August 12, 2026

TechCrunch Top 3

Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni reportedly knew Phia was 'cookie stuffing' for months: Phia, the shopping startup co-founded by Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, is once again under fire for its alleged business practices. Read More

Reservoir raises $8M to make water heaters that people — and the grid — will actually want: Reservoir has built an ultra-efficient water heater that can predict hot water demand, store energy, and detect plumbing leaks throughout a home. Read More

Everything announced at Made by Google '26: Pixel 11, Pixel Watch 5, Pixel Tag, and tons of Gemini features: From the Pixel 11 series and a brand new competitor to Apple’s AirTag, here are all the announcements from the Made by Google 2026 event. Read More

Afternoon Must-Reads

AI code-testing startup Blacksmith's valuation jumps almost 10x in less than a year: Blacksmith says revenue has grown more than tenfold over the past year. Read More

Google's Pixel 11 lineup offer fewer hardware changes, but much more Gemini: Google Pixel 11 Series starts $100 costlier than the last year, but offers 256GB base storage Read More

Uber surprised robotics company Serve by selling its entire stake: The divestiture comes as the two once-tight companies have started to diverge on the business side. Read More

Google's new Pixel 11 Pro Fold offers a stronger build and brighter screens: The Pixel 11 Pro Fold will cost $1,899 Read More

Google takes on AirTag with the new $29 Pixel Tag: Google’s new Pixel Tag taps into its Find Hub network to help users track lost keys, bags, and other items. Read More

Last but Not Least

Google unveils the Pixel Watch 5 with a smarter Gemini and advanced health monitoring: The new smartwatch, which starts at $399, can track blood pressure patterns and insulin resistance, as well as deliver personalized help and better sleep tracking. Read More

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