July 01, 2026

TechCrunch Top 3

SpaceX has an AI device prototype, and it sure sounds phone-ish: SpaceX reportedly showed investors a "handset-like" AI device before going public. It could be another signal SpaceX wants to expand into wireless. Read More

Apple's Hide My Email feature has a bug that's been exposing real email addresses, researcher claims: Research appears to reveal a bug that could render the feature effectively useless. Read More

Ashton Kutcher leaving Sound Ventures to launch new VC firm with Morgan Beller: Sound built its reputation on concentrated, high-conviction bets in category-leading AI labs, while Kutcher's new fund appears to be chasing the layer underneath those companies — the infrastructure and energy that power them. Read More

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Afternoon Must-Reads

The 'Father of the Internet' is finally retiring: Vinton Cerf, one of the creators of the protocols underlying the internet, will step down as Google's chief internet evangelist next week. Read More

Sony to end physical PlayStation game disc production in 2028: Sony will stop producing physical discs for all new PlayStation games beginning in 2028, as the company embraces an all-digital future. Read More

Venice AI becomes a unicorn with $65M Series A as its privacy-first AI platform takes off: Venice AI is already profitable, with annualized run-rate revenues of over $70 million, CEO Erik Voorhees said. Read More

Lime begins life as a public company after years of uncertainty: The nine-year-old scooter and bike-share company has said it needs the funds to help pay down around $1 billion in liabilities. Read More

Cloudflare's new policy pushes AI companies to pay for publishers' content: Cloudflare is giving AI companies until September 15 to separate web crawlers used for search from those used for AI training and agents, or risk being blocked by default on many publisher sites. Read More

Last but Not Least

Builders Stage agenda revealed: Practical strategies for scaling startups at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026: The Builders Stage is returning to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, bringing together 10,000+ founders, startup operators, and investors for practical conversations. and Q&A on what it takes to build and scale successful companies. Register now to save up to $330. Read More