Bluesky opens to everyone, Rivian reveals its new SUV, and governments exploit iPhones | TechCrunch

Hey, folks, welcome to Week in Review (WiR), TechCrunch’s regular newsletter that recaps the last few days in tech.

This week, social network Bluesky opened for anyone to join — which feels appropriate here in NYC, given the sunshine and unseasonably warm temperatures we’ve been enjoying. For those more inclined to while away the days indoors — and contemplating a Vision Pro purchase — Brian published his review. Give it a read; he doesn’t mince words.

Lots else happened, including a Rivian SUV reveal, government hackers targeting iPhone owners and Meta cutting off third-party access to Facebook Groups. We cover it all 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 almost 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 reveal its next-generation vehicle — a smaller, cheaper electric SUV known as R2 — on March 7, the company announced Monday morning.

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

Meta severs Group access: Meta recently announced it’ll soon be shutting down its Facebook Groups API. It’s throwing some businesses and social media marketers into disarray, Sarah writes.

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

Chinese hackers lurking inside: China-backed hackers have maintained access to American critical infrastructure for “at least five years” with the long-term goal of launching “destructive” cyberattacks, a coalition of U.S. intelligence agencies warned on Wednesday.

Analysis

Apple Vision Pro review: In his review of the Vision Pro, Brian writes that the $3,500 headset is very much still a work in progress — offering glimpses of a future that’ll live or die by developers.

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

Podcasts

On Equity, the crew took a deep look at a number of startup fundraisings, including new capital for vertical software-as-a-service, fintech and edtech; how quickly SUMA Wealth is growing; and why Bluesky is flying high.

Meanwhile, Found featured Beatrice Dixon, the co-founder of plant-based vaginal wellness brand The Honey Pot.

And on Chain Reaction, Jacquelyn interviewed Devin Finzer, the CEO of NFT marketplace OpenSea. He co-founded OpenSea in 2017, and it quickly became one of the best-known — and well-funded — NFT marketplaces.

TechCrunch+

AI, ol’ reliable: Alex writes that it appears the market is willing to accept that software imbued with new AI capabilities will cost more — so software companies of all sizes will have something new to upsell existing customers and potentially land new accounts.

Fast fashion breakup: Fast fashion is an industry ensnared in labor issues and copyright problems, and it has an immense environmental impact due to its wastewater and carbon emissions — which is why VCs need to reconsider it, Rebecca writes.

Bonus round

A sidewalk robot success story: Sidewalk delivery robot services appear to be stalling left and right. But a pioneer in the concept, Starship Technologies, says it’s profitable and has now raised a round of funding to scale up to meet market demand.