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

Xiaomi Chairman and CEO Lei Jun. Photo by Bloomberg.

Time to Rethink Xiaomi’s Value

By Shai Oster · Nov 22, 2016 10:01am PST · 2 comments

With uncertainty clouding global tech and the funding into China startups decelerating after a record run, it’s a good time to take a second look at some of the highest flyers.None flew as high as Xiaomi, the smartphone-maker funded by the charismatic serial entrepreneur Lei Jun that peddles high-end phones at budget prices in online-only... With uncertainty clouding global tech and the funding into China startups decelerating after a...

Source: SEC Filings

Facebook Ad Revenue (Finally) Tops Media Giants

By Tom Dotan · Nov 22, 2016 7:01am PST · 4 comments

For tech and media companies that make money off advertising in the U.S., there’s Google and there’s everybody else. But an interesting secondary story is emerging in the battle royale between traditional and digital. Despite all the hype around digital ad growth, Facebook still lagged Comcast and Disney in overall advertising... For tech and media companies that make money off advertising in the U.S., there’s Google...

Graphic by Sam Lessin.

Modest Proposals

The Rise of Information Imperialism

By Sam Lessin · Nov 21, 2016 10:01am PST · 6 comments

It recently dawned on me that we are in an age of information imperialism. Small communities of people used to have their own private stores of knowledge that were distinct to their local communities. That local knowledge defined and bonded them. The internet broadly has opened all of those local pockets and connected everyone and their... It recently dawned on me that we are in an age of information imperialism. Small communities of...

Chris Lehane leads Airbnb’s global policy and communications. Art by Matt Vascellaro.

Airbnb’s Political Fighter Backed into a Corner

By Cory Weinberg · Nov 21, 2016 7:01am PST · 5 comments

Chris Lehane leads Airbnb’s global policy and communications. Art by Matt Vascellaro.

Q&A

Airbnb’s Political Fighter Backed into a Corner

By Cory Weinberg · Nov 21, 2016 7:01am PST · 5 comments

Anyone who has followed Chris Lehane’s career of brass-knuckle political fights shouldn’t be surprised to learn he spent plenty of time in the boxing ring growing up. Mr. Lehane, a former Bill Clinton adviser who now leads Airbnb’s global policy and communications, said if he was a tourist trying out his company’s new... Anyone who has followed Chris Lehane’s career of brass-knuckle political fights...

The Weekly Digest

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · Nov 19, 2016 8:02am PST

Good Morning!Taking a cue from Snap, we’re considering distributing this digest via a vending machine in Big Sur for 24 hours. Get in line now. Good Morning!Taking a cue from Snap, we’re considering distributing this digest via a...

The Information’s 411 — A Totally New Ballgame

By Tom Dotan · Nov 18, 2016 1:42pm PST

Kevin talks about how Amazon is courting developers for the Echo. Amir and Tom debate the Facebook fake news controversy and discuss Lyft's plans to deliver packages. Kevin talks about how Amazon is courting developers for the Echo. Amir and Tom debate the...

HBO CEO Richard Plepler. Photo by Bloomberg.

Amazon Near Deal to Offer HBO Now Through Channels

By Tom Dotan · Nov 18, 2016 12:06pm PST

Amazon.com is near a deal to offer HBO’s streaming service HBO Now through its powerful video subscription selling service, Amazon Channels, according to people familiar with the discussions. A deal would make it easy for Amazon Prime subscribers to sign up for HBO Now and view HBO Now programs through Amazon Prime Video.While HBO Now is... Amazon.com is near a deal to offer HBO’s streaming service HBO Now through its powerful...

A Snap billboard in San Francisco. Photo by Tom Dotan.

What’s Special about Snap’s Spectacles

By Jessica E. Lessin · Nov 18, 2016 7:02am PST · 6 comments

A Snap billboard in San Francisco. Photo by Tom Dotan.

What’s Special about Snap’s Spectacles

By Jessica E. Lessin · Nov 18, 2016 7:02am PST · 6 comments

Snap’s video-recording sunglasses are out in the wild, and websites are chiming in with reviews. Quirky as always, Snap isn’t selling the spectacles through retail stores or online. The company is relying instead on dropping vending machines full of the toy in random locations like Big Sur, California, and Tulsa, Oklahoma. I got my... Snap’s video-recording sunglasses are out in the wild, and websites are chiming in with...

AWS Chief Andrew Jassy. Photo by AP.

AWS Planning New Deep Learning for Cloud Service

By Kevin McLaughlin · Nov 17, 2016 1:46pm PST · 4 comments

Amazon Web Services is working on a new cloud service focused on a branch of artificial intelligence called deep learning, said a person with knowledge of the Amazon unit’s plans. The service aims to be an alternative to Google’s wildly popular open source deep learning tools, called TensorFlow, and thereby shore up a rare weak spot... Amazon Web Services is working on a new cloud service focused on a branch of artificial...

Lyft President John Zimmer. Photo by Bloomberg.

When Will Lyft Deliver?

By Amir Efrati · Nov 17, 2016 7:01am PST · 1 comment

Lyft has been developing a package delivery service, similar to an offering from Uber called UberRush, said people with knowledge of the effort. The big question, though, is whether Lyft will launch it.Executives at Lyft have long debated whether to start a delivery service and it’s not clear whether they have made up their minds. Lyft... Lyft has been developing a package delivery service, similar to an offering from Uber called...

Amazon's senior vice president of devices, David Limp, launching the Echo in London in September. Photo by Bloomberg.

Bezos Ordered Alexa App Push

By Kevin McLaughlin · Nov 16, 2016 10:01am PST · 3 comments

Early this year, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos became frustrated that there weren’t enough applications available for Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant. So, in a meeting with the Alexa team, he urged employees to speed up certifying these apps, known as Alexa Skills, said a former Amazon employee who was in the meeting.The number of Skills... Early this year, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos became frustrated that there weren’t enough...

Apple executive Jimmy Iovine. Photo by Bloomberg.

Apple Sends Mixed Signals to Hollywood

By Tom Dotan · Nov 16, 2016 7:01am PST · 1 comment

Apple executive Jimmy Iovine. Photo by Bloomberg.

Apple Sends Mixed Signals to Hollywood

By Tom Dotan · Nov 16, 2016 7:01am PST · 1 comment

Earlier this year, Apple executives met with representatives for comedian Chris Rock about a potential video deal, according to two people familiar with the discussions. It was just one example of the kind of meetings Apple executives have been having since they announced they would finance original programming for Apple TV a year ago.The... Earlier this year, Apple executives met with representatives for comedian Chris Rock about a...

Source: S&P Global Market Intelligence, SEC Filings

Where Facebook Leads Alphabet, Apple and Amazon

By Kevin McLaughlin and Peter Schulz · Nov 15, 2016 10:00am PST · 10 comments

If there was an award for companies that create stock market value with the fewest employees, Facebook would easily win it.The social network company has become one of the biggest companies trading on the public markets, with a market capitalization of more than $330 billion. Yet, as of Dec. 31, it employed just 12,000 people, far fewer than... If there was an award for companies that create stock market value with the fewest employees,...

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy at the Republican National Convention. Photo by Bloomberg.

Republicans in Congress Say Trump Won’t Cool Relationship with Tech

By Reed Albergotti · Nov 15, 2016 7:00am PST · 2 comments

As Silicon Valley comes to terms with Hillary Clinton’s loss, Republican lawmakers and tech entrepreneurs are rekindling relationships that will be key to pushing forward on hot-button issues like startup taxes and repatriation of overseas cash.One of the key relationship builders is House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a congressman... As Silicon Valley comes to terms with Hillary Clinton’s loss, Republican lawmakers and tech...

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky. Photo by Bloomberg.

Airbnb Tries to Grow by the Beach

By Cory Weinberg · Nov 14, 2016 10:01am PST · 4 comments

Vacasa, a Portland, Oregon-based startup, manages about 4,300 vacation homes around the world in ski towns like Beaver Creek, Colorado, and beachside villages around the Mediterranean Sea. And for the first time next year, the company plans to start listing some of its homes on Airbnb.It’s the sort of business Airbnb needs to win to... Vacasa, a Portland, Oregon-based startup, manages about 4,300 vacation homes around the world in...

Source: Portfolio reports

VC Returns Slid This Year

By Alfred Lee · Nov 14, 2016 7:01am PST · 1 comment

Source: Portfolio reports

VC Returns Slid This Year

By Alfred Lee · Nov 14, 2016 7:01am PST · 1 comment

A slowdown in private tech valuations over the past year took a sizeable bite out of venture capital returns, a review of public records show. Many high-profile VC firms, including True Ventures, Union Square Ventures and Foundry Group, saw long-term returns of some funds shrink.Broadly speaking, the data confirms the findings of previously... A slowdown in private tech valuations over the past year took a sizeable bite out of venture...

The Weekly Digest

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · Nov 12, 2016 8:01am PST

Good Morning!Of all the fake news circulating online in recent weeks, it seems the biggest whopper was that Hillary had the edge! Good Morning!Of all the fake news circulating online in recent weeks, it seems the biggest...

The Information’s 411 — A Cat and Mouse Game

By Reed Albergotti · Nov 11, 2016 11:22am PST

Reed and Amir discuss what a Trump presidency could mean for tech, from immigration to jobs to influence in Washington. Then Jessica argues why Facebook shouldn't step in to stop the spread of fake news articles. Reed and Amir discuss what a Trump presidency could mean for tech, from immigration to jobs to...

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Photo by Bloomberg.

Facebook and the Fake News Red Herring

By Jessica E. Lessin · Nov 11, 2016 7:00am PST · 16 comments

A solid percentage of the seemingly endless number of election post-mortems, at least from the half of America disappointed by the result, are reaching a similar conclusion. Blame Facebook. The social network, which has propagated a rash of outright fake or blatantly misleading news, is an easy target. And for reasons I will get to later, I... A solid percentage of the seemingly endless number of election post-mortems, at least from the...

AT&T Randall Stephenson and Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes. Photo by Bloomberg.

What Holds AT&T Back in Battle with Netflix and Amazon

By Martin Peers · Nov 10, 2016 10:01am PST · 3 comments

AT&T Randall Stephenson and Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes. Photo by Bloomberg.

What Holds AT&T Back in Battle with Netflix and Amazon

By Martin Peers · Nov 10, 2016 10:01am PST · 3 comments

If Donald Trump follows through on his promise to block AT&T’s purchase of Time Warner, the telecom firm will escape a potentially disastrous combination with a company whose TV business faces long term declines. But in the near term, AT&T will miss out on the profit boost Time Warner would have given it.And that has implications... If Donald Trump follows through on his promise to block AT&T’s purchase of Time Warner,...