The Briefing by Martin Peers, Jessica Lessin and the team at The Information

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The Briefing

By Martin Peers, Jessica Lessin and the team at The Information

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Recent Editions

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. Photo by Bloomberg

What’s Amazon’s Share of Retail? Depends Who You Ask

By Priya Anand · Jun 13, 2019 7:02am PDT

Critics who believe Amazon has gotten too big and powerful often quote estimates that the company accounts for nearly 50% of online sales in the U.S. But one widely cited source for that figure—the research firm eMarketer—recently revised Amazon’s market share estimate sharply downward after the ecommerce giant disclosed new... Critics who believe Amazon has gotten too big and powerful often quote estimates that the company...

Mike Sullivan

Crypto Newsletter

Venture Investors Remain Skittish

By Jon Victor · Jun 12, 2019 12:06pm PDT

Bitcoin’s price has been on a quiet tear this year, but it looks like investors remain gun-shy after getting burned by crypto’s big drop in early 2018. We take a closer look at that below. Also this week, the spotlight continues to be on Facebook’s crypto plans, as the industry awaits the expected June 18 release of its token... Bitcoin’s price has been on a quiet tear this year, but it looks like investors remain...

Oracle chairman and chief technology officer Larry Ellison. Photo by Bloomberg

Larry Ellison Returns to War (and Diaper Changing)

By Kevin McLaughlin · Jun 12, 2019 7:01am PDT · 1 comment

When Thomas Kurian, a high-profile former Oracle executive, left the software company last September, his peers at the database software company expected Oracle to replace him. But Larry Ellison, Oracle’s co-founder and chief technology officer, had other plans. Mr. Kurian had been leading Oracle’s response to a growing threat from... When Thomas Kurian, a high-profile former Oracle executive, left the software company last...

Apple CEO Tim Cook in March. Photo by Bloomberg

Apple Discusses Acquisition of Intel’s German Modem Unit

By Aaron Tilley · Jun 11, 2019 3:37pm PDT

Apple CEO Tim Cook in March. Photo by Bloomberg

Apple Discusses Acquisition of Intel’s German Modem Unit

By Aaron Tilley · Jun 11, 2019 3:37pm PDT

Apple is in talks to buy a key part of Intel’s smartphone modem business—its German operations—in a deal that could boost the iPhone maker’s plans to internally develop a modem for its devices, according to four people briefed on the discussions.The talks come as Intel considers selling its struggling modem business in... Apple is in talks to buy a key part of Intel’s smartphone modem business—its German...

Shania Twain, who will star in Lionsgate's upcoming movie "I Still Believe." Photo by AP

Lionsgate’s Hulu-FX Movie Deal Shows Change in TV Landscape

By Jessica Toonkel · Jun 11, 2019 2:11pm PDT

In the latest sign of how streaming services are shaking up traditional TV, Disney’s majority-owned Hulu and fully owned cable channel FX have jointly bought the rights to show Lionsgate’s recently released movies starting next year, according to people familiar with the situation.FX and Hulu are buying rights now held by MGM’s... In the latest sign of how streaming services are shaking up traditional TV, Disney’s...

AI Hiring Frenzy Settles Down

By Kevin McLaughlin · Jun 11, 2019 10:00am PDT

The hiring boom in artificial intelligence research is finally slowing down. The frenzied competition for talent that drove the cost of hiring data scientists and AI researchers into the stratosphere appears to have sharply cooled. At both Alphabet and Microsoft, two of the biggest recruiters of AI talent, the growth rate of hiring for... The hiring boom in artificial intelligence research is finally slowing down. The frenzied...

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. Photo: Bloomberg

Uber CEO Shielded From Stock Drop by Options Repricing

By Alfred Lee and Amir Efrati · Jun 11, 2019 7:00am PDT

Uber’s sluggish public market debut has meant losses for some investors. But CEO Dara Khosrowshahi is sitting on healthy paper gains, thanks to changes that were made to his stock options before the company went public. The exercise price of Mr. Khosrowshahi’s options was lowered to $33.65 per share by the company early last year,... Uber’s sluggish public market debut has meant losses for some investors. But CEO Dara...

Chasing Amazon, Walmart’s Free Shipping Falls Short

By Priya Anand · Jun 10, 2019 10:00am PDT

Chasing Amazon, Walmart’s Free Shipping Falls Short

By Priya Anand · Jun 10, 2019 10:00am PDT

Walmart is trying to catch up with Amazon in speedy shipping. New data show the Bentonville, Arkansas–based retailer has a long way to go.In January 2017, Walmart pledged to offer free two-day shipping on more than 2 million products—including everything from coffee to diapers. And last October it said it was expanding the range of... Walmart is trying to catch up with Amazon in speedy shipping. New data show the Bentonville,...

The Jitian village dance group, in matching outfits purchased on Pinduoduo, at the Lunar New Year gala.

Let 100 Apps Blossom: WeChat, Pinduoduo Transform China’s Rural Life

By Yunan Zhang · Jun 10, 2019 7:00am PDT · 2 comments

Last year, after nearly a decade working long hours at a variety of factory and office jobs in Shenzhen, one of China’s tech-saturated mega cities, 28-year-old Yu Lixia came home to Jitian, the remote village where she grew up. She started a modest online shop selling local specialties such as tea and wild mushrooms to customers near and... Last year, after nearly a decade working long hours at a variety of factory and office jobs in...

Another Antitrust Lesson From Microsoft

By Jessica E. Lessin · Jun 8, 2019 8:01am PDT

It was an interesting start to the week: headlines announcing that the Justice Department is preparing an antitrust investigation into Google. What’s more, the U.S.’s two antitrust enforcers had divvied up the major tech platforms, deciding that the Justice Department would be responsible for future Google and Apple investigations.... It was an interesting start to the week: headlines announcing that the Justice Department is...

The Information’s 411 — Facebook Scales Libra

By Tom Dotan · Jun 7, 2019 3:30pm PDT

Alex dives into Facebook's cryptocurrency plans and why they've ceded control to an outside foundation. Beejoli talks about Endeavor's IPO filing and why the company's internal structure is so complex. Alex dives into Facebook's cryptocurrency plans and why they've ceded control to an...

An Uber autonomous vehicle testing in early 2018. Photo by AP

How Uber Wants Self-Driving Cars to Help Ride-Hailing Business

By Amir Efrati · Jun 7, 2019 7:01am PDT

An Uber autonomous vehicle testing in early 2018. Photo by AP

How Uber Wants Self-Driving Cars to Help Ride-Hailing Business

By Amir Efrati · Jun 7, 2019 7:01am PDT

Uber is among the robotaxi developers that have been trying to improve the way they measure software quality, to help prepare for the launch of commercial services. The company recently discussed tracking precisely where cars with its software appear to drive better than human drivers and where they won’t. Uber would then assign... Uber is among the robotaxi developers that have been trying to improve the way they measure...

Cruise president/CTO Kyle Vogt. Photo by Bloomberg

Cruise’s Secret ‘Apollo’ Robotaxi Milestones

By Amir Efrati · Jun 7, 2019 7:01am PDT · 2 comments

As Cruise set out in 2017 to verify the safety of its self-driving vehicles, it came up with a set of milestones to measure progress in its software development. These milestones, which measure the frequency and severity of safety incidents, offer a rare view of how autonomous vehicle developers judge the quality of their software, and the... As Cruise set out in 2017 to verify the safety of its self-driving vehicles, it came up with a...

A Cruise car driving in San Francisco. Photo by AP

Technical Glitches Plague Cruise, GM’s $19 Billion Self-Driving Car Unit

By Amir Efrati · Jun 7, 2019 7:01am PDT · 2 comments

In the middle of April, Honda Motor CEO Takahiro Hachigo hopped into a self-driving car prototype made by General Motors’ Cruise Automation for a demonstration ride. It didn’t go well. About 20 minutes in, the car’s software suddenly turned itself off even as the car kept moving. A man sitting behind the wheel—the backup... In the middle of April, Honda Motor CEO Takahiro Hachigo hopped into a self-driving car prototype...

SiFive CEO Naveed Sherwani. Photo courtesy of the company.

Startup of the Week

Qualcomm Backs Startup Taking On SoftBank-Owned Arm

By Aaron Tilley · Jun 6, 2019 10:11am PDT · 2 comments

An emerging open source chip design, called RISC-V, appears to be picking up steam in the tech industry, changing how companies make custom chips, and one of the technology’s leading startups is growing fast along with it.San Mateo, Calif.–based SiFive has just raised $65.4 million in a Series D round, the company said, bringing its... An emerging open source chip design, called RISC-V, appears to be picking up steam in the tech...

Photo: Bloomberg

Slack Listing Will Test Wall Street Demand for Software Stocks

By Alfred Lee · Jun 6, 2019 7:00am PDT · 1 comment

Photo: Bloomberg

Slack Listing Will Test Wall Street Demand for Software Stocks

By Alfred Lee · Jun 6, 2019 7:00am PDT · 1 comment

Slack’s planned public listing later this month will be the next big test of Wall Street’s demand for tech stocks. Recent IPOs, of Uber and Lyft in particular, have disappointed. But Slack has the advantage of being in a sector—subscription software—that is a hot favorite with investors right now.The question is whether... Slack’s planned public listing later this month will be the next big test of Wall...

A Drive.ai car on the road. Photo by Drive.ai

Apple Looks to Acquire Struggling Self-Driving Car Startup Drive.ai

By Amir Efrati and Alex Heath · Jun 5, 2019 7:53pm PDT

Apple is in the process of acquiring a well-known but struggling self-driving shuttle firm, Drive.ai, for its engineering talent in order boost Apple’s own development of a self-driving vehicle system, according to two people briefed about the situation. The planned deal, described as an “acqui-hire” of the Silicon Valley firm... Apple is in the process of acquiring a well-known but struggling self-driving shuttle firm,...

Mike Sullivan

Crypto Newsletter

EOS Creator Expands Into Social Media

By Jon Victor · Jun 5, 2019 1:12pm PDT

It should surprise no one that the winner of a charity auction for a lunch with Warren Buffett was a crypto entrepreneur who hopes to sell the investing legend on crypto’s merits. Justin Sun, founder of the blockchain Tron, will donate $4.6 million for the chance to discuss the potential uses he sees for Tron’s cryptocurrency.... It should surprise no one that the winner of a charity auction for a lunch with Warren Buffett...

David Marcus, the head of Facebook's cryptocurrency project. Photo by Bloomberg

Facebook Plans Outside Foundation to Govern Cryptocurrency

By Alex Heath and Jon Victor · Jun 5, 2019 11:57am PDT · 2 comments

Facebook plans to cede control of its forthcoming cryptocurrency to outside backers, a move meant to encourage trust in the digital payment system and reassure financial regulators, The Information has learned.In recent months, the social network has courted dozens of financial institutions and other tech companies to join an independent... Facebook plans to cede control of its forthcoming cryptocurrency to outside backers, a move meant...

Illustration by Mike Sullivan

Tech’s Frontline in Washington, D.C.

By Christopher Stern and Ashley Gold · Jun 5, 2019 7:00am PDT · 1 comment

Illustration by Mike Sullivan

Tech’s Frontline in Washington, D.C.

By Christopher Stern and Ashley Gold · Jun 5, 2019 7:00am PDT · 1 comment

The women and men charged with protecting Big Tech’s interests in Washington are under historic pressure as federal antitrust agencies and lawmakers laid the groundwork this week for broad federal reviews that will look into every facet of the industry’s business practices. All of this attention from lawmakers and regulators will... The women and men charged with protecting Big Tech’s interests in Washington are under...