Monday, July 8, 2024

Welcome back to TechCrunch PM. This afternoon, we have stories about Apple removing VPN apps in Russia, an art therapy app that lets you express your emotions through doodles, Ghost entering the fediverse and more. Let’s get into it.

TechCrunch Top 3

Image Credits: Lucid Motors

Lucid Motors breaks its EV delivery record: Lucid Motors delivered 2,394 EVs in the second quarter of 2024, a new record for the company and a positive sign amid its struggle to establish a foothold in the EV market. The company has been looking to expand the number of buyers for its Lucid Air sedan by slashing prices and offering more affordable trims. Read more

Apple removes VPNs in Russia: The company removed the VPN apps from its App Store in Russia after Roskomnadzor, a government body that regulates the internet, demanded the removals. It’s the latest crackdown on VPNs since the government introduced a ban on VPN advertising ahead of the country’s election in March. Read more

Is this the end of the venture slump? The last couple of years have been relatively difficult for venture-backed companies that don’t have AI all over their pitch decks. Some investors are saying that the worst of the downturn is behind us as valuations quietly rebound to all-time highs. But there’s a catch. Read more

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Afternoon must-reads

Image Credits: Ghost (edited by Bryce Durbin/TechCrunch)

Ghost enters the fediverse: After Substack rival Ghost announced earlier this year that it would join the fediverse, it is making good on that promise. The company has federated its own newsletter, making it the first federated Ghost instance on the internet. Read more

Download your favorite recipes in a snap: Recipe app and cooking assistant Pestle is turning to AI to make it easier to save recipes from social media. The new feature allows users to import recipes directly from Instagram Reels using on-device machine learning. Read more

An app for art therapy: Scribble Journey aims to help users express and explore their emotions through art. Users choose a daily intention on the app, and Scribble Journey provides step-by-step drawing instructions so people can doodle their feelings and reflect. Read more

What to expect from Samsung Galaxy Unpacked: Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2024 kicks off Wednesday at 6 a.m. PT. From Samsung Galaxy Z Fold updates to a Galaxy Ring release date and price, here’s what you can expect from the event and how to watch along with us. Read more

Tembo raises $14 million: As the demand for AI grows, so does the demand for expertise in maintaining databases. That’s how Tembo raised $14 million in a funding round led by GreatPoint Ventures. Read more

Amazon revives Echo Spot: Amazon has released an all-new version of its Echo Spot ahead of Prime Day. The latest version sports better visuals and improved audio quality, but it will no longer have an integrated camera for video calling. Read more

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TechCrunch Minute

Image Credits: Getty Images / MirageC

How to protect yourself from AI scams: You probably like to think of yourself as reasonably sophisticated when it comes to online scams, but AI has made it easier, cheaper and sometimes more convincing to perform these attacks at scale. Here’s how you can protect yourself and your loved ones. Hit play and let’s chat!