected to grow further, bolstered by a significant deal with the NFL to exclusively stream the first Friday game of the season, marking YouTube's entry as a live broadcaster for NFL games [3]
Ahead of WWDC, Apple says App Store blocked $2B in fraud transactions last year, $9B in past 5 years
TechCrunch· 2025-05-27 14:43
Core Insights - Apple announced it has prevented over $9 billion in fraudulent transactions in the past five years, with $2 billion in 2024 alone [1][5] - The release of these metrics serves to highlight the benefits of the App Store while reminding developers of the risks associated with alternative payment methods [2][3] - Apple terminated over 146,000 developer accounts and rejected 139,000 enrollments due to fraud concerns in 2024 [7] Fraud Prevention Metrics - Apple blocked nearly 2 million risky app submissions in 2024 [1][7] - The company rejected over 711 million customer account creations and deactivated nearly 129 million customer accounts last year [7] - Apple stopped nearly 4.6 million attempts to install or launch apps outside the App Store or approved third-party marketplaces [10] Developer Considerations - Larger apps like Fortnite and Spotify have quickly adopted new payment functionalities, while smaller developers remain cautious due to potential financial risks [4][11] - Early data suggests that small businesses may not benefit financially from switching to their own payment systems [11] - Apple's App Store commissions are positioned as a trade-off for security, hosting, and fraud prevention services [10][12] Market Context - Under the EU's Digital Markets Act, alternative app stores are now accessible, which may expose developers to piracy risks [9] - Apple's metrics aim to reinforce the value of the App Store in a changing market landscape where developers have more options [13]