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 Sam Lessin.

Modest Proposals

Bots in 2016: Mid-Year Check In

By Sam Lessin · Jul 5, 2016 10:02am PDT · 6 comments

In January I wrote a post on bots, conversational apps and Fin. In the post I called out that it felt like 2016 was the year of a broad shift in the developer ecosystem away from apps and toward conversational interfaces and bots.A lot of cards have flipped over in the past six months. Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple made various... In January I wrote a post on bots, conversational apps and Fin. In the post I called out that it...

Disney Chief Strategy Officer Kevin Mayer. Photo by AP.

Disney’s Digital General

By Tom Dotan and Martin Peers · Jul 5, 2016 7:02am PDT · 4 comments

For several months, Walt Disney Co. executives have been deep in discussions with Major League Baseball over a proposed billion-dollar investment in the league’s video streaming division. And the man leading the talks for the media giant hasn’t been an executive at the company’s ESPN sports network but one of CEO Bob... For several months, Walt Disney Co. executives have been deep in discussions with Major League...

The Weekly Digest

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · Jul 2, 2016 8:01am PDT

Happy Fourth!The tech and media elite are heading to Sun Valley this coming week, where they can enjoy skeet shooting, whitewater rafting and tennis. And just maybe, they’ll do some business. We’ll be there, watching out for any signs of deals. Happy Fourth!The tech and media elite are heading to Sun Valley this coming week, where they can...

The Information’s 411 — Bury Them With Benjamins

By Tom Dotan · Jul 1, 2016 2:59pm PDT

The Information’s 411 — Bury Them With Benjamins

By Tom Dotan · Jul 1, 2016 2:59pm PDT

Cory explains why sharing is down on Instagram. Steve discusses why Salesforce is in a tough place in the wake of Microsoft's deal to buy LinkedIn. Then a lightning round on the bull or bear cases on some top tech companies.You can find our RSS feed here or subscribe via iTunes and SoundCloud. Cory explains why sharing is down on Instagram. Steve discusses why Salesforce is in a tough...

Top Comments of the Week

By The Information Staff · Jul 1, 2016 11:51am PDT · 2 comments

Here are this week’s top comments as selected by our reporters and editors. Here are this week’s top comments as selected by our reporters and editors.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Photo by Bloomberg.

The Coming Tech Referendum

By Jessica E. Lessin · Jul 1, 2016 7:00am PDT · 5 comments

After Britain slapped the European establishment in the face with Brexit and Trump supporters are doing the same in the U.S., I’ve been wondering: Who’s next?I haven’t had to look very far beyond my ZIP code. The next wave of populist anger is heading for the tech elites and the businesses they’re building. After Britain slapped the European establishment in the face with Brexit and Trump supporters are...

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. Photo by Bloomberg.

Subscriber Survey

Amazon’s Bezos Does Best in Survey

By Peter Schulz and Steve Nellis · Jun 30, 2016 9:10am PDT · 1 comment

Amazon chief Jeff Bezos, Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella got A grades from a solid majority of The Information subscribers responding to our latest month survey. At the other end of the spectrum, Yahoo’s Marissa Mayer and Jack Dorsey, who runs both Twitter and Square, got a C from most subscribers.Subscriber... Amazon chief Jeff Bezos, Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella got A...

Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom. Photo by Bloomberg.

Sharing Decline Blurs Instagram’s Picture

By Cory Weinberg · Jun 30, 2016 7:00am PDT · 4 comments

Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom. Photo by Bloomberg.

Sharing Decline Blurs Instagram’s Picture

By Cory Weinberg · Jun 30, 2016 7:00am PDT · 4 comments

Five times as many people now use Instagram as did in 2013. But despite that strong growth, Instagram has seen a worrisome trend. Between 2013 and 2015, the number of photos shared on average by each Instagram user fell, said two people briefed on the app’s internal data.And just as its parent Facebook has been trying to reverse a drop in... Five times as many people now use Instagram as did in 2013. But despite that strong growth,...

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff. Photo by Bloomberg.

For Salesforce, it’s Eat or Be Eaten

By Steve Nellis · Jun 29, 2016 10:26am PDT · 1 comment

Marc Benioff has built Salesforce into a major force in cloud software in recent years, in large part through acquisitions. But in losing LinkedIn to Microsoft, the limits of Mr. Benioff’s ability to compete with bigger firms for deals showed. And that raises the prospect that Salesforce could end up itself being bought, perhaps by... Marc Benioff has built Salesforce into a major force in cloud software in recent years, in large...

LinkedIn China's chief Derek Shen. Photo by LinkedIn.

In China, LinkedIn Struggles to Connect

By Zara Zhang · Jun 29, 2016 7:01am PDT · 1 comment

Mention LinkedIn to any Chinese professional, and you will likely hear the phrase “bu jie di qi,” which means “not connected to the energy of the land.” This sums up the biggest challenge facing LinkedIn in China. Despite efforts to fit in with local customs, the company still comes across as too Western and out of touch... Mention LinkedIn to any Chinese professional, and you will likely hear the phrase “bu jie...

Source: The Information Research

How the Price of Twitter’s Deals Has Dropped

By Martin Peers and Peter Schulz · Jun 28, 2016 7:02am PDT

When the founders of marketing technology firm TellApart struck a deal to sell their company to Twitter 14 months ago, it looked like a great exit. The price tag at the announcement was more than $532 million, seemingly guaranteeing a solid return for TellApart’s employees as well as investors who’d put a total of $17.75 million into... When the founders of marketing technology firm TellApart struck a deal to sell their company to...

Google's self-driving car system attached to a Lexus, 2015.

Google’s Cars Need a Clear Road Map to Revenue

By Amir Efrati · Jun 27, 2016 7:01am PDT · 3 comments

Google's self-driving car system attached to a Lexus, 2015.

Google’s Cars Need a Clear Road Map to Revenue

By Amir Efrati · Jun 27, 2016 7:01am PDT · 3 comments

Google, the corporate godfather of self-driving cars, doesn’t have an obvious path to make money from the technology, unlike many of its rivals.The company has pulled ahead in the race to develop fully autonomous vehicles that take responsibility for the safety of its passengers, but glaring questions remain about Google’s ability to... Google, the corporate godfather of self-driving cars, doesn’t have an obvious path to make...

Venture capitalist Dave Morin on his e-mountain bike. Photo by Reed Albergotti.

Innovation or Cheating? Tech Disruption Hits Mountain Biking

By Reed Albergotti · Jun 26, 2016 9:01am PDT · 3 comments

Dave Morin, a tech executive and venture capitalist, posted his time for a recent mountain bike ride to the social networking app Strava and thought little about it. Until, that is, he bumped into a friend, Colin Brumelle, a former Twitter engineering manager and amateur racer who’d seen the Strava posting. “You’re... Dave Morin, a tech executive and venture capitalist, posted his time for a recent mountain bike...

The Weekly Digest

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · Jun 25, 2016 8:01am PDT

Happy Saturday!What a week! First the Warriors lose the NBA finals and then the EU loses Britain. The Warriors at least have next year to try again. Here’s our stories of the week. Happy Saturday!What a week! First the Warriors lose the NBA finals and then the EU loses Britain....

Our Top Comments of the Week

By The Information Staff · Jun 24, 2016 1:08pm PDT

Here are this week’s top comments as selected by our reporters and editors. Here are this week’s top comments as selected by our reporters and editors.

The Information’s 411 — Nerd Jesus

By Steve Nellis · Jun 24, 2016 12:23pm PDT

The Information’s 411 — Nerd Jesus

By Steve Nellis · Jun 24, 2016 12:23pm PDT

In this week’s podcast, Reed unpacks the proposal by Elon “Nerd Jesus” Musk to combine Tesla Motors and SolarCity. Cory explains why Facebook’s Live Video platform is being dominated by celebrities rather than news outlets and how the social networking company avoids the spotlight in Washington, D.C. In this week’s podcast, Reed unpacks the proposal by Elon “Nerd Jesus” Musk to...

Elon Musk. Photo by Bloomberg.

Elon Musk and When Vision Isn’t Enough

By Jessica E. Lessin · Jun 24, 2016 7:00am PDT · 2 comments

When Elon Musk proposed Tesla rescue the flailing SolarCity, I was hardly surprised. He’s floated the idea to friends for years. What surprised me was that Tesla shareholders, stock analysts and industry experts don’t seem to be buying the proposal. Is Musk’s uncanny ability to charm the tech industry and Wall Street wearing... When Elon Musk proposed Tesla rescue the flailing SolarCity, I was hardly surprised. He’s...

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg at the American Enterprise Institute on Wednesday. Photo by AP.

Facebook’s Washington Defense

By Cory Weinberg · Jun 23, 2016 11:13am PDT

There wasn’t much tension when Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s chief operating officer, courted Republican lawmakers and influencers Wednesday with pit stops at the Capitol and the right-leaning think tank American Enterprise Institute.Even in the aftermath of the Trending Topics controversy—dubbed... There wasn’t much tension when Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s chief operating officer,...

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and Chairman of SolarCity. Photo by Bloomberg.

Musk’s Double or Nothing Bet on Off-The-Grid Dream

By Reed Albergotti, Martin Peers and Steve Nellis · Jun 23, 2016 7:01am PDT · 3 comments

In his willingness to borrow heavily to turn his dreams into reality, Elon Musk has shown himself to be a gambler like no other Silicon Valley entrepreneur. But his proposed combination of Tesla Motors and SolarCity appears to be a double or nothing bet.Partly, that’s because it combines two companies that are burning through cash—a... In his willingness to borrow heavily to turn his dreams into reality, Elon Musk has shown himself...

Huawei's Vice President of Design, Abigail Brody, during the filming of a documentary about the company. Photo by Florian Brody.

How a Former Apple Designer is Updating Huawei’s Look

By Amir Efrati · Jun 22, 2016 7:01am PDT · 3 comments

Huawei's Vice President of Design, Abigail Brody, during the filming of a documentary about the company. Photo by Florian Brody.

How a Former Apple Designer is Updating Huawei’s Look

By Amir Efrati · Jun 22, 2016 7:01am PDT · 3 comments

It’s an interesting turn of events: a Chinese company that wants to be like Apple hires a former Apple designer to make its smartphone software look less like Apple’s. Last fall, Chinese electronics manufacturer Huawei brought in a former longtime Apple designer, Abigail Brody, to change the look of its smartphone software... It’s an interesting turn of events: a Chinese company that wants to be like Apple hires a...