Good afternoon and welcome back to TechCrunch PM. Today we have an update on the popular rabbit r1, and we look at layoffs from Amazon, we learn what a “thirst trap” is, and we explore some new features for Plex. Have a good weekend, and we’ll see you on Monday.

— Christine

TechCrunch PM Top 3

Rabbit partners with Perplexity AI’s tech: If CES is your jam, then you may agree that the rabbit r1 was a popular gadget this year. More evidence here. To recap, the r1 is an AI-first gadget that saves you the hassle of taking your phone out for tasks like performing web searches, playing a song on Spotify, and ordering a cab. Now it has even more AI power thanks to a new partnership with Perplexity.

Amazon has more layoffs: First it was Amazon’s streaming division, and now the e-commerce giant confirms it is laying off employees within its Buy with Prime segment.

OpenAI signs up its first higher education customer: OpenAI and Arizona State University have struck a deal to bring ChatGPT to the university’s researchers, staff and faculty. Next month, ASU will invite those potential users to submit ideas for ways to use ChatGPT — focusing on student success, among other things.

More top reads

Sometimes you don’t need a pitch deck: Learn how FYPM used Instagram Stories and thirst traps (a sexy or filthy picture) to raise $275,000.

LoanDepot outage drags on: Some LoanDepot customers say they have been unable to make mortgage payments or access their online accounts following a suspected ransomware attack on the company last week. The company said it is working on it.

Apple offers EU set of pledges aimed at settling Apple Pay antitrust probe: Apple has offered a set of commitments to competition regulators in the European Union aimed at resolving concerns focused on NFC payments and mobile wallet tech on iOS, its mobile operating system.

The FTC bans another data broker: The U.S. Federal Trade Commission cracks down on another data broker, banning data aggregation company InMarket from selling consumers’ precise location data. The FTC claims InMarket failed to obtain consent from users of its own apps.

Plex confirms plan to launch TV and movie rentals: Next month, media streamer Plex has plans to finally launch a marketplace for TV and movie rentals after multiple false starts.

Pitch Deck Teardown: Over on TechCrunch+, Haje dives into Rypplzz’ (pronounced “ripples”) $3 million seed deck. He gives you a hint on how it went: “I have to admit: this deck didn’t set me alight, so I was a bit surprised by its success. Still, it’s worth exploring what could be improved here.”

Half of Apple’s India smartphone shipments are now iPhone 15: That’s right, the iPhone 15 and its many iterations comprised more than half of Apple’s Q4 smartphone shipments of nearly 2.8 million units in India, according to a new report.

Amazon’s iRobot deal could be blocked by European Union: It’s been 17 months since Amazon agreed to buy iRobot for $1.7 billion. Things have been going slow. And now the European Union is throwing a wrench in the deal that could mean the acquisition doesn’t move forward.

Private equity could be the last resort for startups struggling to exit: Over on TechCrunch+, Alex and Anna found another area where recent research from Cowboy Ventures’ Aileen Lee applies — there’s a towering pile of private companies in need of an exit, or a bailout.

On the pods

On today’s Equity, Mary Ann Azevedo and Alex Wilhelm chewed through funding rounds and the trends prevalent today in startup land. These include Pomelo, Tandem, Briq, AI and the enterprise and a possible recovery in startup valuations. Listen here.

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