Apple Antitrust Charge: Europe Files Complaint

Tech News Update: April 30, 2021

An antitrust complaint has been filed against Apple in Europe, a new CEO has been appointed at TikTok, and YouTube TV is no longer available on Roku platforms. This summarizes the key tech developments for April 30, 2021.

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Apple Faces Antitrust Charges in Europe

The European Commission has issued preliminary charges against Apple. These charges stem from complaints lodged by Spotify regarding App Store policies.

Specifically, the Commission objects to Apple’s requirement for music streaming developers to utilize its in-app purchase system. This is considered an anti-competitive practice.

The Commission also expressed concern over restrictions imposed by Apple that prevent developers from informing users about cheaper purchasing options outside of the App Store.

Apple has been granted a 12-week period to respond to these allegations.

Updates from Major Tech Companies

ByteDance’s CFO has been appointed as the new CEO of TikTok. This appointment follows the departure of Kevin Mayer eight months prior, amidst scrutiny from the previous administration.

Roku has removed the YouTube TV application from its channel store following unsuccessful contract negotiations. Roku alleges that Google exploited its market dominance to demand unfavorable terms.

Facebook’s latest research is advancing computer vision towards achieving “common sense” capabilities. A key area of development is “semi-supervised learning.”

Startup Funding and Venture Capital News

Mux, a video platform geared towards developers, has reached unicorn status with a $105 million funding round. The company believes video is becoming increasingly integral to software development.

Pachama, a marketplace for verified forest carbon offsets, has secured $15 million in funding. The startup utilizes satellite imagery and machine learning to enhance transparency and verification in the carbon credit market.

Heirlume has raised $1.38 million to simplify the trademark registration process for small businesses. Their machine-powered platform offers a self-service option at an affordable price.

Insights from Extra Crunch

There is considerable optimism surrounding consumer trading services, coinciding with a surge in fintech venture capital and the anticipated IPO of Robinhood. However, these services may need to adapt their business models for long-term sustainability.

Valuing fintech startups is a complex task, particularly given the current surge in IPO activity. New valuation methodologies may be required.

A growing movement towards health data transparency is fostering a new wave of startups. This movement is balanced by the need for strict patient data privacy protection.

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Additional Tech Industry News

The cloud infrastructure market continued its growth in Q1, generating nearly $40 billion in revenue. This represents a $2 billion increase from the previous quarter and a 37% year-over-year growth.

A new episode of the Webby-nominated Equity podcast is now available.

Extra Crunch Live will host a pitch-off event, providing startups with the opportunity to present to seasoned tech leaders and a live audience.

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