Thursday, April 11, 2024

Welcome back to TechCrunch PM, your home for the most important startup, tech and venture capital news, brought to you in a single package. Today, the site was buzzing with the pricing of Humane's Ai Pin, as well as more cyberattacks and which app is Megan Thee Stallion's favorite. We also bring you news of Apple providing access to used iPhone components, Taylor Swift and TikTok, and a new nudity-blurring feature by Meta. Let's go!

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Image Credits: Brian Heater

Life beyond the smartphone: Now that Humane's Ai Pin is available (and will set you back $699), TechCrunch hardware editor Brian Heater gives us an inside look at why the timing is so great, the company's origins and how it views its competitors. Read More

Another day, another cyberattack: This time, customers of business intelligence and data analytics software company Sisense are being urged to reset their credentials and secrets after Sisense reported a security incident. Read More

More about Microsoft's hack: Now we find out that Russian government-backed hackers stole emails from several U.S. federal agencies in an ongoing cyberattack at Microsoft. Read More

Afternoon must-reads

Hot girls use Pinterest: That's right, Megan Thee Stallion says the image curation app is her favorite. Here's why Pinterest is having a moment. Read More

Care to repair: Starting this fall, Apple will provide access to its iPhone repair process, including used components. Read More

TSwift back on TikTok: Universal Music Group still hasn't come to an agreement with TikTok; however, it is letting certain Taylor Swift songs back on the platform. The timing of Swift's return to TikTok isn't a coincidence, though. Read More

How one VC firm is winning in the secondary market: Airtree Ventures is taking advantage of venture secondaries, but in a different way than some of its peers. Read More

Smartphones as collateral: That's how African fintech company PayJoy built a $300 million business. Now read about what else it is doing. Read More

Update all day: Live Folders, a new Browser Company feature for its Arc browser, will automatically create and update tabs in a folder based on events like someone adding a file to a shared folder. Read More

Blurring the line: Meta is testing new features on Instagram intended to help safeguard young people from unwanted nudity or sextortion scams. Called "Nudity Protection in DMs," the feature will automatically blur images detected as containing nudity. Now we just have to get teens not to send intimate images — Meta is working on that, too. Read More

Piloting Sanctuary AI's humanoid robot: Sanctuary AI will deliver its humanoid robot to a Magna manufacturing facility in Canada. Magna manufactures and assembles cars for a number of Europe's top automakers, including Mercedes, Jaguar and BMW. Read More

ScaleUp Startups Exhibitor Program: We have a new TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 offering for startups in Series A to B funding stages with $35 million or less in funding. Read More

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Money, money, money

Cendana and Kline Hill have a fresh $105 million to buy stakes in seed VC funds from LPs looking to sell. Read More

Simbian, which recently raised $10 million, brings AI to existing security tools. Read More

Google's Gradient backs Patlytics to the tune of $4.5 million in seed funding to help companies protect their intellectual property. Read More

Around the web

You've heard what we have to say about Humane's AI Pin; now see what reviewers had to say, Gizmodo reports. Read More

Meanwhile, The Financial Times quotes International Monetary Fund's managing director Kristalina Georgieva as saying, "The global economy faces a decade of 'tepid growth' and 'popular discontent' despite avoiding a much-feared recession." Read More

And Costco isn't just known for its hot dogs anymore. People are flocking there to buy gold bars. The big box retailer is bringing in an estimated $100 million to $200 million per month in gold sales, according to ABC News. Read More

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TechCrunch Minute

TikTok's and Meta's latest moves signal a more commodified internet: The internet's mega-platforms are slowly merging into a great blob of sameness, and even the hottest companies in the world are not immune from the trend. TikTok has a new Instagram-like feature, and Instagram expanded into videos and stories. We believe it is in pursuit to be good at everything … or grow revenue. You be the judge. Hit play and let's talk!