Americans can continue using TikTok for now, Google updates its developer policies and Uber gets approval to resume operations in London. This is your Daily Crunch for September 28, 2020.
\nThe big story: Judge delays TikTok ban
\nThe saga continues! The Trump administration\u2019s ban on TikTok was scheduled to take effect today \u2014 but over the weekend, a federal court ruled that Americans can continue using the app while a legal challenge over the ban\u2019s legality moves forward.<\/p>\n
A federal judge had already put a similar injunction in place to prevent a ban on WeChat from moving forward.
\nMeanwhile, Oracle, Walmart and TikTok\u2019s owner ByteDance have also reached a deal that\u2019s been approved by the U.S. government and would allow the app to continue operating here. However, it seems like the various companies and governments involved in the deal aren\u2019t exactly on the same page.
\nThe tech giants
\nGoogle to better enforce Play Store in-app purchase policies, ease use of third-party app stores \u2014 Under threat of regulation, Google announced that it\u2019s updating its Google Play billing policies to better clarify which types of transactions will be subject to Google\u2019s commissions on in-app purchases.
\nUber wins latest London licence appeal, but renewal is only for 18 months \u2014 The ride-sharing giant has faced a multi-year battle to have its license reinstated after the city\u2019s transport regulator decided not to issue a renewal in 2017.
\nRoku introduces a new Ultra player, a 2-in-1 \u2018Streambar\u2019 and a new OS with support for AirPlay 2 \u2014 The Streambar combines 4K HDR streaming and premium audio into one product.
\nStartups, funding and venture capital
\nSoftBank will bring Bear\u2019s serving robots to Japan, amid restaurant labor shortages \u2014 The investor detailed plans to bring Bear\u2019s Servi robot to Japan in an effort to address restaurant labor issues.
\nGV bets on young team behind high school social app HAGS \u2014 The team is building an old-school social play focused on Gen Z high school socialization.
\nN26 hires Adrienne Gormley as its new chief operating officer \u2014 Gormley has spent the last six years working for Dropbox in Dublin.
\nAdvice and analysis from Extra Crunch
\n2 strategies for creating top-of-funnel marketing content \u2014 Even when you\u2019re excellent at making the sale, you still need people to know you exist in the first place.
\nDeep Science: Robot perception, acoustic monitoring, using ML to detect arthritis \u2014 Devin Coldewey rounds up the latest research and discoveries.
\n(Reminder: Extra Crunch is our subscription membership program, which aims to democratize information about startups. You can sign up here.)
\nEverything else
\nHealthcare giant UHS hit by ransomware attack, sources say \u2014 The attack hit UHS systems early on Sunday morning, according to two people with direct knowledge of the incident.
\nCannabis vape companies are experiencing a sales boom during the pandemic \u2014\u00a0From startups to major players, several leading manufacturers told TechCrunch that their companies are seeing a boom in sales since the start of the crisis.
\nThe Daily Crunch is TechCrunch\u2019s roundup of our biggest and most important stories. If you\u2019d like to get this delivered to your inbox every day at around 3pm Pacific, you can subscribe here.<\/p>\n