Do you hear that? That's the sound of TikTok gunning for Spotify's throne.
A trademark filing shows that TikTok's parent company applied for "TikTok Music" — a sign the social media giant could be gearing up to compete with Apple Music and Spotify.
Speaking of Spotify… The company's short-lived Car Thing is officially dead, but you can still buy one at a steep discount.
I'm Jordan Parker Erb. Let's get to the good stuff.
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1. TikTok is coming for Spotify and Apple Music. ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, filed to trademark a streaming service called "TikTok Music," which could feature an app for users to purchase, play, share, and download music.
- TikTok is already a hub for discovering new music, often propelling songs into the mainstream and to the tops of charts like Billboard 100 and Spotify Viral 50.
- Now, the company appears to be inching closer to launching a standalone music streaming service of its own — ByteDance submitted its "TikTok Music" trademark in the US on May 9.
- TikTok is already a major rival to social media companies like Facebook and Instagram, and this move could place it in direct competition with companies like Spotify and Apple Music.
What we know about TikTok's music-streaming ambitions.
In other news:
2. Spotify has stopped producing its Car Thing. In its quarterly earnings report, Spotify announced it'd no longer be making the dashboard accessory, which was intended to help navigate the streaming service from your car. Inside the Car Thing's downfall.
3. Employees are defying orders to return to the office — and getting away with it. A national survey shows that more than half of employees who have been ordered back to the office full-time are refusing to comply. Why workers are refusing to acquiesce, without repercussions.
4. Meta reported its first-ever year-over-year decline in quarterly revenue. Amid increased competition from TikTok and a slowdown in ad spending, the company posted the first revenue decline in its history. Mark Zuckerberg also said Facebook will steadily reduce the number of employees it hires and shrink some teams over the next year.
5. Google is delaying its plan to kill off third-party tracking cookies in Chrome. The company is pushing back its deadline for killing off tracking cookies until at least 2024, giving advertisers and publishers more time to test cookieless alternatives. Everything we know so far.
6. Hulu is changing its policy to allow political ads. Facing backlash from Democrats over its refusal to show ads about gun safety and abortion, the streamer will now accept ads from a "wide spectrum of policy positions." Get the full rundown here.
7. An Amazon warehouse builder with ties to a polygamous cult is under investigation. Oregon state is investigating a warehouse builder linked to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The investigation centers around allegations of child labor and wage theft violations. What we know about the investigation.
8. Clash of the Tech Titans. Mark Zuckerberg told staff Meta is in "deep, philosophical competition" with Apple to build the metaverse. But he isn't the only one noticing a rivalry. Insider's Lara O'Reilly writes that Apple CEO Tim Cook has been taking shots at Zuckerberg for years — and it's working.
Odds and ends:
9. Comparing Rivian's electric pickup and SUV. Insider's transportation reporter tried out each of the electric vehicles on-road and off, and checked out all of their interesting features. See how the startup's first two models stack up.
10. Uber passengers can't figure out how to get into Teslas. As part of Uber's new service, Comfort Electric, passengers can request a Tesla or other premium EV — but the company is having to send instructions on how to open Teslas' doors. More on that here.
What we're watching today:
- Apple, Amazon, Roku, and others are reporting earnings today. Keep up with earnings here.
- Lollapalooza music festival kicks off today in Chicago.
Keep updated with the latest tech news throughout your day by checking out The Refresh from Insider, a dynamic audio news brief from the Insider newsroom. Listen here.
Curated by Jordan Parker Erb in New York. (Feedback or tips? Email [email protected] or tweet @jordanparkererb.) Edited by Hallam Bullock (tweet @hallam_bullock) in London.