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

Get smarter about the day’s news in tech, media and finance by following Silicon Valley’s most-read executive newsletter.

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Recent Editions

Art by Scotty Reifsnyder

Debate Rages Over Self-Driving Car Software

By Amir Efrati · Dec 5, 2017 7:01am PST · 8 comments

Is a self-driving car safe if its software is made by different companies—or does one firm need to make all the key pieces? That’s one of the biggest questions in the self-driving car field right now. And the answer will determine whether the likes of Alphabet’s Waymo and Ford have a clear edge over rivals like BMW, Fiat... Is a self-driving car safe if its software is made by different companies—or does one firm...

Art: Sam Lessin

Modest Proposals

14 Ways the Cryptocurrency Market Will Change in 2018

By Sam Lessin · Dec 4, 2017 10:16am PST · 5 comments

The energy around cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology stands out as a rare positive growth story among a sea of depressing technology narratives in 2017. This year I wrote two columns about cryptocurrency, detailing in May why it was time for the broader technology community to be spending time understanding what was going on in... The energy around cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology stands out as a rare positive growth...

Introducing Young Professional and All-Access Plans

By Jessica E. Lessin · Dec 4, 2017 8:30am PST

On our four-year anniversary, I am delighted to announce two new plans subscribers have been asking for: a 50%-off young professionals plan ($199 a year) and an all-access plan that offers guaranteed attendance at our events for $749, just $350 more than a regular subscription. Young Professionals (Learn more here)Tech is an industry that skews... On our four-year anniversary, I am delighted to announce two new plans subscribers have been...

Visualization by Mike Sullivan

The People With Power at Amazon

By Priya Anand · Dec 4, 2017 7:00am PST · 7 comments

Visualization by Mike Sullivan

The People With Power at Amazon

By Priya Anand · Dec 4, 2017 7:00am PST · 7 comments

As Amazon.com has diversified into everything from cloud services to movie production, its management team has remained remarkably stable. About a dozen of CEO Jeff Bezos’ top lieutenants have remained by his side for at least the last decade, and many for longer. That continuity has helped the company grow into new business areas. ... As Amazon.com has diversified into everything from cloud services to movie production, its...

The Weekly Digest

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · Dec 2, 2017 8:00am PST

Good Morning!We’re not sure that the GOP’s tax plan is tilted against California, but the proposal to tax people for talking about their Bitcoin gains seems to go a bit far. Good Morning!We’re not sure that the GOP’s tax plan is tilted against California, but...

The Information’s 411 — We’ll Do It Live

By Tom Dotan · Dec 1, 2017 3:40pm PST

Reed discusses the culture at Google and how several top executives freely engaged in romantic relationships with their subordinates. Also Cory joins to announce our first ever live podcast taping Dec. 18 in San Francisco.For more information about the event and to RSVP click here. Reed discusses the culture at Google and how several top executives freely engaged in romantic...

Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun unveiling a new smartphone in China in September. Photo by Bloomberg.

Chinese Smartphone Maker Xiaomi Eyes 2018 Stock Market Listing

By Yunan Zhang, Shai Oster and Juro Osawa · Dec 1, 2017 8:18am PST · 1 comment

China’s Xiaomi, one of the world’s biggest smartphone makers, is talking to bankers about an initial public offering as early as the second half of next year, people familiar with the matter said. It would be the public market debut of one of China’s most widely recognized tech brands. Xiaomi was valued at about $46 billion in... China’s Xiaomi, one of the world’s biggest smartphone makers, is talking to bankers...

The Private Tech Board Crisis and What to Do About It

By Jessica E. Lessin · Dec 1, 2017 7:02am PST · 4 comments

The Private Tech Board Crisis and What to Do About It

By Jessica E. Lessin · Dec 1, 2017 7:02am PST · 4 comments

Two years ago, blood testing startup Theranos began its collapse after journalist John Carreyrou revealed some of its technology was a fraud. At the time, I argued that the unraveling of the $9 billion company wasn’t just a failure of a single technology or CEO; it was a failure of the Theranos board and a wake-up call for the private tech... Two years ago, blood testing startup Theranos began its collapse after journalist John Carreyrou...

Jobs@TheInformation

Join The Information as our Group Sales Manager

By The Information Staff · Nov 30, 2017 5:29pm PST

The Information is a San Francisco-based subscription publication known for original, in-depth reporting about the technology industry. We’re the go-to daily read for the most important people in technology and business and are building a one-of-a kind community of subscribers. We have a financially healthy business, plenty of capital and... The Information is a San Francisco-based subscription publication known for original, in-depth...

Lyft's driver hub in Los Angeles. Photo by Bloomberg.

Lyft Cut Losses on Sharply Higher Revenue in First Half

By Amir Efrati · Nov 30, 2017 12:11pm PST

Lyft’s finances improved in the first half of 2017, new documents show, as the company lost less money on revenue estimated to be 200% higher than the year-earlier period. Lyft’s improvement came as U.S. ride-hailing leader Uber experienced scandal after scandal, which shifted some riders to Lyft.Lyft brought in $483 million in... Lyft’s finances improved in the first half of 2017, new documents show, as the company lost...

McAfee's Global Threat Center. Photo by AP.

Free of Intel, McAfee Plots Acquisitions

By Sarah Kuranda · Nov 30, 2017 7:05am PST

Seven months after Intel sold control of McAfee to TPG, the onetime security market leader is looking to reassert its position after years of losing ground. This week’s purchase of cloud security firm Skyhigh Networks is a key step in that direction. But it’s likely to be just the first of several acquisitions aimed at improving... Seven months after Intel sold control of McAfee to TPG, the onetime security market leader is...

Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Photo by AP.

Google Reckoning With History of Interoffice Romance by Top Execs

By Reed Albergotti · Nov 29, 2017 10:09pm PST · 7 comments

Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Photo by AP.

Google Reckoning With History of Interoffice Romance by Top Execs

By Reed Albergotti · Nov 29, 2017 10:09pm PST · 7 comments

The romantic relationships within the walls of Google made ideal fodder for gossip columns and magazine profiles.Co-founder Larry Page dated Google lieutenant Marissa Mayer in the company’s early days, and co-founder Sergey Brin later drew attention for dating Amanda Rosenberg, a younger colleague. CEO Eric Schmidt dated publicist Marcy... The romantic relationships within the walls of Google made ideal fodder for gossip columns and...

The Snapchat app. Photo by Bloomberg

Why Snap’s Redesign May Not Be Enough

By Tom Dotan · Nov 29, 2017 12:22pm PST · 2 comments

Snap pulled off the veil on its redesign today. It moves all stories and messages from friends to the left of Snapchat’s camera screen on a “Friend” page, whereas publisher and creator content is to the right on the “Discover” page. The redesign has two goals in mind: bring more users into the app, and appeal to... Snap pulled off the veil on its redesign today. It moves all stories and messages from friends to...

Andy Rubin. Photo by Bloomberg

Android’s Andy Rubin Left Google After Inquiry Found Inappropriate Relationship

By Reed Albergotti · Nov 28, 2017 11:26pm PST · 3 comments

Andy Rubin, the creator of Android and a key executive at Google Inc. for nine years, left the company in 2014 shortly after an internal investigation determined that he had carried on an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate, The Information has learned. Mr. Rubin has taken a leave of absence from his new smartphone startup, Essential,... Andy Rubin, the creator of Android and a key executive at Google Inc. for nine years, left the...

Art: Josh Brill

Most Big Private Tech Firms Fall Far Short on Governance

By Alfred Lee · Nov 28, 2017 6:46am PST · 1 comment

Despite their enormous size and influence, the biggest privately held technology companies eschew some basic corporate governance standards, blocking outside voices, limiting decision making to small groups of mostly white men and holding back on public disclosures, an in-depth analysis by The Information shows.Questions about governance of... Despite their enormous size and influence, the biggest privately held technology companies eschew...

Art by Matt Vascellaro

Board Diversity Still Stumbling Block to Good Governance

By Sukhinder Singh Cassidy · Nov 28, 2017 6:45am PST · 1 comment

Art by Matt Vascellaro

Board Diversity Still Stumbling Block to Good Governance

By Sukhinder Singh Cassidy · Nov 28, 2017 6:45am PST · 1 comment

These days, there is a lot of discussion happening, in Silicon Valley and in other business environments, about building diverse boards. Yet far too often, if companies consider this issue at all, it is by “checking the box” after including one independent director or one woman on the board. What CEOs and boards instead should be... These days, there is a lot of discussion happening, in Silicon Valley and in other business...

Rush hour traffic on the 110 freeway in Los Angeles. Photo by AP.

Tech Firms See Opening to Tackle L.A. Traffic

By Cory Weinberg · Nov 27, 2017 10:01am PST · 4 comments

Travis VanderZanden, an investor in autonomous car companies like General Motors’ Cruise and a former executive at Lyft and Uber, wants to get people out of cars. After moving to Southern California last year—and confronting the city’s notorious traffic—he began work on a startup called Bird. The company recently launched... Travis VanderZanden, an investor in autonomous car companies like General Motors’ Cruise...

The seafood section of Alibaba's Hema grocery store in Shanghai. Photo by Juro Osawa.

Inside Alibaba’s Big Bet on Offline Retail

By Juro Osawa · Nov 27, 2017 7:01am PST · 4 comments

A grocery store in the basement of an unremarkable suburban mall in Shenzhen may not sound like one of Alibaba's hottest battlegrounds. But the e-commerce giant is using the store in the next phase of its expansion, aimed at transforming brick-and-mortar retail all over China.Hundreds of people crowded the Alibaba-owned store, called Hema,... A grocery store in the basement of an unremarkable suburban mall in Shenzhen may not sound like...

The Weekly Digest

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · Nov 25, 2017 8:01am PST

Good Morning!This week Uber's new CEO revealed the company had previously covered up a massive data breach that affected millions of users. In a related story, we now know what Meg Whitman and Jeff Immelt said they were thankful for when they went around the table this Thanksgiving. Good Morning!This week Uber's new CEO revealed the company had previously covered up a...

The Information’s 411 — Meg’s Work Is (Finally) Done

By Tom Dotan · Nov 24, 2017 3:18pm PST

The Information’s 411 — Meg’s Work Is (Finally) Done

By Tom Dotan · Nov 24, 2017 3:18pm PST

Priya explains how Walmart and Amazon try to manage inventory in retail stores and what that means for Whole Foods. Kevin talks about the legacy of Meg Whitman at HP. Tom talks about how Snap's product changes will affect influencers and publishers. Priya explains how Walmart and Amazon try to manage inventory in retail stores and what that...