Category: Mobile & Apps

Google is set to introduce a new feature that will allow users to change their Gmail addresses without losing access to their old emails and files. This update, as reported by TechCrunch, will enable users to transition from their current Gmail address to a new email address ending in gmail.com while still being able to utilize their old address as an alias. This change is part of a gradual rollout to all users, providing greater flexibility in managing email identities within Google’s ecosystem.

This new functionality, initially discovered by the Google Pixel Hub group on Telegram and later confirmed by 9to5Google, will permit users to sign into Google services using either their old or new email addresses. However, users will be restricted from creating additional Gmail addresses associated with their account for a period of 12 months following the switch. While the English-language support page currently maintains limitations on changing @gmail.com addresses, the forthcoming update promises to streamline the process of updating email identities.

Source: TechCrunch

In a tech-focused era where online interactions often dominate, a San Francisco-based startup is leveraging voice AI technology to foster more meaningful in-person connections. Known, founded by Celeste Amadon and Asher Allen, initially focused on simplifying restaurant bookings for dates but pivoted to enhance real-world interactions through their innovative approach.

Their voice-powered AI onboarding system has transformed user experiences, eliminating tedious form-filling processes and boosting engagement. By facilitating natural conversations, Known’s platform extended onboarding sessions to an average of 26 minutes, indicating strong user interest in authentic interactions.

During its trial run, Known reported an 80% success rate in transitioning introductions to physical dates, surpassing conventional swipe-based dating apps. This achievement has garnered significant investor attention, with Known securing $9.7 million in funding from prominent firms like Forerunner and NFX.

Celeste Amadon’s focus on understanding and catering to the needs of young female users has resonated positively, marking a unique approach in the competitive dating app landscape. By addressing preferences through AI-driven conversations, Known aims to tackle the complexities of modern dating dynamics and promote genuine connections.

Source: TechCrunch

Apple has introduced a significant change in its developer license agreement, enabling the company to recover unpaid funds directly from developers through in-app purchases and other methods. The updated agreement empowers Apple to deduct outstanding amounts, including commissions and fees, from payments processed on behalf of developers. This move will particularly affect developers in regions where external payment systems are permitted by law. In such cases, developers are required to report these payments to Apple for the payment of due commissions or fees.

The modified agreement essentially provides Apple with a mechanism to retrieve what it deems as the correct fee in instances where developers may have underreported their earnings. This change could have implications for developers in various markets, including the EU, US, and Japan, where external payment systems usage may entail different fees or commissions based on local regulations.

Apple’s new policy grants the company the authority to collect owed amounts, including those collected from end-users on developers’ behalf, at any point in time. This means that developers might face unexpected deductions if Apple believes there are discrepancies in the amounts owed. The agreement, however, does not outline the specific criteria Apple will use to determine outstanding debts.

Among the fluctuating developer payments are commissions, fees, and taxes, such as the Core Technology Fee (CTF) in the EU. The introduction of this policy could have lasting implications for developers working within Apple’s ecosystem.

Source: TechCrunch

Bluesky, a social network competing with X and Threads, has introduced a new friend-finding feature that prioritizes user privacy, as reported by TechCrunch. Unlike traditional methods that risk data leaks and spamming, Bluesky’s approach ensures that only opted-in users can be matched with friends from their contacts. The company emphasized the importance of protecting user data in the face of past abuses by other platforms.

Historically, social apps have utilized contact matching for lead generation, often resulting in unwelcome automated invites sent to non-users. While this tactic could fuel initial user growth, it didn’t guarantee long-term engagement. Bluesky distinguishes itself by prohibiting automated invites and requiring manual, deliberate actions from users to send invites directly.

To utilize the Find Friends feature, users must verify their phone number through an SMS code before uploading contacts. This verification step aims to prevent unauthorized access and misuse. By offering a more secure and transparent friend-finding process, Bluesky aims to enhance user trust and privacy on its platform.

Source: TechCrunch

DoorDash, a prominent player in food delivery, has introduced Zesty, an AI-driven social app aimed at streamlining the process of discovering local dining options. Currently available in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York, Zesty marks DoorDash’s foray into the social and discovery realm.

Upon logging in with their DoorDash accounts, users can interact with an AI chatbot to receive personalized restaurant recommendations based on their preferences. Through Zesty, individuals can utilize prompts such as ‘A low-key dinner in Williamsburg that’s actually good for introverts’ to discover specific suggestions or explore preset prompts like ‘Brunch spots good for groups’ and ‘Romantic dinner with a vintage feel.’ The app aggregates information from DoorDash, Google Maps, TikTok, and other sources to offer curated recommendations.

Zesty’s personalized learning capabilities enable it to discern user preferences, allowing individuals to save and share appealing recommendations. Users can engage by posting photos, leaving comments about visited restaurants, exploring content shared by others, and following fellow users, mirroring social network functionalities.

A DoorDash spokesperson stated, ‘We’re piloting an app called Zesty to make it easier to discover great nearby restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and more through personalized search and social sharing. We’re excited to learn from early testers as we keep shaping what local discovery can look like.’

Source: TechCrunch

Meta’s social network Threads is enhancing user engagement by introducing new communities and experimenting with badges to recognize highly active members. The platform, with over 150 million daily active users, has expanded its community offerings to include team-specific spaces like Lakers Threads, Knicks Threads, and Spurs Threads, among others. This move aims to increase user interaction within the platform and potentially reduce reliance on other social networks for community engagement.

In addition to adding new communities, Threads is testing the implementation of flairs, a familiar feature on platforms like Reddit. Users can customize labels under their usernames to showcase their interests, such as favorite sports teams or literary preferences. Furthermore, the platform is piloting a ‘Champion’ badge to acknowledge and incentivize active community participants who contribute significantly to discussions.

Competing with other social networks like X and emerging startups such as Bluesky, Threads reached a milestone of 400 million users in August, highlighting its growing popularity since its launch two years prior. The platform continues to introduce features like direct messaging, group chats, and ephemeral posts to cater to evolving user preferences.

Source: TechCrunch

Google has announced the discontinuation of its ‘dark web report’ feature, set to take effect on February 16, 2026. Launched approximately 18 months ago, this tool was designed to help users monitor their personal information on the dark web.

The dark web report feature scanned data breach dumps and alerted users if their personal information, such as email addresses, names, phone numbers, and Social Security numbers, was discovered in compromised databases. However, based on user feedback indicating that the feature ‘didn’t provide helpful next steps’ for individuals facing potential identity risks, Google has opted to shut down the service.

Reddit discussions mirrored this sentiment, with many users expressing frustration over the lack of actionable advice provided by the tool. Individuals often felt limited to changing passwords without clear guidance on which accounts or websites were affected.

In response to this change, Google stated, ‘We’re making this change to instead focus on tools that give you more clear, actionable steps to protect your information online.’ The tech giant reassured users that they will continue to monitor and protect against online threats, including those from the dark web, while developing tools to safeguard personal information.

Google recommended alternative protective measures in place of the dark web report feature, such as ‘Security Checkup’ for reviewing Google account security, the built-in ‘Password Manager’ for generating unique passwords, and ‘Password Checkup’ for alerting users when compromised passwords are detected.

Source: TechCrunch

Zoom has introduced its AI assistant on the web, making it available to free users with certain limitations. The AI Companion 3.0 offers features like meeting summarization, action item lists, and meeting insights, enhancing the overall meeting experience for users.

Free users on the basic plan can utilize the AI Companion in up to three meetings per month. Each meeting includes a summary, in-meeting questions, and AI note-taking abilities. Additionally, users can ask up to 20 questions through the side panel and the new web interface. For extended access to AI Companion features, users have the option to purchase a $10 add-on plan.

Zoom’s latest web update also includes conversation starter prompts to acquaint users with the assistant’s capabilities. Moreover, the AI Companion now integrates with third-party services such as Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive, alongside Zoom’s internal data storage. Support for Gmail and Microsoft Outlook connectors is expected to be added soon.

The AI Companion goes beyond meeting assistance by generating daily reflection reports summarizing tasks, meetings, and updates. Users can create follow-up tasks and draft email messages directly through the assistant. Zoom is enhancing document creation and management capabilities as well, enabling users to draft and edit documents based on meeting details within the Companion interface, with seamless transition to Zoom Docs for collaboration.

Zoom is positioning itself as an independent operator with access to contextual meeting data, giving it a competitive edge in the productivity sector. The company blends its proprietary models with those from OpenAI and Anthropic to power its AI capabilities.

Source: TechCrunch

Snapchat users can now access personalized recaps of their 2025 on the platform. These short videos showcase highlights from Snaps, Stories, and Chats, illustrating how users connected and expressed themselves throughout the year.

To access their Recap, users need to navigate to the “Memories” section within the app, where they will find a card titled “Your 2025 Snap Recap.” This feature aligns with the trend of other platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Duolingo offering similar year-end summaries.

Alongside the Recaps, Snapchat has shared some statistics on user behavior this past year. For instance, despite the rise of text-based communication, the platform witnessed a significant increase in phone calls, with users spending nearly 1.7 billion minutes per day on calls, marking a 30% surge from the previous year. Moreover, voice notes and group chats continue to be popular features, with users sending over five billion voice notes and engaging in group chats more frequently.

Chat Reactions saw a 44% growth, with the heart emoji emerging as the most popular choice among users. Additionally, the use of stickers for communication witnessed an uptick, with three million more users embracing them this year.

The launch of Snapchat’s 2025 Recap comes amid some user discontent over the platform’s plans to introduce storage charges in the future. Despite this, the Recap feature offers users a nostalgic look into their year on the platform, showcasing the connections and expressions that defined their Snapchat experience in 2025.

Source: TechCrunch

Apple has introduced a new feature in iOS 26.2 that allows users to adjust the transparency of the Lock Screen’s clock. This update gives users the ability to customize the glassiness of their interface, addressing concerns that the previous transparency settings made it challenging to read notifications and other essential information on Apple devices.

The Liquid Glass design, introduced with iOS 26, aimed to modernize Apple’s interfaces by incorporating semi-transparent elements with light-refracting properties. However, the reception was mixed, prompting Apple to introduce a transparency control slider in iOS 26.1 to restore a frosted appearance.

With the latest update, Apple continues to refine the Liquid Glass experience by empowering users to fine-tune the clock’s transparency, signaling the company’s commitment to user-centric design adjustments. These changes suggest that Apple acknowledges room for improvement in its design strategy, especially as it prepares for potential future innovations like AI smart glasses.

The timing of this update coincides with the departure of Alan Dye, the design executive responsible for the Liquid Glass concept, further highlighting Apple’s ongoing efforts to enhance the user experience under new leadership.

Source: TechCrunch

Retro, a popular friend-focused photo-sharing app, has introduced a new feature called ‘Rewind’ that enables users to explore their past photo memories directly from their phone’s Camera Roll. This feature allows users to scroll through their previous moments privately, with the option to share selected photos with friends if desired. The idea behind ‘Rewind’ was inspired by the success of a similar feature already present in the app, which allowed users to view their own photos from the same week a year ago.

Retro’s co-founder, Nathan Sharp, who previously worked at Meta on products like Instagram Stories and Facebook Dating, highlighted the need for users, especially new ones, to engage more meaningfully with their ever-increasing photo libraries. ‘Rewind’ serves as a response to the saturation of AI-generated content and algorithm-driven feeds, aiming to prioritize personal memories over automated suggestions.

Sharp emphasized the importance of maintaining genuine connections with friends amidst the digital noise generated by social media platforms. ‘The photos and videos you take will need to find a place where they can reach the intended audience,’ he stated, underlining the significance of genuine interactions over algorithmic curation.

With ‘Rewind,’ Retro aims to rekindle users’ interest in their own photo archives, offering a nostalgic journey through personal moments that might otherwise be lost in the digital deluge of modern content consumption.

Source: TechCrunch

Google has announced a new beta feature that allows users to receive real-time translations directly in their headphones, as reported by TechCrunch. This feature enhances the Translate app with advanced capabilities and expands language learning tools.

The real-time translations in headphones maintain the speaker’s tone, emphasis, and cadence, making conversations easier to follow and identify speakers. This feature essentially transforms any pair of headphones into a one-way translation device.

Google’s VP Product Management, Search Verticals, highlighted the versatility of this feature, enabling users to engage in multilingual conversations, listen to speeches or lectures in foreign languages, or enjoy TV shows and films in different languages seamlessly.

The beta release is currently available on Android devices in the U.S., Mexico, and India, supporting over 70 languages. Google plans to expand this functionality to iOS and more countries next year. Additionally, the advanced capabilities in Translate will provide more accurate and natural text translations, particularly for phrases with nuanced meanings such as idioms and slang.

Source: TechCrunch