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

A bullrider during a Professional Bull Riders event. Endeavor now owns the Professional Bull Riders. Photo by AP.

Endeavor Eyes Sports Expansion

By Jessica Toonkel · Jul 27, 2018 7:02am PDT · 1 comment

Endeavor, the talent and sports agency formerly known as WME-IMG, wants to become the ESPN of niche sports.The company, backed by Silver Lake Partners and SoftBank, already owns bullfighting and martial arts competitions, and runs streaming services for both. But now it is considering how to expand these efforts. Endeavor has held talks with the... Endeavor, the talent and sports agency formerly known as WME-IMG, wants to become the ESPN of...

Colin Huang, founder and CEO of Pinduoduo. Photo: Bloomberg

China’s E-Commerce Disrupter Arrives on Nasdaq

By Yunan Zhang · Jul 26, 2018 10:06am PDT · 1 comment

In western China’s bustling industrial city of Chongqing, Xiang Hong looks for today’s bargains on Pinduoduo, her favorite shopping app. The retiree, in her 60s, buys a dress for $5 and a pair of shoes—“real leather,” she says—for just $4. She uses WeChat’s mobile wallet to pay for the items. The prices... In western China’s bustling industrial city of Chongqing, Xiang Hong looks for...

Pedestrians walk past a Yum Brands KFC restaurant in Shanghai. Photo: Bloomberg

Hillhouse Eyes Buyout of KFC Operator Yum China

By Yunan Zhang and Juro Osawa · Jul 26, 2018 6:48am PDT

One of China’s most prominent tech investors, Hillhouse Capital Group, is in talks to acquire Yum China, the country’s biggest fast-food operator, according to three people briefed on the matter. Yum China, whose shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange with a market capitalization of nearly $13 billion, operates more than... One of China’s most prominent tech investors, Hillhouse Capital Group, is in talks to...

Google Cloud CEO Diane Greene on Tuesday at a company event in San Francisco. Photo: Bloomberg

Why Google Cloud Is Still a Work in Progress

By Kevin McLaughlin · Jul 25, 2018 2:33pm PDT · 2 comments

Google Cloud CEO Diane Greene on Tuesday at a company event in San Francisco. Photo: Bloomberg

Why Google Cloud Is Still a Work in Progress

By Kevin McLaughlin · Jul 25, 2018 2:33pm PDT · 2 comments

Diane Greene, the CEO of Google Cloud, stepped on stage Tuesday at the opening of the company’s annual customer conference to proclaim that the cloud unit has officially become an enterprise company. On Wednesday, a parade of other Google Cloud leaders continued to promote the technical advantages of its offerings.But aside from announcing... Diane Greene, the CEO of Google Cloud, stepped on stage Tuesday at the opening of the...

Steve Jobs. Photo by Bloomberg

My 2008 Steve Jobs Interview: Top Quotes

By Nick Wingfield · Jul 25, 2018 7:00am PDT · 1 comment

Today, The Information and the Wall Street Journal published a never-before-released audio transcript of an interview I conducted with Steve Jobs in 2008, a month after Apple opened the mobile floodgates by launching the App Store. You can listen to the entire interview and read the full transcript here. And here are some of my favorite quotes... Today, The Information and the Wall Street Journal published a never-before-released audio...

Steve Jobs in 2008. Photo by Bloomberg.

Hear Steve Jobs, at the Dawn of App Store, Predict the Future of Mobile

By Nick Wingfield · Jul 25, 2018 7:00am PDT · 5 comments

In the summer of 2008, I got an unusual invitation: Steve Jobs, then Apple’s chief executive officer, wanted me, then a Wall Street Journal reporter, to come to Apple headquarters to hear how well a fledgling online service for the iPhone—the App Store—did in its first month in business. Even more unusual, he allowed me to... In the summer of 2008, I got an unusual invitation: Steve Jobs, then Apple’s chief...

A sign for Amazon Web Services at a 2017 event in San Francisco. Photo: Bloomberg

AWS Could Use ‘Snowball’ Device as Foothold in Data Centers

By Amir Efrati and Kevin McLaughlin · Jul 24, 2018 3:48pm PDT

For years, Amazon Web Services has coaxed companies and organizations into moving their computing chores into big Amazon facilities known as “public” data centers. But in recognizing that many potential customers aren’t ready to do that, AWS is increasingly embracing one of the hottest trends in information technology: bringing... For years, Amazon Web Services has coaxed companies and organizations into moving their computing...

Illustration by Scotty Reifsnyder

How Snap Made Direct Response Ads a Big Business

By Tom Dotan · Jul 24, 2018 7:01am PDT · 1 comment

Illustration by Scotty Reifsnyder

How Snap Made Direct Response Ads a Big Business

By Tom Dotan · Jul 24, 2018 7:01am PDT · 1 comment

In the run-up to Snap’s second quarter earnings due Aug. 7, several Wall Street analysts have lowered their estimates for what the company has already warned will be a weak quarter. The after-effects of Snap’s troubled app redesign earlier this year hurt user growth, which is expected to be weak in the three months ended June 30.But... In the run-up to Snap’s second quarter earnings due Aug. 7, several Wall Street analysts...

Finalists in the online video show 'Produce 101' on an episode in June. Photo by AP

Tencent and Rivals Learn How to Charge for Online Video

By Juro Osawa · Jul 23, 2018 10:01am PDT

When Wang Bowen fell in love with an “American Idol”–style reality show on a Chinese video site, he wanted to do everything to support his favorite contestant, a young woman with short hair and big round glasses. Paying subscribers of the site, owned by internet giant Tencent, could cast far more votes for contestants than... When Wang Bowen fell in love with an “American Idol”–style reality show on a...

YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki at the announcement of YouTube TV last year. Photo by Bloomberg.

YouTube TV Shows Tough Economics of Skinny Bundles

By Jessica Toonkel and Tom Dotan · Jul 23, 2018 7:01am PDT · 10 comments

The transition of TV viewers from traditional cable to streaming alternatives is underway. But media mergers could raise costs for the new services, making it tougher for them to turn a profit.As hundreds of thousands of people continue to drop cable and satellite TV every quarter, some are signing up for cheaper streaming versions introduced in... The transition of TV viewers from traditional cable to streaming alternatives is underway. But...

What No One Is Saying About Facebook

By Jessica E. Lessin · Jul 21, 2018 12:40pm PDT · 4 comments

As for the imbroglio over Facebook’s clumsy content moderation strategy—and even clumsier rationalization of it—I spent the last few days trying to find some coherent argument for how Facebook should police its platform and draw the line between what it should and shouldn’t allow. This stuff is tough. So tough. If you... As for the imbroglio over Facebook’s clumsy content moderation strategy—and even...

The Information’s 411 — Slowed Boat to China

By Tom Dotan · Jul 20, 2018 2:37pm PDT

The Information’s 411 — Slowed Boat to China

By Tom Dotan · Jul 20, 2018 2:37pm PDT

Priya talks about the incremental movements toward an antitrust case against Amazon. Also we discuss why Walmart is thinking about building a competitor to Amazon Prime Video. Matt Pressberg dives into the stalled negotiations between Hollywood and China over movie releases. Priya talks about the incremental movements toward an antitrust case against Amazon. Also we...

Mike Sullivan

Tech Isn’t Doing Enough to Address Mental Health

By Sunil Rajaraman · Jul 20, 2018 10:00am PDT · 12 comments

Admit it. You’ve done it. That social media post you put up. The Instagram post of you on vacation in Mykonos with your family. The LinkedIn entry stating how great your company is doing. The Facebook post donating to a cause you know little about. Social media has created a never-ending loop for many inside and outside the technology... Admit it. You’ve done it. That social media post you put up. The Instagram post of you on...

Bird CEO Travis VanderZanden

Q&A

Bird CEO Passes on Uber, Takes Aim at Cars

By Cory Weinberg · Jul 20, 2018 7:00am PDT · 4 comments

Bird CEO Travis VanderZanden seemed to be making all the right moves recently. His launch of an electric scooter service last year kicked off a larger wave of investment in the sector and spawned clones, as he calls other scooter startups. He already has made a lot of money from Bird, selling shares in the company’s latest $300 million... Bird CEO Travis VanderZanden seemed to be making all the right moves recently. His launch of an...

A poster for the Disney movie "Alice Through the Looking Glass" at a movie theater in Yichang in China in 2016. Photo by AP.

Hollywood Wins Concession From China, but Overall Deal Stalled

By Wayne Ma and Matt Pressberg · Jul 19, 2018 10:00am PDT · 1 comment

For more than a year, the U.S. has been negotiating with China to let Hollywood film studios expand their business in China. The U.S. made some progress late last year when, The Information has learned, Chinese officials tentatively agreed to an increase in the number of major Hollywood films that could be released annually to 44 from 34. But on... For more than a year, the U.S. has been negotiating with China to let Hollywood film studios...

The FTC's Lina Khan (left), and Rep. Ro Khanna. Photos: New America/Flickr and AP

Amazon Antitrust Push Slowly Gains Ground

By Priya Anand · Jul 19, 2018 7:00am PDT · 3 comments

The FTC's Lina Khan (left), and Rep. Ro Khanna. Photos: New America/Flickr and AP

Amazon Antitrust Push Slowly Gains Ground

By Priya Anand · Jul 19, 2018 7:00am PDT · 3 comments

When President Donald Trump slams Amazon on Twitter, it is easy to dismiss the attacks as social media bluster, motivated by antipathy towards Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos because of his personal ownership of the Washington Post. But there are other signs that Amazon critics are gaining influence in Washington, D.C., with arguments that the... When President Donald Trump slams Amazon on Twitter, it is easy to dismiss the attacks as social...

Tom Gruber. Photo: Flickr/JD Lasica

Siri’s Last Remaining Cofounder Is Out at Apple

By Aaron Tilley and Kevin McLaughlin · Jul 18, 2018 6:59pm PDT · 1 comment

Tom Gruber, one of the original Siri cofounders, has left Apple, where he was recently the head of Siri’s Advanced Development group, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. Apple’s head of search, Vipul Ved Prakash, has also left the company. An Apple spokeswoman confirmed both departures. Mr. Gruber is retiring and... Tom Gruber, one of the original Siri cofounders, has left Apple, where he was recently the head...

Visitors on the Great Wall of China. Photo by shankar s./Flickr

Airbnb Looks to Keep China Momentum

By Cory Weinberg · Jul 18, 2018 10:01am PDT

Airbnb’s increasing popularity with young Chinese travelers has made the country an important growth driver over the past year. Revenue from Airbnb’s China division is expected to climb by more than half to roughly $130 million this year, two people familiar with the matter said. While that growth rate is lower than last year’s... Airbnb’s increasing popularity with young Chinese travelers has made the country an...

Illustration by Mike Sullivan

Instagram’s Growing Bot Problem

By Reed Albergotti and Sarah Kuranda · Jul 18, 2018 7:01am PDT · 4 comments

Instagram, which recently reached a billion users, might have as many as 95 million bots posing as real accounts on its platform, according to a new study conducted for The Information by the research firm Ghost Data.That tally is somewhat higher than in a similar study the research firm did in 2015. The increase is concerning, experts say,... Instagram, which recently reached a billion users, might have as many as 95 million bots posing...

Vudu's app on an iPhone. Photo by Bloomberg

Walmart Plots Rival to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video

By Jessica Toonkel, Tom Dotan and Priya Anand · Jul 17, 2018 10:32am PDT · 7 comments

Vudu's app on an iPhone. Photo by Bloomberg

Walmart Plots Rival to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video

By Jessica Toonkel, Tom Dotan and Priya Anand · Jul 17, 2018 10:32am PDT · 7 comments

Walmart is considering launching a subscription streaming video service to compete with Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, people familiar with the situation told The Information. Such a move could be enormously costly for the retailer but would demonstrate its determination to compete on multiple fronts with Amazon in particular.The Bentonville,... Walmart is considering launching a subscription streaming video service to compete with Netflix...