Samsung is reducing costs with its newest Galaxy S series phones, Google has finalized its acquisition of Fitbit, and Beyond Meat products are being added to the Taco Bell menu. This is your Daily Crunch for January 14, 2021.

Leading the news: Samsung introduces the Galaxy S21 series

Samsung’s latest smartphone lineup features the S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra, with price points of $799, $999, and $1,119 respectively, representing a price reduction of $200 across the board. Brian Heater notes that the Ultra model, specifically, “possesses a significant advantage” – compatibility with the S Pen.

All three phone models are currently available for pre-order and will begin shipping on January 29.

Alongside the phones, Samsung also revealed the Galaxy Buds Pro, priced at $199 and offering up to five hours of battery life. Furthermore, the company is releasing a Bluetooth tracking device called the Galaxy SmartTag.

Major technology companies

Google’s purchase of Fitbit is now complete, following a period of regulatory review in both Europe and the United States.

A flaw in Amazon’s Ring Neighbors app revealed the precise locations and home addresses of users – The issue allowed access to location data from users who posted within the application.

Beyond Meat’s stock value increased following an agreement with Taco Bell to develop new menu offerings – Taco Bell has announced a collaboration with Beyond Meat to create and test new items over the coming year.

Startups, financing, and venture capital

Medium has acquired Glose, a social application for reading books – Glose has developed apps for iOS, Android, and the web that enable users to purchase, download, and read books on their devices.

Tiger Global is establishing a new venture fund totaling $3.75 billion, just one year after closing its previous fund – Despite being designated Tiger Private Investment Partners XIV, this is actually the firm’s thirteenth fund.

Carbyne has secured $25 million in funding for a next-generation platform designed to enhance emergency 911 responses – The Israeli company intends to provide emergency services with more comprehensive caller information and supplementary telemedicine capabilities.

Insights and analysis from Extra Crunch

Five consumer hardware venture capitalists discuss their investment plans for 2021 – Investors are generally optimistic about startups in the at-home fitness sector.

Poshmark’s initial public offering was priced above expectations as public markets continue to invest in startups – This exemplifies the IPO market conditions of late 2020 and early 2021.

Twelve ‘flexible VCs’ who combine equity and revenue-sharing investments – Founders seeking funding without significant equity dilution: begin your search here.

(Extra Crunch is our subscription service, dedicated to providing accessible information about startups. You can register here.)

Other news

Technology and healthcare companies, including Microsoft and Salesforce, are collaborating on digital COVID-19 vaccination records – The “Vaccination Credential Initiative” involves numerous prominent companies from both the technology and healthcare industries.

2020 was among the warmest years on record and highlights the increasing risks associated with climate change – According to data from U.S. government agencies, 2020 either matched or nearly surpassed 2016 as the warmest year ever documented.

The Daily Crunch is TechCrunch’s summary of our most significant and important stories. To receive this update in your inbox daily around 3pm Pacific time, you can subscribe here.