Our latest longform look at a notable tech company examines Automattic, “the leading commercial complement to the open-source WordPress publishing platform.”
The Automattic TC-1
Sixteen years in and now valued at $7.5 billion, Automattic has found a multitude of strides, even as it strives to own ever more of the media market.
One-time TikTok rival Byte relaunches as Clash, an app for video creators and their top fans
When the Trump administration announced it would ban TikTok in the U.S., a number of alternative short-form video apps began to flourish, as users hedged their bets on a potential TikTok exit. Among these was Byte, an app co-created by Vine co-founder Dom Hofmann, which topped 1.3 million downloads in its first week alone. But […]
The Guardian view on Amazon’s shops: benefit society, not just consumers | Editorial
Is a low-tax corporate form of work intensification where staff are tracked and assessed to ensure they meet exacting targets good for Britain? What Amazon does today, its competitors seem to do tomorrow. That is why the arrival of Amazon’s futuristic …
TikTok adds new sound partners to allow brands to leverage audio on the platform
TikTok is announcing new partnerships aimed at making it easier for brands to tap into music and sound on the platform. The company has expanded its TikTok Marketing Partners program and introduced six certified partners that will help brands create “sound-on” strategies for the platform. TikTok notes that it essentially wants to connect brands with […]
Upmesh wants to build a community-driven discovery app for Southeast Asian live commerce
The founders of Upmesh were building a game on top of Twitch’s API when they realized something about another group of livestreamers. Even though selling through Facebook Live has been gaining popularity in Southeast Asia for years, many vendors are still going through their comments afterward and using pen-and-paper to collect orders. Upmesh was created […]
THG investors start to question Matthew Moulding’s enthusiasm
Latest attempt to seize online opportunities falling flat as founder pursues corporate gymnasticsWhen your share price falls by a third in the three weeks after a big announcement that was supposed to reveal hidden value within your company, you’ve got…
Nearly half of toys from third-party online sellers found to be dangerous
UK industry body warns of ‘wild west of safety’ after investigation into toys being sold on major sitesNearly half the toys purchased from third-party sellers on online marketplaces were dangerous, according to an investigation by an industry body that…
China roundup: Tesla supplier CATL to buy Canada’s Millennial Lithium
Hello and welcome back to TechCrunch’s China roundup, a digest of recent events shaping the Chinese tech landscape and what they mean to people in the rest of the world. China’s anti-competition tech crackdown continues to redefine the dynamics among the country’s internet giants, leading to collaboration between Alibaba and Tencent in the payments race. In […]
Twitter for Professionals will begin to roll out this week for businesses and creators
Twitter really can’t go a day without releasing new products. But if you’re running an account for a business or a public figure, its latest addition might capture your interest. Soon, businesses and creators will be able to opt into “professional accounts,” giving them additional tools to distinguish their profile, quickly promote content through ads […]