Apple's Siri Embraces Google | Crunch Report

TL;DR

Apple is replacing Bing with Google as Siri’s default provider for web and video searches, while Bing will continue handling image results. This Crunch Report also covers Instagram’s 800 million monthly users, SAP’s reported $350 million acquisition of Giga, and the $350 Google–Levi’s connected jacket. Read on for the key figures, deal details, and product features.

Transcript

taking a look at instagrams impressive growth numbers s AP is buying Giga for 350 million the Levi's Google collab connected jacket and more it's Monday September 25th and this is crunch report what up everybody happy Monday hope you all had a good weekend I made a brisket and ate it and it was delicious alright here's the news Instagram is a behem... Read More

Key Insights

• 👤 Instagram has experienced immense growth with 800 million monthly users.
• 🎮 The platform's increase in video viewing time indicates its growing popularity for video content consumption.
• 😀 SAP's acquisition of Giga for $350 million showcases the importance of customer identity and profile management in the e-commerce industry.

Questions & Answers

Q: Is Apple replacing Bing with Google for Siri searches?

Yes. Google will become Siri’s default provider for web and video searches, while Bing will continue to handle image results.

Q: Why is Apple changing Siri’s default search provider to Google?

Apple attributes the change to a desire for consistency. The change applies to Siri’s web and video searches, but not its image results.

Q: How many monthly and daily users does Instagram have?

Instagram reports 800 million monthly users and 500 million daily users. These figures were presented as evidence of the platform’s substantial growth.

Q: How much has video viewing time increased on Instagram?

Time spent viewing videos on Instagram increased by more than 80% year over year. The transcript does not provide the total amount of viewing time.

Q: How many advertisers does Instagram have?

Instagram says it has 2 million advertisers on its platform. That figure increased from 1 million in March.

Q: How much did SAP reportedly pay to acquire Giga?

The official terms were not disclosed, but TechCrunch’s sources said the acquisition was worth $350 million. The deal was expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2017.

Q: What does Giga do, and what happens to its employees after the SAP acquisition?

Giga helps online properties manage customer identities and profiles. Its 300 employees were expected to join SAP as part of the acquisition, which was intended to strengthen SAP’s e-commerce division.

Q: What can the Google and Levi’s connected jacket do?

The jacket has gesture sensors in its cuff that communicate wirelessly with a smartphone. It can control music, provide map ETA and direction updates, and signal texts and calls through haptic feedback and light; the $350 collaboration was set to go on sale Wednesday.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Instagram has 800 million monthly users and 500 million daily users, with video viewing time up by 80% year-over-year.

• TechCrunch reports that SAP has acquired Giga, an identity and profile management firm, for $350 million. The deal is expected to close in Q4 2017.

• Apple is changing its default search provider for Siri to Google, while image results will continue to be handled by Bing.