Hey, of us, welcome to Week in Evaluation (WiR), TechCrunch’s common publication that recaps the week in tech that was. And, boy, was it every week. Heaps occurred — let’s dig in.

As layoffs in tech picked up, the Imaginative and prescient Professional, Apple’s try at an AR headset, launched with a whole bunch of apps proper out the gate. Taylor Swift followers struck again after specific deepfakes of the celebrity flooded X, the platform previously often called Twitter. And the Pokémon Firm stated that it might examine Palworld, the viral online game hit, over potential plagiarism and uncanny resemblance to its IP.

Information

Tech layoffs leap: Tech redundancies have scaled to a three-quarter excessive as companies shed employees en masse. This week, Okta fired 400 workers; Block laid off round 1,000 individuals; and PayPal let go “hundreds” of staffers. As Alex and Anna write for TechCrunch+, sure, tech layoffs are accelerating — and it’s affecting firms massive and small.

iOS 18: Apple’s upcoming iOS 18 software program replace could also be “the most important” within the firm’s historical past, writes Aisha. It might carry — amongst different issues — a revamped Siri, improved autocomplete in Messages and maybe even help for RCS.

Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional: Apple’s first “spatial computing” system has arrived with ~600 apps and video games in tow. Brian’s been giving it a spin for the higher a part of the week — remember to learn his preliminary ideas and impressions. And if you happen to’re trying to decide one up your self, right here’s what you’ll be able to count on.

Swifties unite: Nonconsensual deepfake porn of Taylor Swift went viral on X final week. In lieu of significant motion from the platform past fundamental key phrase filtering, Taylor Swift followers got here collectively to make the musician’s deepfakes as troublesome to seek out as attainable.

Palworld below fireplace: The Pokémon Firm stated it hasn’t granted any permission to “one other firm” — referring to viral new sport Palworld-developer Pocketpair — to make use of Pokémon IP or property and “intends to analyze and take acceptable measures” in opposition to the fast-growing survival sport operator.

Evaluation

A SaaS revolution: Writing for TC+, Julien Codorniou, a SaaS investor at Felix Capital, says that he sees a chance for savvy software program entrepreneurs to construct the Microsoft or Salesforce of the frontline employees’ world.

Podcasts

On Fairness, Alex spoke with Anshu Sharma, the CEO of information privateness firm Skyflow, who riffed on rates of interest, enterprise cycles and the Imaginative and prescient Professional — in addition to how the Imaginative and prescient Professional fares in opposition to a concept Sharma just lately blogged about for TechCrunch+.

In the meantime, Discovered featured Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg, co-founders and co-CEOs of the Skimm, a digital media firm devoted to succinctly giving girls the data they should make assured choices.

And over on Chain Response, Jacquelyn interviewed Chris Dixon, normal associate at VC agency Andreessen Horowitz. Dixon has been on the agency since 2012 and based and leads a16z’s crypto workforce, which invests within the web3 world by means of 4 mega-funds with over $7 billion below administration.

TechCrunch+

Equity and equality: Rebecca writes about how pitch competitions assist stage the enjoying area for underrepresented founders — however that it isn’t sufficient.

Ethereum makes a comeback: Ethereum developer curiosity hit new all-time highs in 2023 regardless of a bear market, Jacquelyn studies. Solana, Polygon, Optimism and different blockchains additionally noticed an uptick in dev exercise.

Bonus spherical

“Die gradual motherf*ckers”: Y Combinator president Garry Tan revealed a menacing tweet — a questionable lyrical reference to famed West Coast rapper Tupac Shakur — earlier than deleting it and later apologizing.