Apple and Google are adding support for app-free exposure notifications, Facebook says it may block news sharing in Australia, and Samsung has a new foldable phone. This is your Daily Crunch for September 1st, 2020.
The Big Story: Apple Launches "Exposure Notification Express" for COVID-19Apple and Google are introducing new tools that should make it easier for public health authorities (PHAs) to implement notifications for people who may have been exposed to COVID-19.
We've previously written about the two companies' efforts to create technology that supports contact tracking efforts, but with the latest update (available today in iOS 13.7 and coming later this month on Android), users no longer need to download an app. Instead, the local PHA can send a notification about the exposure notification and what it does, so the user can choose whether to accept or not.
Apple and Google said 20 countries have already built apps based on their API, along with six US states.
The tech giantsFacebook threatens to block news sharing in Australia while lobbying revenue share law - The threat is Facebook's attempt to lobby a government plan that will require Google and Google to share revenue with regional media.
Samsung's new Galaxy Fold will arrive on September 18 for $ 2,000: Brian Heater downloads Samsung's latest foldable phone.
Netflix is making a series based on "The Three-Body Problem" - The show will be produced and written by "Game of Thrones" showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss.
Startups, financing and venture capitalBambuser raises $ 45 million after shifting focus to live video shopping: Bambuser's history dates back more than a decade, but last year it switched to live video shopping.
Sarcos raises $ 40 million to bring its Guardian XO exoskeleton to market: Sarcos technology is designed to augment the existing human workforce.
InfoSum raises $ 15.1 million for its federated, privacy-based approach to big data analytics - The startup has created a way for organizations to share their data with each other in a more secure and decentralized way.
Tips and analysis from Extra CrunchJeff Lawson on API startups, choosing a market and being insulted by VCs - Twilio CEO told us: "The world is splitting into API."
Your first sales hire should be a missionary, not a mercenary: Micah Smurthwaite of Next47 discusses the importance of your first sales hire.
Zoom's Q2 report details some of the most extraordinary growth I've ever seen: the "me" in question is Alex Wilhelm, offering his daily dip into startups and markets.
(Reminder: Extra Crunch is our membership subscription program, which aims to democratize information about startups. You can sign up here.)
All the restMovies Anywhere officially launches its digital movie lending feature, "Screen Pass": Screen Pass allows you to lend one of your purchased movies to a friend or family member.
Oral-B's iO smart toothbrush is a big upgrade in almost every way - it's easy to make fun of the idea of a smart toothbrush, but Darrell Etherington makes it sound like this is actually good.
Watch these 6 startups compete in Pitchers & Pitches tomorrow - it's a quick throwing contest with an important side of advice.
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