This Week in Apps: OnlyFans bans sexual content material, SharePlay delayed, TikTok questioned over biometric information assortment – TechCrunch

Welcome again to This Week in Apps, the weekly TechCrunch series that recaps the newest in cell OS information, cell functions and the general app financial system.

The app trade continues to develop, with a record 218 billion downloads and $143 billion in world shopper spend in 2020. Consumers final 12 months additionally spent 3.5 trillion minutes utilizing apps on Android units alone. And within the U.S., app utilization surged forward of the time spent watching stay TV. Currently, the typical American watches 3.7 hours of stay TV per day, however now spends 4 hours per day on their cell units.

Apps aren’t only a technique to go idle hours — they’re additionally a giant enterprise. In 2019, mobile-first firms had a combined $544 billion valuation, 6.5x larger than these with no cell focus. In 2020, traders poured $73 billion in capital into cell firms — a determine that’s up 27% year-over-year.

This Week in Apps presents a technique to sustain with this fast-moving trade in a single place with the newest from the world of apps, together with information, updates, startup fundings, mergers and acquisitions, and options about new apps and video games to strive, too.

Do you need This Week in Apps in your inbox each Saturday? Sign up right here: techcrunch.com/newsletters

OnlyFans to ban sexually express content material

Creator platform OnlyFans is getting out of the porn enterprise. The firm introduced this week it would begin to prohibit any “sexually explicit” content beginning on October 1, 2021 — a call it claimed would make sure the long-term sustainability of the platform. The information angered a variety of impacted creators who weren’t notified forward of time and who’ve come to depend on OnlyFans as their predominant supply of revenue.

However, phrase is that OnlyFans was struggling to find outdoors traders, regardless of its sizable consumer base, because of the grownup content material it hosts. Some VC corporations are prohibited from investing in grownup content material companies, whereas others could also be involved over different issues — like how NSFW content material might have restricted curiosity from advertisers and model companions. They might have additionally nervous about OnlyFans’ skill to efficiently prohibit minors from utilizing the app, in mild of what seems to be soon-to-come increased regulations for on-line companies. Plus, porn firms face a variety of different points, too. They have to repeatedly guarantee they’re not internet hosting unlawful content material like little one intercourse abuse materials, revenge porn or content material from intercourse trafficking victims — the latter which has led to lawsuits at different massive porn firms.

The information adopted a big marketing push for OnlyFans’ porn-free (SFW) app, OFTV, which circulated alongside reviews that the corporate was trying to elevate funds at a $1 billion+ valuation. OnlyFans might not have technically wanted the funding to function its present enterprise — it dealt with greater than $2 billion in gross sales in 2020 and retains 20%. Rather, the corporate might have seen there’s extra alternative to cater to the “SFW” creator neighborhood, now that it has massive names like Bella Thorne, Cardi B, Tyga, Tyler Posey, Blac Chyna, Bhad Bhabie and others on board.

U.S. lawmakers demand information on TikTok’s plans for biometric information assortment

The TikTok emblem is seen on an iPhone 11 Pro max. Image Credits: Nur Photo/Getty Images

U.S. lawmakers are difficult TikTok on its plans to gather biometric information from its customers. TechCrunch first reported on TikTok’s updated privacy policy in June, the place the corporate gave itself permission to gather biometric information within the U.S., together with customers’ “faceprints and voiceprints.” When reached for remark, TikTok couldn’t affirm what product developments necessitated the addition of biometric information to its record of disclosures concerning the data it robotically collects from customers, however stated it will ask for consent within the case such information assortment practices started.

Earlier this month, Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and John Thune (R-SD) despatched a letter to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, which stated they have been “alarmed” by the change, and demanded to know what data TikTok will probably be accumulating and what it plans to do with the info. This wouldn’t be the primary time TikTok bought in bother for extreme information assortment. Earlier this 12 months, the corporate paid out $92 million to settle a class-action lawsuit that claimed TikTok had unlawfully collected customers’ biometric information and shared it with third events.

Platforms: Apple

Image Credits: Apple

• ⭐️ Apple told developers that a number of the options it introduced as coming in iOS 15 received’t be out there at launch. This contains one of many highlights of the brand new OS, SharePlay, a function that lets individuals share music, movies and their display screen over FaceTime calls. Other options that can are available in later releases embody Wallet’s assist for ID playing cards, the App Privacy report and others which have but to make it to beta releases.
• Apple walked back its controversial Safari changes with the iOS 15 beta 6 update. Apple’s unique redesign had proven the deal with bar on the backside of the display screen, floating atop the web page’s content material. Now the tab bar will seem under the web page’s content material, providing entry to its typical set of buttons as when it was on the high. Users may also flip off the underside tab bar now and revert to the previous, Single Tab choice that places the deal with bar again on the high as earlier than.

• In response to criticism over its new CSAM detection expertise, Apple said the version of NeuralHash that was reverse-engineered by a developer, Asuhariet Ygvar, was a generic model, and never the entire model that can roll out later this 12 months.
• The Verge dug via over 800 paperwork from the Apple-Epic trial to find the best emails, which included dust on a variety of different firms like Netflix, Hulu, Sony, Google, Nintendo, Valve, Microsoft, Amazon and extra. These provided particulars on issues like Netflix’s secret association to pay solely 15% of income, how Microsoft additionally quietly presents a means for some firms to bypass its full minimize, how Apple initially noticed the Amazon Appstore as a risk and extra.

Platforms: Google

• A beta model of the Android Accessibility Suite app (12.0.0) which rolled out with the fourth Android beta launch added something called “Camera Switches” to Switch Access, a toolset that allows you to work together along with your gadget with out utilizing the touchscreen. Camera Switches permits customers to navigate their telephone and use its options by making face gestures, like a smile, open mouth, raised eyebrows and extra.
• Google announced its Pixel 5a with 5G, the newest A-series Pixel telephone, will arrive on August 27, providing IP67 water resistance, long-lasting Adaptive Battery, Pixel’s dual-camera system and extra, for $449. The telephone makes Google’s default Android expertise out there at a cheaper price level than the quickly to reach Pixel 6.
• An unredacted grievance from the Apple-Epic trial revealed that Google had quietly paid developers hundreds of millions of dollars by way of a program often called “Project Hug,” (later “Apps and Games Velocity Program”) to maintain their video games on the Play Store. Epic alleges Google launched this system to maintain builders from following its lead by shifting their video games outdoors the shop.

Augmented Reality

• Snap on Thursday introduced it employed its first VP of Platform Partnerships to guide AR, Konstantinos Papamiltiadis (“KP”). The new exec will lead Snap’s efforts to onboard companions, together with particular person AR creators constructing by way of Lens Studio in addition to massive firms that incorporate Snapchat’s digicam and AR expertise (Camera Kit) into their apps. KP will take part September, and report back to Ben Schwerin, SVP of Content and Partnerships.

Fintech

• Crypto change Coinbase will enter the Japanese market via a brand new partnership with Japanese monetary big Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG). The firm stated it plans to launch different localized variations of its present world providers sooner or later.

Social

Image Credits: Facebook

• Facebook launched a “test” of Facebook Reels within the U.S. on iOS and Android. The new function brings the Reels expertise to Facebook, permitting customers to create and share short-form video content material straight throughout the News Feed or inside Facebook Groups. Instagram Reels creators may also now choose in to have their Reels featured on customers’ News Feed. The firm is closely investing its its battle with TikTok, even pledging that some portion of its $1 billion creator fund will go towards Facebook Reels.
• Twitter’s redesign of its website and app was met with lots of backlash from customers and accessibility experts alike. The firm decisions add extra visible distinction between numerous parts and will have helped these with low imaginative and prescient. But for others, the distinction is inflicting pressure and complications. Experts consider accessibility isn’t a one-size suits all scenario, and Twitter ought to have launched instruments that allowed individuals to regulate their settings to their very own wants.

• The pro-Trump Twitter various Gettr’s lack of moderation has allowed users to share little one exploitation pictures, based on analysis from the Stanford Internet Observatory’s Cyber Policy Center.
• Pinterest rolled out a new set of more inclusive search filters that enable individuals to seek out types for various kinds of hair textures — like coily, curly, wavy, straight, in addition to shaved or bald and protecting types. 

Photos

• Photoshop for iPad gained new image correction tools, together with the Healing Brush and Magic Wand, and added assist for connecting an iPad to exterior displays by way of HDMI or USB-C. The firm additionally launched a Photoshop Beta program on the desktop.

Messaging

• WhatsApp is being adopted by the Taliban to unfold its message throughout Afghanistan, regardless of being on Facebook’s record of banned organizations. The firm says it’s proactively removing Taliban content material — however which may be tough to do since WhatsApp’s E2E encryption means it can’t read people’s texts. This week, Facebook shut down a Taliban helpline in Kabul, which allowed civilians to report violence and looting, however some critics stated this wasn’t really serving to native Afghans, because the group was now in impact governing the area.
• WhatsApp can be testing a new feature that can present a big preview when sharing hyperlinks, which some suspect might launch across the time when the app provides the power to have the identical account operating on a number of units.

Streaming & Entertainment

• Netflix introduced it’s adding spatial audio support on iPhone and iPad on iOS 14, becoming a member of different streamers like HBO Max, Disney+ and Peacock which have already pledged to assist the brand new expertise. The function will probably be out there to toggle on and off within the Control Center, when it arrives.
• Blockchain-powered streaming music service Audius partnered with TikTok to permit artists to add their songs utilizing TikTok’s new SoundKit in only one click on.
• YouTube’s cell app added new functionality that enables customers to browse a video’s chapters, and bounce into the chapter they need straight from the search web page.

• Spotify’s Anchor app now permits customers in world markets to record “Music + Talk” podcasts, the place customers can mix spoken phrase recordings with any observe from Spotify’s library of 70 million songs for a radio DJ-like expertise.
• Podcasters are complaining that Apple’s revamped Podcasts platform will not be working nicely, reports The Verge. Podcasts Connect has been buggy, and sports activities a complicated interface that has led to critical consumer errors (like total exhibits being archived). And listeners have complained about syncing issues and podcasts they already heard flooding their libraries.

Dating

• Tinder announced a new feature that can enable customers to voluntarily confirm their id on the platform, which is able to enable the corporate to cross-reference intercourse offender registry information. Previously, Tinder would solely verify this database when a consumer signed up for a paid subscription with a bank card.

Gaming

Image Source: The Pokémon Company

• Pokémon Unite will come to iOS and Android on September 22, The Pokémon Company introduced throughout a livestream this week. The strategic battle recreation first launched on Nintendo Switch in late July.
• Developer Konami introduced a brand new recreation, Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls, which is able to come completely to Apple Arcade. The recreation is described as a “full-fledged side-scrolling action game,” that includes a roster of iconic characters from the traditional recreation sequence. The firm final 12 months launched another version of Castelvania on the App Store and Google Play.
• Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle has now surpassed $3 billion in participant spending since its 2015 debut, reported Sensor Tower. The recreation from Bandai Namco took 20 months to succeed in the determine after hitting the $2 billion milestone in 2019. The new landmark sees the sport becoming a member of different top-grossers, together with Clash Royale, Lineage M and others.
• Sensor Tower’s mobile gaming advertising report revealed information on high advert networks within the cell gaming market, and their market share. It additionally discovered puzzle video games have been among the many high advertisers on gaming-focused networks like Chartboost, Unity, IronSource and Vungle. On much less game-focused networks, mid-core video games have been high titles, like Call of Duty: Mobile and Top War. 

Image Credits: Sensor Tower

Health & Fitness

• Apple is reportedly scaling again HealthBehavior, an inside app for Apple staff that allowed them to trace health objectives, speak to clinicians and coaches at AC Wellness (a medical doctors’ group Apple works with) and handle hypertension. According to Insider, 50 staff had been tasked to work on the undertaking.
• Samsung launched a brand new product for Galaxy smartphones in partnership with healthcare nonprofit The Commons Project, that enables U.S. customers to save lots of a verifiable copy of their vaccination card within the Samsung Pay digital pockets.

Image Credits: Samsung

Adtech

Government & Policy

• China cited 43 apps, together with Tencent’s WeChat and an e-reader from Alibaba, for illegally transferring user data. The regulator stated the apps had transferred customers location information and phone record and harassed them with pop-up home windows. The apps have till August 25 to make adjustments earlier than being punished.

Security & Privacy

• A VICE report reveals a captivating story a few jailbreaking neighborhood member who had served as a double agent by spying for Apple’s safety group. Andrey Shumeyko, whose on-line handles included JVHResearch and YRH04E, would promote leaked apps, manuals and stolen units on Twitter and Discord. He would then inform Apple issues like which Apple staff have been leaking confidential information, which reporters would speak to leakers, who offered stolen iPhone prototypes and extra. Shumeyko determined to share his story as a result of he felt Apple took benefit of him and didn’t compensate him for the work.

💰 South Korea’s GS Retail Co. Ltd will purchase Delivery Hero’s meals supply app Yogiyo in a deal valued at 800 billion won ($685 million USD). Yogiyo is the second-largest meals supply app in South Korea, with a 25% market share.

💰 Gaming platform Roblox acquired a Discord rival, Guilded, which permits customers to have textual content and voice conversations, manage communities round occasions and calendars and extra. Deal phrases weren’t disclosed. Guilded raised $10.2 million in enterprise funding. Roblox’s stock fell by 7% after the corporate reported earnings this week, after failing to satisfy Wall Street expectations.

💰 Travel app Hopper raised $175 million in a Series G round of funding led by GPI Capital, valuing the enterprise at over $3.5 billion. The firm raised an analogous quantity simply final 12 months, however is now benefiting from renewed development in journey following COVID-19 vaccinations and lifting restrictions.

💰 Indian quiz app maker Zupee raised $30 million in a Series B spherical of funding led by Silicon Valley-based WestCap Group and Tomales Bay Capital. The spherical values the corporate at $500 million, up 5x from final 12 months.

💰 Danggeun Market, the writer of South Korea’s hyperlocal neighborhood app Karrot, raised $162 million in a Series D spherical of funding led by DST Global. The spherical values the enterprise at $2.7 billion and will probably be used to assist the corporate launch its personal funds platform, Karrot Pay.

💰 Bangalore-based fintech app Smallcase raised $40 million in Series C funding spherical led by Faering Capital and Premji Invest, with participation from present traders, in addition to Amazon. The Robinhood-like app has over 3 million customers who’re transacting about $2.5 billion per 12 months.

💰 Social listening app Earbuds raised $3 million in Series A funding led by Ecliptic Capital. Founded by NFL star Jason Fox, the app lets anybody share their favourite playlists, livestream music like a DJ or touch upon others’ music picks.

💰 U.S. neobank app One raised $40 million in Series B funding led by Progressive Investment Company (the insurance coverage big’s funding arm), bringing its whole elevate to this point to $66 million. The app presents all-in-one banking providers and budgeting instruments aimed toward middle-income households who handle their funds on a weekly foundation.

Public Markets

📈 Indian journey reserving app ixigo is trying to raise Rs 1,600 crore in its preliminary public providing, The Economic Times reported this week.

📉 Trading app Robinhood disappointed in its first quarterly earnings as a publicly traded firm, when it posted a internet lack of $502 million, or $2.16 per share, bigger than Wall Street forecasts. This overshadowed its beat on income ($565 million versus $521.8 million anticipated) and its greater than doubling of MAUs to 21.3 million in Q2.  Also of notice, the corporate stated dogecoin made up 62% of its crypto income in Q2.

Polycam (replace)

Image Credits: Polycam

3D scanning software program maker Polycam launched a brand new 3D seize instrument, Photo Mode, that enables iPhone and iPad customers to seize professional-quality 3D fashions with simply an iPhone. While the app’s scanner earlier than had required the usage of the lidar sensor constructed into newer units just like the iPhone 12 Pro and iPad Pro fashions, the brand new Photo Mode function makes use of simply an iPhone’s digicam. The ensuing 3D property are prepared to make use of in quite a lot of functions, together with 3D artwork, gaming, AR/VR and e-commerce. Data export is offered in over a dozen file codecs, together with .obj, .gtlf, .usdz and others. The app is a free download on the App Store, with in-app purchases out there.

Jiobit (replace)

Jiobit, the monitoring dongle acquired by household security and communication app Life360, this week partnered with emergency response service Noonlight to supply Jiobit Protect, a premium add-on that provides Jiobit customers entry to an SOS Mode and Alert Button that work with the Jiobit cell app. SOS Mode will be triggered by a baby’s caregiver once they detect — via notifications from the Jiobit app — {that a} cherished one could also be in peril. They can then attain Noonlight’s dispatcher who can facilitate a name to 911 and supply the precise location of the individual sporting the Jiobit gadget, in addition to share different particulars, like allergic reactions or particular wants, for instance.

When your app redesign goes fallacious…

Image Credits: Twitter.com

Prominent App Store critic Kosta Eleftheriou shut down his FlickType iOS app this week after too many frustrations with App Review. He cited rejections that incorrectly argued that his app required extra entry than it did — one thing he had efficiently appealed and overturned years in the past. Attempted follow-ups with Apple have been ignored, he stated. 

Image Credits: Twitter.com

Anyone have app concepts?