Tech News Highlights: March 10, 2021

Significant investment by Apple in Germany, regulatory actions taken by Russia against Twitter, and the public debut of Roblox represent key developments. This is a summary of the day’s most important tech stories.

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Apple Expands Chip Design Capabilities in Germany

Apple has announced a substantial $1.2 billion investment to establish a new European Silicon Design Center. This facility, located in Munich, will concentrate on the development of chips for 5G connectivity and other advanced wireless technologies.

Munich already serves as a major engineering center for Apple, currently employing 1,500 engineers. The company’s initial focus within the city was power management, but the scope of work has broadened to encompass a wider range of chip design areas.

Global Tech Landscape

Russian authorities are attempting to restrict access to Twitter. The state communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, initiated this action following Twitter’s failure to remove content deemed unlawful.

Adobe has released native versions of Photoshop optimized for Apple Silicon Macs, alongside a feature enabling image enlargement without compromising detail. This demonstrates Adobe’s commitment to supporting Apple’s new processor architecture.

Facebook is contesting the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) antitrust lawsuit, employing strategies previously utilized by other large technology companies. The challenge centers on the FTC’s definition of market dominance.

Startups, Funding, and Investment Activity

Terry Crews is introducing a new social currency. In collaboration with Roll, a social currency platform, Crews is launching $POWER.

Onto, an electric vehicle subscription service, has partnered with Shell to enhance access to charging infrastructure. This collaboration will provide Onto subscribers with access to over 3,400 Shell Recharge points throughout the United Kingdom.

Rent the Runway’s iOS team has launched Runway, a streamlined tool for managing app release coordination. Runway integrates with existing development tools to automate processes and improve communication.

Insights from Extra Crunch

Roblox made its public market debut today, with shares initially trading above the reference price of $45. This marks a significant milestone for the gaming platform.

“Dear Sophie” provides an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the H-1B, O-1A, and EB-1A visas. This column addresses immigration questions relevant to professionals in the technology sector.

Brendan O’Donnell of FrontlineX suggests that proactive CEOs should prioritize expansion into the European market, citing it as a key driver of growth.

(Extra Crunch is a membership program designed to support founders and startup teams. Registration is available here.)

Additional News and Analysis

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are reshaping the creation of cultural value. The latest episode of Equity explores the implications of this emerging technology.

Effective remote work relies on passive collaboration. Adapting to a fully remote workforce has presented challenges for organizations.

Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, discussed tech’s response to online hate speech and potential policy solutions. We explored the coming era of accountability for technology platforms.

The Daily Crunch is TechCrunch’s compilation of the most impactful stories. Subscribe here to receive this daily briefing in your inbox around 3pm Pacific Time.

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