Amazon takes on Walmart with Whole Foods pricing, Uber stops tracking post-trip and Amazon adds multi-speaker playback. All that and more in The Daily Crunch for August 29, 2017. 1. Amazon's Whole Foods price cuts compared to Walmart Not content to just outclass Walmart in ecommerce, Amazon dropped prices at Whole Foods immediately after its deal closed. But how does that compare to Walmart's food prices? Sarah investigates. Whole Foods actually wins out over Walmart in some price categories, which is surprising given the positioning of the brands. I'm sure Walmart is in panic mode right now. 2. Uber to end post-trip location tracking Uber made a change to its app last year that requested access to a device's location info even when the app wasn't in use. The purpose, per Uber, was to help refine pickup and dropoff point data with more info pre- and post-trip, but now it's ending the controversial practice. Uber would do well to embrace a "don't be creepy" motto generally given its recent setbacks. 3. Amazon Echo now supports multi-room music synced playback Echo now borrows a trick from Sonos, allowing multi-room streaming and synced playback. This is great news for Echo owners, who've been waiting for this feature for a long time now. 4. Meanwhile Sonos is adding voice agent support Sonos is going to compete with Echo from the other direction, adding microphone and voice assistant support via a new device revealed in FCC filings. The big reveal for this will happen October 4 in NYC, and we'll be on hand to tell you all about it. 5. Ford and Domino's are delivering pizzas via self-driving car The team-up is a research project located exclusively in Ann Arbor, Michigan for now, but regular Domino's Pizza customers who order via the app could get their delivery via autonomous Ford Fusion Hybrid car. The purpose of the project is to find out how people react to getting deliveries via autonomous vehicle, and to refine the user experience. 6. BMW's i3 gets a sport package It's called the i3s, and it boasts sport-focused updates including a more powerful electric powertrain, sport-tuned suspension and wider wheels. 7. YouTube gets a new look and more YouTube has changed its logo, taking the screen off the Tube and putting it up front. That's what happens when you become the destination, instead of an alternative for TV. There are more new features included, too. Also, TechCrunch Disrupt is right around the corner, and we'll have Human Utility Executive Director and Detroit Water Project co-founder Tiffani Ashley Bell on stage to talk about tech and social good. Meanwhile, you can donate to Human Utility and the Detroit Water Project using the link below to help do some social good yourself: |
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