Aisha Malik, Author at TechCrunch

Instagram is embracing the ‘photo dump’

Aisha Malik — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 17:38:48 +0000

Instagram is rolling out the ability for users to add up to 20 photos or videos to their feed carousels, as the platform embraces the trend of “photo dumps.” Back in 2017, Instagram added the ability to post up to 10 photos or videos in one swipeable carousel post. Now, you can post double the […]

YouTube is testing a feature that lets creators use Google Gemini to brainstorm video ideas

Aisha Malik — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 22:15:13 +0000

YouTube is testing an integration with Google Gemini to help creators brainstorm video ideas, titles and thumbnails. The Google-owned company announced the launch of the new Brainstorm with Gemini feature in a video posted to its Creator Insider channel. A YouTube spokesperson told TechCrunch that the feature is available to select creators as a part […]

Flighty’s popular flight-tracking app can now predict delays using machine learning

Aisha Malik — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 16:00:00 +0000

Popular flight-tracking app Flighty is releasing a new version on Tuesday that uses machine learning and aviation authority data to provide early warnings of delays and give users the exact reason behind delays. With the launch of Flight 4.0, the app tracks the two biggest causes of delays — late aircraft and airspace issues — […]

TikTok rolls out a new feature that lets you find songs by singing or humming them

Aisha Malik — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 16:51:06 +0000

Sound Search on TikTok is somewhat similar to YouTube Music’s song detection tool that lets you find the name of a song by singing, humming or playing it.

Here’s how to disable X (Twitter) from using your data to train its Grok AI

Aisha Malik — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 14:00:44 +0000

The good news is that you can switch off the new data-sharing setting and also delete your conversation history with the AI.

Substack writers can now draft and publish posts in iOS app

Aisha Malik — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 15:00:00 +0000

Substack is rolling out the ability for writers to draft and publish new posts directly from their phone via its iOS app, the company announced on Thursday. Until now, users have only been read content through the app. With this update, Substack is catching up with Medium and WordPress’ mobile apps, both of which allow […]

Apple Maps launches on the web to challenge Google Maps

Aisha Malik — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 19:22:00 +0000

Apple announced on Wednesday that Apple Maps is now available on the web via a public beta, which means you can now access the service directly from your browser. The launch puts Apple Maps in direct competition with Google Maps, which has long been available on the web. Maps on the web is accessible in […]

Alternative app store AltStore PAL adds third-party iOS apps in wake of EU Apple ruling

Aisha Malik — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 19:17:54 +0000

AltStore, an alternative app store, has launched its first batch of third-party iOS apps in the European Union. The rollout comes a few months after the company launched an updated version of its app marketplace in the EU. AltStore PAL arrived as a response to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which is forcing Apple to […]

Spotify CEO says company is in ‘early days’ of hi-fi audio plans

Aisha Malik — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 20:55:14 +0000

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek says the streaming service is still in the “early days” of its plans to bring hi-fi support to the platform. During the company’s earnings call on Tuesday, the executive offered details about an upcoming deluxe tier. Spotify announced back in 2021 that it was going to roll out a new high-end […]

FTC is investigating how companies are using AI to base pricing on consumer behavior

Aisha Malik — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 15:05:23 +0000

The Federal Trade Commission announced on Tuesday that it’s ordering eight companies that offer AI-powered “surveillance service pricing” to turn over information about the potential impact these products have on privacy, competition and consumer protection. With this investigation, the agency is seeking to learn more about how artificial intelligence and other technologies are being used […]

Twitch reinstates Trump’s account ahead of the 2024 presidential election

Aisha Malik — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 20:11:23 +0000

Prior to the ban, Trump's team used his channel to broadcast some of his campaigns. With the ban now lifted, his channel can resume doing so.

Microsoft’s AI-powered, Canva-like Designer app lands on iOS and Android

Aisha Malik — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 16:04:45 +0000

The Designer app features "prompt templates" that are designed to help jumpstart the creative process.

The Way app offers a chance to meditate alongside a Zen master

Aisha Malik — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000

A new app called The Way is aiming to help people explore the deeper side of meditation through a single, structured path guided by an authorized Zen master. Founded by uncle-and-nephew duo Henry Shukman and Jack Shukman, The Way wants to help people move beyond modern mindfulness practices offered by popular meditation apps like Headspace […]

YouTube Music is testing an AI-generated radio feature and adding a song recognition tool

Aisha Malik — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 18:22:22 +0000

YouTube Music is introducing two new ways to boost song discovery on its platform. YouTube announced on Monday that it’s experimenting with an AI-generated conversational radio feature, and rolling out a new Shazam-like tool to help users discover the name of a song by singing, humming or playing parts of it. The new AI-generated conversational […]

Deezer chases Spotify and Amazon Music with its own AI playlist generator

Aisha Malik — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 14:40:56 +0000

Deezer is the latest music streaming app to introduce an AI playlist feature. The company announced on Monday that a select number of paid users will be able to create custom playlists with a text prompt using its “Playlist with AI” feature. The launch of the new feature comes a few months after Spotify and […]

New Senate bill seeks to protect artists’ and journalists’ content from AI use

Aisha Malik — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 17:52:58 +0000

A bipartisan group of senators has introduced a new bill that seeks to protect artists, songwriters and journalists from having their content used to train AI models or generate AI content without their consent. The bill, called the Content Origin Protection and Integrity from Edited and Deepfaked Media Act (COPIED Act), also seeks to make […]

How Apple Intelligence is changing the way you use Siri on your iPhone

Aisha Malik — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 16:02:11 +0000

Here’s a look at what’s going to change with Siri, and what the introduction of Apple Intelligence will allow you to do with the digital assistant.

Meta will soon let kids aged 10 to 12 interact with others in VR with their parents’ approval

Aisha Malik — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 17:14:16 +0000

Meta announced on Wednesday that users aged 10 to 12 will soon be able to interact with others in VR if they have their parents’ approval to do so. Up until now, children were not able to chat or interact with other users on Quest. In an upcoming update, Meta is adding the ability for […]

While TikTok chases YouTube, Instagram vows to focus on short-form content

Aisha Malik — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 15:00:52 +0000

As TikTok continues to test the waters with longer videos, Instagram Head Adam Mosseri has said the Meta-owned social network will continue to focus on short-form content. In an Instagram Reel, Mosseri said that long-form content would move the platform away from its two key focus areas, which are connecting people with their friends and […]

FTC bans NGL from offering its anonymous social app to minors

Aisha Malik — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 14:41:30 +0000

In a first, the Federal Trade Commission is banning an app from serving users under the age of 18. The agency announced on Tuesday that it’s banning NGL, an anonymous social app, from marketing or offering its app to minors. NGL will pay $5 million to settle the lawsuit. Launched in 2021, NGL rose to […]