Apple Music just passed a symbolic milestone. Apple has revealed that its streaming music service now has 100 million songs. That’s a significant expansion from the 30 million upon launch in June 2015, and suggests that you’ll probably find the new tunes you want. The company also says it’s adding about 20,000 new tracks to the service every day.
The 100 million mark might give Apple Music an edge over rivals. As of this writing, main competitor Spotify claims it has “over 80 million tracks.” While that’s still a very healthy selection, it does imply you’ll have an easier time finding an indie darling or back catalog title on Apple’s platform than you might elsewhere.
The question, of course, is whether or not that advantage is enough to prompt a switch from another service. It’s not clear how many songs are exclusives, such as original DJ mixes and live sessions. We’ve asked Apple for more data. Those unique offerings might prove enticing if you can’t get enough of a favorite artist, but won’t necessarily sway you if you’re happy to listen to album cuts. If nothing else, the 100 million-song figure gives Apple bragging rights — it can tout a larger library that might reel in first-time streamers worried about finding a favorite record.
You might soon need YouTube Premium for more than ditching ads, background playback and trying new features. As MacRumorsnotes, users on Reddit and Twitter have noticed that YouTube is asking some viewers to upgrade to Premium to watch videos in 4K resolution. It’s not clear which countries, devices or videos are affected, but this won’t be thrilling if you were hoping for better than 1440p on your computer or tablet.
It’s not certain if this is a test or broader rollout. We’ve asked YouTube for comment, and will let you know if we hear back. Premium normally costs $12 per month, or $120 per year.
So, after testing up to 12 ads on YouTube for non-Premium users, now some users reported that they also have to get a Premium account just to watch videos in 4K. pic.twitter.com/jJodoAxeDp
A move like this wouldn’t be unexpected. YouTube claimed a combined 50 million Premium and Music subscribers last September. That may sound like a lot of customers, but it’s a modest amount compared to paid media services like Spotify Premium (188 million users as of the second quarter) and Netflix (220.7 million). In theory, locking 4K videos behind YouTube Premium could spur sign-ups and make it a larger revenue source for Google.
Bruce Willis may have retired from acting following a diagnosis of aphasia, but a version of him will live on in future projects. Last year, the actor’s “digital twin” appeared in an ad for a Russian telecom created by a company called Deepcake. According to The Telegraph, his digital likeness may appear in future film, advertising and other projects.
Deepcake told The Hollywood Reporter that, despite reports to the contrary, Willis has not sold his likeness rights to the company. Its involvement with the retired actor “was set up through his representatives at CAA,” according to the publication. A representative for the retired actor claimed that Willis “has no partnership or agreement with this Deepcake company.”
Engineers created the digital double drawing from content in Die Hard and Fifth Element, when Willis was 32 and 42, respectively. With his likeness now on the company’s AI platform, it can graft his likeness onto another actor’s face in a relatively short amount of time. However, Willis’s estate has final approval on any projects.
In the ad for Megafon, Willis’s face was swapped onto actor Konstantin Solovyov. “I liked the precision of my character. It’s a great opportunity for me to go back in time,” Willis said in a statement on Deepcake. “With the advent of the modern technology, I could communicate, work and participate in filming, even being on another continent. It’s a brand new and interesting experience for me, and I grateful to our team.”
In March, Willis’s family announced that he was retiring from acting to due a diagnosis of aphasia, which impairs communication and comprehension. In the last few years, the 67-year-old has appeared in a series of projects amid concern about his cognitive state.
Actors have already appeared as digital versions of themselves, notably in The Book of Boba Fett with a young Mark Hamill. Digital versions of Carrie Fisher and Peter Cushing also appeared in Star Wars: Rogue One, despite the fact that both are deceased. James Earl Jones recently sold Disney the right to recreate his voice using AI, so he could retire.
The practice has stoked controversy. Deepfakes vary widely in quality, but many approach the “uncanny valley” where characters don’t look quite right because of stiff movements, dead eyes and other issues. There’s also the question of rights, as deceased actors can’t turn down posthumous film roles, even if the family or estate approves.
Update 10/2 1:35PM ET: The Hollywood Reporter clarified that Willis did not sell his likeness rights to Deepcake. Rather, Deepcake says it “hired” a digital twin of the star. Willis or his estate will need to sign off on future use of his likeness.
Videos on Twitter will now look a lot more like TikTok. The company announced that it’s switching to a full-screen “immersive” video player for watching clips. It’s also borrowing the now-familiar “swipe up” gesture that will allow people to endlessly …
It’s been nearly a year and a half, but you’ll soon get to find out what happens next in Mythic Quest. Apple has revealed that season three of its game developer comedy series will debut on TV+ November 11th. There aren’t more details about the plot, but the new episodes follow the impact of a studio shakeup. And of course, you can expect up-to-the-minute technology jokes. Let’s just say there’s a creative reinterpretation of “NFT.”
The series was created by and stars Welcome to Wrexham subject Rob McElhenney as Ian, with Charlotte Nicdao as Poppy. The show has drawn attention not just for making game development an enjoyable topic for a TV series, but its connection to the industry — Ubisoft is involved in the production alongside Lionsgate and 3 Arts Entertainment.
As it is, Apple has a number of high-profile season releases due this fall. The second season of spy production Slow Horses arrives December 2nd, while the immigrant anthology Little America (the work of husband-and-wife team Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon) continues December 9th. Apple now has a string of well-known shows in the pipeline, even if Ted Lasso remains its biggest attraction.
Add more brands to the list of those hopping aboard the “+” service bandwagon. To begin, MGM is relaunching its movie-oriented Epix streaming service and TV channel as MGM+ on January 15th, 2023. It will continue Epix’s blend of originals and “curated” movies from various studios. You’ll also find it in the familiar places, including through Prime Video (Amazon owns MGM, after all), other digital services and conventional TV providers.
Simultaneously, Starz has just rebranded its international streaming service Starzplay as Lionsgate+ for 35 of the 63 countries where it operates. North Americans will still see the usual Starz name, while Lionsgate Play (in parts of Asia) and Starzplay Arabia will also remain unchanged. As with MGM+, the actual service will remain intact. This is more about capitalizing on the “valuable” nature of the Lionsgate name and trying to stand out (by tacking on the same “+” as everyone else), according to Starz chief Jeffrey Hirsch.
TechCrunchnotes Lionsgate plans to separate Starz from its studio business, and hoped for the spinoff to complete the move this summer. That clearly didn’t happen, but the rebrand is a step in that direction.
In either case, the strategy is familiar. As with CBS All Access’ revival as Paramount+, it’s a bid to make the most of a well-known brand while nodding to a streaming-first reality. Whether or not this helps is another story. Their streaming businesses are relatively small (Starz has 35.8 million subscribers, for example) compared to heavyweights like Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and Netflix. They’re not in trouble, but name changes by themselves aren’t likely to boost demand.
Twitter is still having trouble curbing the spread of CSAM (child sexual abuse material). Insider has learned (subscription required) that Twitter inadvertently ran ads on profiles either selling or soliciting CSAM. In an email to marketers, the social network said it had suspended all ads on profiles, updated its detection systems, banned accounts that broke its rules and launched an investigation. Reutersnotes Coca-Cola, Disney and NBCUniversal were some of the brands whose ads appeared next to the offending content.
Existing technology had already blocked over 91 percent of accounts like these, Twitter said. In its most recent transparency report, the company said it took action against 31 percent more CSAM-related accounts in the second half of 2021.
A Twitter spokesperson confirmed the incident and investigation in a statement. On top of existing work to catch CSAM, the company said it was ensuring it had the “right models, processes and products” to protect both advertisers and users.
The news is ill-timed for Twitter. It comes just weeks after The Verge reported that Twitter ditched efforts to build an OnlyFans clone over concerns it couldn’t effectively catch CSAM and other forms of sexual abuse. It’s also emerging as the social media continues to fight with Elon Musk over the fate of his potentially cancelled $44 billion acquisition. Musk has focused most of his objections on alleged misreporting of fake account data.
There’s been an immediate financial impact as well. Reuters added that big names like Dyson and Mazda had either frozen their marketing campaigns or pulled ads from some areas on Twitter. More might be coming — Coca-Cola and Disney both said they considered the activity unacceptable, while NBCUniversal told Twitter to remove ads that ran against CSAM.
At its Search On event today, Google unveiled several new ways to help people more easily find what they’re looking for. Some things can be trickier to locate than most, like a particular style of clothing or a certain fragrance. But when it comes to food that makes your mouth and eyes water, Google thinks it can help. Engadget spoke with vice president and general manager of Local Search Yul Kwon to learn how the company believes it can bring people to the dishes they’re craving.
Kwon’s lived many lives. You might remember him as the winner of Survivor: Cook Islands, but he’s also been a management consultant, a law practitioner and the owner of several Red Mango franchise locations in California. “I lost about 20 pounds during the show and when I came back, I was so hungry,” he said. “I basically just sat there and ate everything and anything I could get my hands on.”
His ravenous spiral led to a “40-pound weight swing,” which drove Kwon to find healthier alternatives to junk food and dessert. On a trip to Los Angeles, Kwon discovered frozen yogurt and was hooked. But the dearth of high quality frozen yogurt stores in the Bay Area at the time meant it was hard for him to find the tasty treat at home. Inspired, and driven by the desire to make an “unlimited supply of frozen yogurt for me to eat myself,” Kwon opened stores in downtown Palo Alto, San Carlos and San Jose.
Over time, competition in the froyo business grew intense, as more and more stores opened to cater to growing demand. “At some point everyone and their grandma was opening a frozen yogurt store,” Kwon said. “A lot of the stores that opened were lower quality and lower cost and so they were not as healthy.”
Max Morse / reuters
Kwon said that amid this spike, it not only became became tough to differentiate his business from the competition, but the tools to reach and engage with customers just weren’t available. “It was harder to track new customers to get the word out, and we didn’t really have great tools to drive word of mouth or use technology to drive awareness.”
Eventually, the financial crisis of 2008 became the final straw and Kwon had to close his businesses.
This is a story that’s all too familiar. Small, local businesses lacking the tools to reach larger audiences eventually have to cave to competition and shutter. Though services like GrubHub and DoorDash have made it easier for people to discover restaurants to order food from, they often charge high fees and offer businesses little control over how they’re presented.
These days, companies turn to social media to reach would-be customers, and making an attractive profile can determine how successful you are. Skills that have little to do with running a restaurant, like photography and caption-writing, are now key to bringing in money. Though it’s not technically social media, Google Maps and Search results also play crucial parts in whether a business thrives or fails. If a restaurant’s Maps listing has a rating that’s lower than four stars, or if it doesn’t have a menu available for perusal, a potential diner can quickly be turned off.
Google
Updated digital menus and vibe checks
One of these potential roadblocks is fairly easy to solve. Not only does Google already provide a digital menu on most listings, it also groups user-submitted pictures of physical menus for easier reference. The company also announced today that it’s expanding its coverage of digital menus, “making them more visually rich and reliable.
“We combine menu information provided by people and merchants, and found on restaurant websites that use open standards for data sharing,” Sophia Lin, the company’s general manager of Food and Search, wrote in a blog post. Google also uses image and language understanding technologies like its Multitask Unified Model to scrape available data and produce these menus, which will also showcase most popular dishes and call out different dietary options (starting with just vegetarian and vegan).
Just like Neighborhood Vibe that Google just announced for Maps, a new feature is also coming to Search to help capture and relay to users what makes a restaurant stand out. “Star ratings are helpful, but they don’t tell you everything about a restaurant,” Lin wrote. In the coming months, listings will show pictures and reviews that the company’s machine learning systems determined are representative of how a place feels.
We’ve all been there… a food craving you can’t get off your mind. In the coming months you can search for a specific dish, like “soup dumplings near me,” and quickly see what local restaurants offer it, with pictures and reviews — satisfying that craving in no time. #SearchOnpic.twitter.com/E1oDdk3S0z
Google also wants to help people find the exact food items they’re craving. “Our research shows 40 percent of people already have a dish in mind when they search for food,” Lin wrote. “So to help people find what they’re looking for, in the coming months you’ll be able to search for any dish and see the local places that offer it.”
Lin gave the example of soup dumplings, which she said is a family favorite. The new multisearch near me tool can not only identify the type of xiao long bao (the Chinese name for soup dumplings, or XLB for the well-informed) in a picture, but can also tell you where you can buy it near you. You can also get more specific with your search.
According to Lin, “In the past, searching for soup dumplings near me would show a list of related restaurants. With our revamped experience, we’ll now show you the exact dish results you’ve been looking for. You can even narrow your search down to spicy dishes if you want a bit of a kick”
Of course, these new tools alone won’t help struggling small businesses thrive, but they do help users better understand what restaurants have to offer.
When Kwon recounts his experiences running his Red Mango franchises, he feels on hindsight that “it was hard for people to really understand how we differed from other yogurt shops, It wasn’t any like one place that could go to to really help them find what they’re looking for.”
Kwon said he learned from that ordeal how hard it was to be successful as a small business and wanted to do something to help people in similar situations. He believes that building a set of tools that help small businesses succeed is how he can make a difference.
“Ultimately, technology can be the great equalizer.” he said. “It can be the thing that helps small businesses can change on an even playing field within the big guys.” While today’s announcements on their own don’t seem to specifically target local businesses trying to reach customers in their community, Kwon says the updates “help people connect and find the types of foods that they’re looking for,” which he said is part of helping build relationships between people and their communities.
I want to see Google do more to help and empower small local businesses trying to engage with their communities and customers, and though I’m underwhelmed by today’s announcements on that front, I am hopeful for more to come.
Nintendo’s approach to online gaming has sometimes been awkward (having to use your phone just to chat, for example), but it just took an important step forward. The Vergereports Nintendo has updated the Switch Online apps for Android and iOS with Splatoon 3 home screen widgets. You can quickly review your recent game stats, gaze at your screenshot album and check the stage schedule to see when a favorite game mode will come into the rotation.
You can only slightly customize the widgets, and some occupy more screen real estate than others. You’ll need to clear some room if you want the stage schedule, while the photo album is relatively small. iPhone owners can also forget about iOS 16 lock screen widgets.
You’ll need a Switch Online subscription to use these features, although that isn’t surprising when they’re tied to the Splatoon 3 multiplayer experience. When combined with the game’s matchmaking improvements over Splatoon 2, though, they indicate that Nintendo is getting the hang of internet gaming.
Netflix has launched the ability to create public handles for its games, laying the foundation for additional features that would make the service more social. People can use this public username across all its titles, allowing them to find friends (or to meet new ones) to play with in multiplayer games like Rival Pirates without having to reveal their Netflix name and profile icon. It’s also what’s going to be displayed on leaderboards for single-player games, such as Dominoes Café and the platformer Lucky Luna.
As TechCrunch had previously reported, there are codes in the app suggesting that the company is also working on ways that would allow users to invite each other to play games and to show other people that they’re online. Netflix didn’t confirm that those features were underway, but Mobile Games Product Manager Sophia Yang said in the company’s announcement that the launch of game handles “is only the beginning in building a tailored game experience for our members around the world.” Yang added: “We’ll continue to adapt and evolve our service to meet the needs of our members…” Seeing as Netflix recently revealed that it’s going all in on games and is building its own studio in Helsinki, Finland, it wouldn’t come as a surprise for the company to roll out features that would make its service more interactive.
To set a public nickname, Android users can select the games tab in the navigation bar and navigate to “Create your Netflix game handle.” iOS users will first have to download Rival Pirates or Lucky Luna and then launch the game to get a prompt asking them to create a handle.
