BlueSky is open to everyone, Rivian reveals its new SUV, and governments are taking advantage of iPhones

Hello, friends, welcome to the Week in Review (WiR), TechCrunch’s regular newsletter that summarizes the past few days in tech.

This week, the social network Bluesky opened up for anyone to join — which seems appropriate here in NYC, given the sunshine and unseasonably warm temperatures we’ve been enjoying. For those who like to spend the day indoors – and are considering purchasing the Vision Pro – Brian published his review. Read this; He doesn’t mince words.

And a lot more happened, including the reveal of the Rivian SUV, government hackers targeting iPhone owners, and Meta shutting down third-party access to Facebook Groups. We cover all this and more in this edition of WiR — but first, a reminder to sign up to receive the WiR newsletter in your inbox every Saturday.

news

Nothing but bluesky: After nearly a year as an invite-only app, Bluesky, a promising micro-blogging platform backed by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, is now open to the public.

Rivian’s new ride: Rivian will unveil its next-generation vehicle — a small, affordable electric SUV known as the R2 — on March 7. announced Monday morning.

Governments targeting iPhones: According to Google, government hackers exploited three unknown vulnerabilities in Apple’s iPhone operating system last year to target victims with spyware developed by a European startup.

Meta Savers Group Access: Meta recently announced that it will soon be shutting down its Facebook Groups API. This is throwing some businesses and social media marketers into disarray, writes Sarah.

A WeWork comeback: Adam Neumann, who co-founded flexible workspace provider WeWork in 2010 and infamously stepped down nine years later, is attempting to pull the company out of bankruptcy, according to reports.

Chinese hackers are hiding inside: A coalition of US intelligence agencies warned on Wednesday that China-backed hackers have maintained access to US critical infrastructure for “at least five years” with the long-term goal of launching “devastating” cyber attacks.

Analysis

Apple Vision Pro Review: In his review of the Vision Pro, Brian writes that the $3,500 headset is still a work in progress — a glimpse of the future the developers will offer that will live or die.

Joe Rogan, Free: Amanda writes why it’s good for Spotify that Joe Rogan’s podcast is no longer an exclusive.

podcast

But equity, the crew takes an in-depth look at several startup fundraising, including new capital for the verticals software-as-a-service, fintech, and edtech; How fast SUMA wealth is growing; And why BlueSky is flying high.

During this, found Beatrice Dixon is co-founder of plant-based vaginal wellness brand The Honey Pot.

and on chain reactionJacqueline interviews Devin Finzer, CEO of NFT marketplace OpenSea. He co-founded OpenSea in 2017, and it quickly became one of the most famous – and well-funded – NFT marketplaces.

TechCrunch+

AI, ol’ reliable: Alex writes that it appears the market is willing to accept that software equipped with new AI capabilities will cost more – so software companies of all sizes have something to sell to existing customers and potentially bring in new accounts. Will be new.

Fast Fashion Breakup: Fast fashion is an industry mired in labor issues and copyright problems, and has a high environmental impact due to its waste water and carbon emissions, writes Rebecca – which is why VCs need to rethink it.

bonus round

Success Story of Sidewalk Robot: Sidewalk delivery robot services are popping up left and right. But Starship Technologies, a pioneer in the concept, says it is profitable and has now raised a round of funding to meet market demand.