With the year winding down, I’m signing off for a well-deserved break and reset. Enjoy this final edition of Tech Talk for 2024, happy holidays, and I’ll see you in 2025!
A peek into today’s edition:
- 10 biggest tech moments of 2024
- Tech Byte: more NFL and NBA video games
- TikTok heads to the Supreme Court
2024 in Review: A Recap of the Year’s Biggest Tech Moments
2024 has been a landmark year for the tech world, with several key moments reshaping the industry. From the U.S. government pushing forward a nationwide TikTok ban to Apple’s groundbreaking release of the Vision Pro, the year saw some of the most significant developments in tech history.
Join me as I dive into the 10 biggest tech moments of 2024.
The TikTok Ban Looms in the US
In 2024, the United States government enacted a nationwide ban on TikTok, citing concerns over national security and data privacy due to the platform’s ties to its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. TikTok’s legal troubles date back to 2020, but Congress passed a bill earlier this year that paved the way for a nationwide ban if ByteDance doesn’t spin TikTok out of its biz and sell it before Jan. 19, 2025. TikTok has filed various lawsuits challenging the ban. Now, the Supreme Court is getting involved (more on that below).
Apple Released the Vision Pro and Apple Intelligence
Apple dominated headlines this year, with the Apple Vision Pro and Apple Intelligence leading the news. Apple released the Vision Pro in February, marking its first major product in a new category since it unveiled the AirPods in 2016. The Big Tech giant introduced the Vision Pro headset at WWDC 2023, marking its entry into spatial computing by merging augmented and virtual reality. However, its $3,499 price tag quickly became the center of attention.
Alongside the Vision Pro, Apple introduced Apple Intelligence, a suite of AI-powered features integrated across its ecosystem, enhancing Siri, Photos, and other apps with generative AI capabilities. Apple has continued to release new Apple Intelligence features, which included an integration with OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
OpenAI Unveiled GPT-4o and Sora
OpenAI unveiled GPT-4o, its fastest and most intelligent AI model yet. The upgraded AI system came with improved text, audio, and video capabilities, including real-time conversational voice speech for ChatGPT. Some of the new features were delayed after Scarlett Johansson accused OpenAI of harnessing her voice for its new ChatGPT voice capabilities without her permission. OpenAI later launched Advanced Voice Mode, previously named Sky, in July after recreating the platform’s voice.
OpenAI finally introduced Sora this month, its AI model that lets users generate videos from text prompts. While Sora has garnered attention for its potential to democratize filmmaking, it currently faces limitations in image quality and scene complexity. Still, the new platform is available for $19 monthly, a lower price point than the industry expected.
Bitcoin Finally Surpassed $100,000
Bitcoin surpassed $100,000 for the first time in its history on Dec. 5. This surge was driven by a combination of factors, including growing institutional adoption, increasing interest from retail investors, and broader acceptance of cryptocurrencies as a legitimate asset class. This milestone also marked a substantial increase in Bitcoin’s market capitalization, placing it among the world’s top seven largest assets.
Live Sporting Events Took Over Streaming Services
Live sporting events dominated streaming platforms in 2024. The Olympics made a splash on Peacock, drawing massive viewership, while events at Cosm, a tech-enabled experiential venue, attracted crowds eager to experience immersive sports experiences in real time. NFL‘s Christmas Day games will stream on Netflix for the first time ever, marking a new era for how fans access their favorite sports content.
The Tech IPO Returned, Thanks to Reddit
Reddit went public on March 21, 2024, debuting on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker RDDT, with shares priced at $34 but opening at $47 and reaching a high of $57.80. The company’s market cap reached $9.5 billion on its first day, exceeding its target, and Reddit raised $748 million through the IPO. Despite being unprofitable, Reddit has 850 million monthly active users and is the first social media company to go public in nearly five years, marking a significant milestone in its 19-year history.
Meta Released the Quest 3S, a Budget-Friendly Headset
On October 15, Meta released the Quest 3S, a budget-friendly version of its popular Quest 3 headset, to make immersive virtual reality more accessible. The Quest 3S retains many features that made its predecessor a hit, including its mixed reality capabilities and high-quality display, but at a more affordable price of $299.99. This move is part of Meta’s ongoing effort to expand its presence in the VR and AR markets, making virtual experiences more accessible to users at various price levels.
Users Flocked from X and Joined Threads and Bluesky
This year, a significant shift in social media dynamics occurred as users flocked from X (formerly Twitter) to join emerging platforms like Threads and Bluesky. Threads, launched by Meta, quickly gained traction with its integration into Instagram, while Bluesky, backed by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, attracted users with its decentralized model. These new apps challenge X’s dominance as users find new ways to engage online.
As of December 2024, Threads boasts over 300 million monthly active users, X has around 260 million, and Bluesky has 25.5 million total registered users, with daily active users ranging from 1 to 10 million.
Spotify Became Profitable for the First Time
In a major milestone for the music streaming giant, Spotify became profitable for the first time in its 18-year history after closing Q1 in the green. After years of operating at a loss, the company reported a significant increase in revenue and subscriber growth, thanks to expanded premium subscriptions, ad-supported offerings, and strategic partnerships. After three strong quarters, Spotify anticipated reaching profitability for the full year in 2024, which would be another first for the music streaming service.
Tesla Finally Revealed the Robotaxi and Tesla Bot
After several delays, Tesla unveiled the Robotaxi, Robovan, and Tesla Bot at its “We, Robot” event in October. The Robotaxi and Robovan are fully autonomous, all-electric vehicles, while the Tesla Bot is a humanoid robot designed to perform tasks like household chores. Production for the Robotaxi and Tesla Bot is set to begin in 2026, while the Robovan’s production is expected to start in 2028 or later.
Tech Byte
There were some interesting crossovers between sports leagues and gaming this week. NFL and Netflix are bringing holiday-themed football events to Roblox, with NFL Universe Football and Nextworld offering exclusive challenges, mini-games, and team-branded rewards inspired by the NFL Christmas Games streaming on Netflix. Elsewhere, the Philadelphia 76ers and Crypto.com are launching Spectrum Sprint, a Web3 mobile game where players can unlock digital collectibles and win exclusive 76ers prizes.
This Week in Tech
- The Supreme Court will hear a pivotal case on Jan. 10 regarding TikTok’s potential U.S. ban, focusing on national security concerns and the platform’s data practices. This comes ahead of ByteDance‘s Jan. 19 deadline to either spin off TikTok or face a national ban.
- OpenAI has launched 1-800-ChatGPT, an experimental service that lets users interact with ChatGPT via phone calls or WhatsApp messages without requiring an account. Users can access the service for up to 15 minutes per month for free, though some features, like search and personalization, are limited.
- YouTube has partnered with the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) to develop tools that help creators and artists manage AI-generated content featuring their likeness. Starting in early 2025, CAA’s celebrity clients, including top NBA and NFL athletes, will test technology designed to identify and remove AI-generated content, providing feedback to refine YouTube’s detection systems and controls.
- Chinese shopping app Temu was the most downloaded free app in the U.S. on Apple devices in 2024, surpassing TikTok, which ranked third behind Instagram’s Threads. ChatGPT made a notable appearance as the fourth most downloaded app, beating Google Search, while Meta’s apps, including Instagram and WhatsApp, continued to decline in rankings.
- Big tech is securing big money before the new year arrives. Smart ring maker Oura closed a $200 million Series D, bringing its valuation to $5.2 billion, while Databricks secured $10 billion in a Series J round, pushing its valuation to $62 billion.
- EA College Football 25 has become the best-selling sports game in U.S. history, reaching this milestone in under five months since its release. The game, which marked EA’s return to college football after more than a decade, also became the top-selling game of 2024 and is already among the top 50 best-selling games of all time in the U.S.
Michelai’s Bet of the Week
I don’t have a new bet for you this week. Instead, take a look at every bet I made on tech throughout 2024, and get ready for some risky predictions from me in 2025.
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