Apple Announces 2021 App Store Award Winners - Daily Crunch

Daily Crunch: December 2, 2021

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Today's Highlights

Greetings and a warm welcome to the Daily Crunch for December 2nd, 2021. Numerous developments are unfolding across the tech landscape.

Increased activity is being observed within the fintech sector in Latin America. Furthermore, Actuator is initiating its launch phase.

Key Events

• The App Store Awards have been announced, recognizing innovative applications.
• A notable selloff has occurred within the software market this week.

The volume of news remains substantial. It is anticipated that the pace of reporting may decrease in the coming week.

– Alex

TechCrunch's Top 3 Stories

This report details the three most prominent stories covered by TechCrunch recently. These events span from questionable layoff practices to the performance of newly public companies and unexpected award winners.

Better.com's Controversial Layoffs

Better.com recently faced significant criticism regarding its handling of employee terminations. The company secured substantial funding, yet proceeded to lay off a portion of its workforce shortly thereafter.

This sequence of events generated negative publicity and was widely perceived as a poor management decision. Specifically, 9% of the staff were let go after the company gained access to half of its SPAC funding.

Grab's Public Market Debut and Subsequent Decline

The initial public offering (IPO) of Grab, facilitated through a SPAC merger, was anticipated to be a major success for the company.

However, despite raising a considerable amount of capital and successfully avoiding significant shareholder redemptions, Grab's stock experienced a substantial decline in value. Shares fell by approximately 20% on the Nasdaq exchange.

Unexpected Winner of the App Store Awards

Apple's annual App Store Awards revealed a surprising victor in the iPhone gaming category.

The mobile version of League of Legends was selected as the winning game. This outcome was unexpected, given the game's established presence and the nature of Apple's award selection process.

The App Store Awards have been likened to events like the Grammys, particularly considering Apple's dual role as both an award giver and a marketplace owner. A potential initiative to create a "Best of TechCrunch" compilation and gauge its reception on Apple News has been suggested.

Startups/VC

Timnit Gebru’s success demonstrates resilience: After a notable departure from Google, the former Alphabet AI ethicist has established the DAIR research institute. This new venture concentrates on areas she felt were previously undervalued within Google, as reported by TechCrunch.

A fulfilling outcome is often the most effective response, or, alternatively, launching a company dedicated to pursuing the necessary work.

Acquisitions and Unique Branding

IRL’s acquisition of AaBeZe Labs is a welcome development. There was a period when application names were intentionally obscure. However, a shift occurred as startups adopted more corporate-sounding names, such as “Vertical SaaS 4 Ur Industry.”

IRL, a social application, has acquired AaBeZe, a company specializing in “digital nutrition.” This represents a refreshing embrace of unconventional technology.

The Rise of Community-Focused Platforms

The term “community” has gained prominence in the startup world as the cost of acquiring customers through social networks has increased. Building a dedicated community can significantly reduce customer acquisition expenses.

Playground, as detailed by TechCrunch, is a social platform designed to facilitate community discovery and development. It also aims to empower creators to generate revenue from their audience. Caution: repeatedly mentioning “monetize community” may result in unfavorable consequences.

Expansion in the Mexican Market

Two noteworthy developments are emerging from Mexico. Mendel has secured $35 million in funding to address corporate spending challenges, mirroring the success seen in the United States.

Furthermore, Kueski has significantly increased its capital reserves to support the growth of its Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) solution specifically tailored for the Mexican market.

Venture Capital and Religious Applications

Glorify has received venture capital funding, presenting an interesting juxtaposition. The act of securing venture capital to support an application offering religious materials seems somewhat paradoxical.

Notably, a16z has invested $40 million in Glorify, prompting reflection on Matthew 19:24. It is assumed a portion of the funding will be allocated as tithes.

The High Cost of Instant Grocery Delivery

Determining the cost of grocery delivery is a complex question. The answer, in reality, appears to be an unlimited amount of capital.

This is evidenced by JOKR’s continued fundraising efforts and Swiggy’s planned $700 million investment in its own “instant” grocery delivery service.

An Examination of Bret Taylor’s Recent Career Advancement

Bret Taylor has experienced a notably successful week. He was appointed chairman of the Twitter board on Monday. Subsequently, Salesforce announced his position as co-CEO and co-chair.

Ron Miller, a reporter specializing in enterprise technology, reviewed Taylor’s professional trajectory. This was done to gain insight into the path that led a former Google product manager to a leadership role within a globally significant corporation.

To provide a comprehensive analysis, Miller consulted with four industry analysts:

• Liz Herbert, holding the position of VP and principal analyst at Forrester Research.
• Holger Mueller, an analyst with Constellation Research.
• Brent Leary, the founder and principal analyst of CRM Essentials.
• Jason Wong, an analyst at Gartner.

TechCrunch+ is a membership program designed to support founders and startup teams in achieving their goals. Registration for the program can be completed here.

Big Tech Inc.

Ongoing coverage of Amazon Web Services (AWS) was provided today. This resource is particularly valuable for startups seeking information regarding the offerings of the leading cloud platform provider.

Recent Developments

A new no-code/low-code service, designed to facilitate the rapid development of cloud-connected applications and integrated with Figma, was recently highlighted.

Market Trends

Despite a recent market recovery, technology stocks have experienced a decline in value. An analysis by TechCrunch explores the point at which this downward trend should become a significant concern.

The current state of the tech market is being closely monitored. Further insights into potential risks and opportunities are available through the referenced TechCrunch article.

• Information regarding AWS services remains a key focus.
• The emergence of Figma-integrated development tools is noteworthy.
• The performance of tech shares warrants continued observation.

AWS continues to be a dominant force in the cloud computing landscape. The new no-code/low-code platform represents an evolving trend in application development. Understanding the fluctuations in tech stock values is crucial for investors and industry observers.

TechCrunch Experts

TechCrunch is currently seeking recommendations for skilled software consultants.

Areas of expertise include UI/UX design, website development, and mobile development, among others.

Seeking Client Feedback

Software consultants are encouraged to share a survey link with their clients.

TechCrunch aims to gather insights into positive client experiences and understand the reasons behind client satisfaction.

How to Participate

• If you are a software consultant, distribute the survey to your clientele.
• Clients are invited to share their experiences and highlight the benefits of collaborating with their chosen consultants.

The goal is to identify and recognize top-tier consultants based on direct feedback from those they serve.

This initiative provides valuable recognition for consultants and assists potential clients in finding qualified professionals.