Hello friends, welcome to Week in Review (WiR), TechCrunch's regular newsletter summarizing the latest days in technology.
This week, the Bluesky social network opened up for anyone to join, which seems appropriate here in New York, given the sunshine and unseasonably warm temperatures we've been enjoying. For those more inclined to spend their days indoors and contemplating purchasing the Vision Pro, Brian posted his review of it. Read them; He doesn't beat around the bush.
A lot more happened, including the reveal of a Rivian SUV, government hackers targeting iPhone owners, and Meta cutting off third-party access to Facebook groups. We cover it all and more in this edition of WiR, but first, a reminder to sign up to receive the WiR newsletter in your inbox every Saturday.
News
Nothing but Blue Sky: After nearly a year as an invitation-only app, Bluesky, an up-and-coming microblogging platform backed by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, is now open to the public.
Rivian's new vehicle: Rivian will reveal its next-generation vehicle, a smaller, more affordable electric SUV known as the R2, on March 7, the company said. Announced Monday in the morning.
Governments targeting iPhones: Last year, government hackers exploited three unknown vulnerabilities in Apple's iPhone operating system to attack victims with spyware developed by a European startup, according to Google.
Metaservers Group Access: Meta recently announced that it will soon be shutting down its Facebook Groups API. It's throwing some businesses and social media marketers into disarray, Sarah writes.
A return from WeWork: Adam Neumann, who co-founded flexible workspace provider WeWork in 2010 and resigned nine years later, is reportedly trying to pull the company out of bankruptcy.
Chinese hackers lurking inside: China-backed hackers have maintained access to critical US infrastructure for “at least five years” with the long-term goal of launching “destructive” cyberattacks, a coalition of US intelligence agencies warned on Wednesday.
Analysis
Apple Vision Pro Review: In his review of the Vision Pro, Brian writes that the $3,500 headset is still a work in progress and offers glimpses of a future that developers will live or die.
Joe Rogan, released: Amanda writes why it's good for Spotify that Joe Rogan's podcast is no longer exclusive.
Podcasts
In Equity, the team took an in-depth look at a number of startup fundraisings, including new capital for software-as-a-service verticals, fintech and edtech; how fast SUMA Wealth is growing; and why Bluesky is flying high.
Meanwhile, Found featured Beatrice Dixon, co-founder of plant-based vaginal wellness brand The Honey Pot.
And in Chain reaction, Jacquelyn interviewed Devin Finzer, CEO of nft marketplace OpenSea. He co-founded OpenSea in 2017 and it quickly became one of the most well-known and well-funded nft marketplaces.
TechnologyCrunch+
ai, very reliable: Alex writes that it seems the market is willing to accept that software with new ai capabilities will cost more, so software companies of all sizes will have something new to upsell to existing customers and potentially win new accounts.
Fast fashion break: Fast fashion is an industry mired in labor and copyright issues, and has an immense environmental impact due to its wastewater and carbon emissions, which is why venture capitalists need to reconsider, Rebecca writes.
Bonus round
A Sidewalk Robot Success Story: Curbside delivery robot services seem to be stagnating left and right. But a pioneer of the concept, Starship Technologies, says it is profitable and has now raised a round of funding to scale it up to meet market demand.
