{"id":14996,"date":"2023-04-22T18:10:25","date_gmt":"2023-04-22T18:10:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/22\/this-week-in-apps-apple-sherlocks-journaling-apps-twitters-checkmark-apocalypse-snap-summit-recap\/"},"modified":"2023-04-22T18:10:25","modified_gmt":"2023-04-22T18:10:25","slug":"this-week-in-apps-apple-sherlocks-journaling-apps-twitters-checkmark-apocalypse-snap-summit-recap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/22\/this-week-in-apps-apple-sherlocks-journaling-apps-twitters-checkmark-apocalypse-snap-summit-recap\/","title":{"rendered":"This Week in Apps: Apple ‘sherlocks’ journaling apps, Twitter’s checkmark apocalypse, Snap summit recap"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Welcome back to This Week in Apps, the weekly TechCrunch series<\/a> that recaps the latest in mobile OS news, mobile applications and the overall app economy.<\/p>\n

The app economy in 2023 hit a few snags, as consumer spending last year dropped for the first time by 2% to $167 billion<\/a>, according to data.ai\u2019s \u201cState of Mobile\u201d report. However, downloads are continuing to grow, up 11% year-over-year in 2022, to reach 255 billion. Consumers are also spending more time in mobile apps than ever before. On Android devices alone, hours spent in 2022 grew 9%, reaching 4.1 trillion.<\/p>\n

This Week in Apps offers a way to keep up with this fast-moving industry in one place with the latest from the world of apps, including news, updates, startup fundings, mergers and acquisitions, and much more.<\/p>\n

Do you want This Week in Apps in your inbox every Saturday? Sign up here: techcrunch.com\/newsletters<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Apple plans its next \u201csherlock:\u201d journaling apps<\/h3>\n
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My hope is this brings millions more into journaling, and those who are serious about it will upgrade to a serious paid tool like Day One. https:\/\/t.co\/yJe867frze<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Matt Mullenweg (@photomatt) April 21, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Apple is planning to \u201csherlock\u201d a new class of applications if a new report from The Wall Street Journal<\/a> holds true. The paper reported Apple is planning to introduce an iPhone journaling application as part of its expansion of health initiatives. The new app, which is unnamed, would challenge those on the market like Day One (acquired by<\/a> WordPress.com maker Automattic in 2021). The WSJ said a document describing Apple\u2019s app noted journaling helps to improve mental and physical well-being.<\/p>\n

The app is reportedly set to arrive with the launch of iOS 17 and would put Apple again in the crosshairs of regulatory scrutiny. The company has come under fire in recent years for its habit of lifting ideas from the wider app developer and partner community. The practice has become so common, it\u2019s got its own name \u2014 sherlocking \u2014 a reference to Apple software that started this trend decades ago.<\/p>\n

The timing of this move is worth noting. Apple is currently under DoJ investigation<\/a> for alleged anticompetitive behavior in the App Store and in other business practices. The DoJ has spoken to companies who have been \u201csherlocking\u201d victims as part of its inquiry, including Tile, whose business was hit by the launch of Apple\u2019s AirTag. The Justice Dept. has also spoken to other app developers, including smaller companies like Basecamp<\/a> and parent control software maker Mobicip<\/a>, as well as bigger developers like Match and Spotify, about Apple\u2019s App Store terms.<\/p>\n

For Apple to now launch yet another<\/em> app that competes with a number of third-party developers shows Apple is not worried much about the regulatory pressure and isn\u2019t adjusting its behavior.<\/p>\n

Related to this, The WSJ also recently ran a feature on Apple\u2019s \u201ckiss of death,<\/a>\u201d citing partners who detailed what it felt like when the tech giant came calling. After initially being excited by the prospect of an Apple partnership, many partners now say Apple has stolen their ideas for itself, hurting their own businesses.<\/p>\n

Twitter\u2019s Checkmark Apocalypse has arrived \u2014 and it\u2019s quite the debacle<\/h3>\n
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Image Credits:<\/strong> Bryce Durbin \/ TechCrunch<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Twitter has finally made good on its promise to yank its users\u2019 verification checkmarks<\/a> from their profiles in what has to be one of the more ridiculous decisions Elon Musk has made to date since taking ownership of the social media platform.<\/p>\n

Seemingly not understanding the value of the company he owns, Musk believes that no one should be verified unless they\u2019re paying Twitter. But in reality, the verification service was a resource provided to Twitter\u2019s community that added value. The blue checkmark symbol indicated that a high-profile figure, celebrity, institution or journalist was who they said they were and not an impersonator.<\/p>\n

Twitter is not a curated, visual platform like Instagram, where a verification mark (which you can also now pay for<\/a>!) provides an influencer with clout or bragging rights. Instead, Twitter is a network that\u2019s centered around the rapid-fire dissemination of news and information in real time. The checkmark meant the source had been already vetted to be the real person, organization or official in question, allowing for faster fact-checks. This aids in newsgathering and establishes a baseline of trust across the platform.<\/p>\n

But of course, Musk doesn\u2019t understand this.<\/p>\n

He has such a low opinion and value for journalism that he went around adding \u201cstate-affiliated media\u201d and then \u201cgovernment-funded\u201d labels to the profiles of news outlets like PBS<\/a>, NPR<\/a>, CBC, BBC and others<\/a>, lumping these editorially independent news-gathering organizations alongside state-run media entities like the Kremlin-backed Russia Today. Some of the news organizations<\/a> finally left Twitter<\/a> \u2014 something more should do, in fact. (No, I don\u2019t control TC\u2019s social media efforts.)<\/p>\n

It\u2019s unclear what\u2019s happening with those labels now, as they\u2019re disappearing<\/a> from accounts on Friday, including those of China state-affiliated media.<\/p>\n

Musk historically has demonstrated a callous disregard for journalism, calling The NYT \u201cfake,\u201d while tweeting<\/a> out actual<\/em> fake news himself. He also has Twitter\u2019s comms email respond<\/a> to press inquiries with a poop emoji. For that reason, it\u2019s almost funny to watch Musk run headfirst into a wall with his complete mishandling of such a pivotal Twitter feature.<\/p>\n

After all, if Musk had wanted to generate revenue from Twitter power users, he could have done so by giving ID-verified users their own<\/em> checkmarks, perhaps with a different color scheme, that provided the set of special features and timeline prioritization that Twitter is now selling with its Blue subscription. That would have added value without disrupting the existing system.<\/p>\n

Instead, he\u2019s again created chaos by removing checkmarks from almost everyone, allowing for impersonation<\/a> \u2014 and, in some cases, the spread of dangerous misinformation<\/a>, as well. On top of that, he left legacy checkmarks on some high-profile accounts, like LeBron James and Stephen King<\/a>, both of who said they would not pay for Twitter Blue. It was a power play, clearly. If the celebs don\u2019t leave, they\u2019re tacitly confirming they\u2019ve accepted the new system.<\/p>\n

In addition, Twitter is being dishonest about who is truly a paid Twitter Blue subscriber.<\/p>\n

Yours truly<\/em> paid for Blue earlier this year to fact-check a story and then immediately canceled. I now continue<\/a> to have a checkmark despite the subscription\u2019s expiration in February, as documented below. (In any event, don\u2019t bother to follow me on Twitter, by the way \u2014 I\u2019m on Bluesky<\/a>, T2<\/a>, Post<\/a> and Mastodon<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

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I briefly paid for Blue earlier this year to check something out I needed to confirm. I immediately canceled. The subscription expired on Feb. 18, 2023. Yet Twitter would like you to believe that I am a continued Blue subscriber. That’s not true. pic.twitter.com\/N6eXQRY3Pr<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Sarah Perez \u2013 please use Signal not DMs (@sarahintampa) April 20, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Along with the checkmark removals, Twitter has also now begun pressuring advertisers to either pay for Twitter Blue or Verified Organizations<\/a> to continue running ads on the platform. Those businesses that already spend over $1,000 per month will have gold checks automatically, Twitter said.<\/p>\n

Snap\u2019s Partner Summit focuses on Shopping, AR and AI<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Image Credits:<\/strong> Snap<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Snap this week hosted its Partner Summit<\/a> where it shared a number of features, updates and initiatives in areas like e-commerce, AR and AI. The company also used the time to introduce a range of consumer-facing updates for its Snapchat mobile app.<\/p>\n

At the event, CEO Evan Spiegel commented<\/a> on the proposed TikTok ban in the U.S., joking at first that Snap would \u201clove that,\u201d but noting that such a ban sets a dangerous precedent for other social platforms. Though he acknowledged there could be national security concerns, the exec, like Zuckerberg has, also pushed for tech regulations.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is important for us to be thoughtful and really develop a regulatory framework to deal with security concerns, especially around technology,\u201d Spiegel.<\/p>\n

Among the other event highlights and news:<\/strong><\/p>\n