Author: TechBrunch

Apple Intelligence released public betas of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1 on Thursday, taking another big step toward mainstream adoption. Starting Thursday, people who sign up for Apple's public beta program will be able to experience the generative AI-powered platform the company has been touting since June. At the moment, Apple Intelligence is only available in US English. The feature is also unavailable indefinitely in both the EU and the People's Republic of China due to regulatory issues. In the US, you can access the feature on the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the…

For those unsatisfied with the Photos app “upgrade” in iOS 18, a new app is offering an alternative. Capitalizing on consumer backlash against Apple's change to a single-page, tab-free design for the default Photos app, photo app maker LateNiteSoft is introducing a new app called Photon Library that not only complements the company's other photo apps and photo editing tools, but also offers the familiar look of the old iOS Photos app that was there before iOS 17. The company was inspired to create an alternative photo app after seeing early iOS 18 adopters unhappy with Apple's new design. iPhone…

On Monday, Apple released its latest computer operating system update, called macOS 15 (Sequoia), and for some reason, the software update broke the functionality of multiple security tools made by CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, Microsoft, and others, according to social media posts and messages posted to a Mac-focused Slack channel. At this time, it's unclear what the issue exactly is, but it appears to affect multiple products made by companies that provide software for macOS users and businesses, sparking frustration among those who work on macOS-specific security tools. “As a developer of macOS security tools, it's incredibly frustrating to repeatedly have to…

Chrome users are now more familiar with Passkey, a digital credential that lets you sign in to apps and websites without typing a password. Starting today, you can store your passkeys in Google Password Manager, Google's password manager built into Chrome on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and it will automatically sync your passkeys across all your signed-in devices. The password manager client for Android now also automatically syncs your passkeys, with iOS sync support coming soon. (Passkey sync is in beta on ChromeOS.) Sync your passkey via Google Password Manager. Image credit: Google For added protection, Google is adding a…

Launching a new product is hard, but doing it in a space dominated by tech giants requires bold innovation, sharp strategy and the ability to scale quickly. TechCrunch Disrupt 2024, taking place October 28-30 at Moscone West in San Francisco, will do just that, while bringing together three experts tackling one of the world's biggest challenges: climate change. We're excited to welcome Paul Lambert, founder and CEO of Quilt, Gurinder Nagra, CEO of Furno Materials, and Brigid O'Brien, Managing Partner at RA Capital Management, to our Builder's Stage lineup at Disrupt 2024. They'll share the strategies that have enabled them…

BackMarket held a press conference in Paris on Thursday morning to talk about upcoming product launches and provide an update on the company's current situation. For those of you who may not be familiar with this French startup, it operates a marketplace for refurbished electronics (mostly smartphones). The company has attracted a lot of investor funding in recent years, but it has also been through some tough times. Like many big tech companies in 2021, Back Market has been riding the wave of zero interest rates around the world to raise huge amounts of funding: a $335 million Series D…

UPchieve, a free, 24/7 online tutoring and college counseling app for low-income students, announced Thursday that it will provide Title 1 middle and high school teachers with new tools to ensure their students get the academic support they need. Called “UPchieve for Teachers,” the new service allows teachers to offer one-on-one support to their students. Teachers can invite students to sign up for tutoring, create classes, and monitor students' use of the platform. Previously, students had to sign up for tutoring services themselves, but with this new product, teachers can now invite students for one-on-one tutoring for free. In the…

In a world where innovation knows no borders, a new trend is emerging in the tech ecosystem: startups serving the national interest. From aerospace and defense to critical infrastructure, these companies are ensuring that innovation directly supports the growth, security, and prosperity of the nation. As Silicon Valley approaches a tipping point in its evolution, the question arises: Can startups reshape the foundations of an entire nation? TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 will bring together three prominent leaders making waves in the national interest startup world, who will share their perspectives on how to rapidly scale new technologies while serving the strategic…

The Startup Battlefield 200 is a major highlight of every Disrupt, and we're excited to find out which of the thousands of startups that apply will get the chance to pitch to top VCs at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024. Tune in to watch this epic showdown, taking place from October 28-30 at Moscone West in San Francisco, where every applicant will have a shot at making a big impact. The judges will provide you with detailed feedback on the evaluation criteria, giving you an inside look at what they look for in promising companies. Don't miss your chance to learn from…

Like rival Google, Amazon has also launched an AI-powered video generator, though it's currently only aimed at advertisers and has somewhat limited functionality. Amazon today announced at its Accelerate conference that Video Generator can turn a single product image into a few-second video clip in just a few minutes. The company said Video Generator can create “custom” AI-generated videos that “showcase the features of your product” at no extra cost. Jay Richman, Amazon's vice president of advertising, said in a statement that Video Generator, which is currently in beta for some advertisers in the U.S., will be fine-tuned over time…