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

Facebook's VP of messaging products, David Marcus. Photo by Bloomberg.

Facebook Preps Larger Rollout for Messenger Games

By Tom Dotan · Nov 4, 2016 1:54pm PDT · 2 comments

Facebook is preparing to launch a new way to play games on Messenger called “Instant Games,” according to two people briefed on the product. It could roll out as soon as this month, one of these people said.Earlier this year Facebook quietly launched a few games—basketball, soccer and chess games—as experiments. The... Facebook is preparing to launch a new way to play games on Messenger called “Instant...

Snap's co-founders Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy. Photo by AP.

Snap’s Founders to Maintain Voting Control after IPO

By Alfred Lee and Tom Dotan · Nov 4, 2016 12:39pm PDT · 1 comment

Snap Inc. has authorized a new class of shares that ensures founders Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy will retain control after the company goes public, according to a restated company charter filed in Delaware on Monday.The new class of shares ensures the founders would keep the supervoting rights they already have—a common move for a... Snap Inc. has authorized a new class of shares that ensures founders Evan Spiegel and Bobby...

Hillary’s Other Emails

By Jessica E. Lessin · Nov 4, 2016 7:01am PDT · 1 comment

I have a confession to make. I am obsessed with Hillary Clinton’s email. Not the 33,000 emails she deleted from a private server nor the ones that may or may not have left a trace on Anthony Weiner’s computer. I’m talking about the steady drip—OK, sometimes a flood—of campaign emails that have been arriving in my... I have a confession to make. I am obsessed with Hillary Clinton’s email. Not the 33,000...

Tencent Chief eXploration Officer David Wallerstein. Photo by Tencent.

The Most Powerful American at Tencent Targets Silicon Valley

By Yunan Zhang · Nov 3, 2016 11:03am PDT · 1 comment

Tencent Chief eXploration Officer David Wallerstein. Photo by Tencent.

The Most Powerful American at Tencent Targets Silicon Valley

By Yunan Zhang · Nov 3, 2016 11:03am PDT · 1 comment

Behind the doors of a converted church in Palo Alto lies the unlikely lair of one of the most influential Chinese tech investors in America. David Wallerstein, an avid rock guitarist in his spare time, leads the overseas investment team for Tencent, Asia’s most valuable company, in its quest for emerging technology.His job is to bridge the... Behind the doors of a converted church in Palo Alto lies the unlikely lair of one of the most...

Disney CEO Bob Iger. Photo by Bloomberg.

The Information’s Most Likely Tech Acquirers

By The Information Staff · Nov 3, 2016 7:01am PDT · 3 comments

Another day, another M&A deal. In fact, most of the top deals this year have been announced in the last few weeks and more are to come. To help you cut through the rumor mill—and anticipate what’s going to happen next—we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 companies most likely to make a big tech acquisition in the next... Another day, another M&A deal. In fact, most of the top deals this year have been announced...

The Information Subscriber Survey

Subscriber Survey

Self-Driving Cars Destined for the Slow Lane

By Amir Efrati and Peter Schulz · Nov 2, 2016 10:00am PDT · 6 comments

Hype over self-driving cars may be at an all-time high, but around half of The Information subscribers believe it will take an entire generation, or 25 years, before most of the miles people travel on roads in the U.S. will be in fully autonomous vehicles.Surprisingly, nearly two-thirds of subscribers believe the autonomous car revolution will... Hype over self-driving cars may be at an all-time high, but around half of The Information...

Colin and Sarah Northway. Photo by Flickr/PAX Prime 2014.

Indie VR Developers Find Calling, Not Profits

By Reed Albergotti · Nov 2, 2016 7:02am PDT · 4 comments

Dirk Van Welden, a Belgium-based mobile and PC game developer, was in the midst of two big projects last year when he donned one of HTC’s prototype virtual reality headsets, forever changing his career. “I am like, ‘I’m going to drop every single project I am working on now,’” he said. A year later, his old... Dirk Van Welden, a Belgium-based mobile and PC game developer, was in the midst of two big...

Photo by Bloomberg.

WeChat’s Next Step Toward a SuperApp

By Kai Qu · Nov 1, 2016 10:01am PDT · 4 comments

Photo by Bloomberg.

WeChat’s Next Step Toward a SuperApp

By Kai Qu · Nov 1, 2016 10:01am PDT · 4 comments

Tencent is Asia’s most valuable company in part because 800 million people use its WeChat mobile messaging application every month. Now WeChat’s inventor, Allen Zhang, is rolling out a new feature he calls “small programs,” which lets people use app-like services within WeChat but without needing to download apps. I... Tencent is Asia’s most valuable company in part because 800 million people use its WeChat...

A professional videogamer at a live championship in South Korea. Photo by Bloomberg.

Facebook Preps Bigger Plunge into E-Sports

By Cory Weinberg · Nov 1, 2016 7:01am PDT

Facebook is stepping up plans to broadcast popular e-sports tournaments, in a potential challenge to Twitch and YouTube.Facebook had “extensive conversations” with the developer of popular mobile e-sport “Vainglory” to stream professional competitions, said Kristian Segerstrale, chief operating officer of developer Super... Facebook is stepping up plans to broadcast popular e-sports tournaments, in a potential challenge...

Conference Call

The Information’s Most Likely Tech Acquirers

By The Information Staff · Oct 31, 2016 4:57pm PDT

The Information's Jessica Lessin will make sense of the rampant speculation about acquisitions with a ranked list of likely acquirers, based on conversations with our sources. We'll discuss Salesforce, Apple, Disney, Oracle, Microsoft, Verizon, Tencent, Amazon and more on a conference call this Thursday, November 3rd at 12pm... The Information's Jessica Lessin will make sense of the rampant speculation about...

Photos by Snap, Bloomberg. Visualization by Ian Civgin.

The People Who Matter at Snap

By Tom Dotan · Oct 31, 2016 11:07am PDT

After some turmoil at senior levels of Snapchat’s parent Snap last year, things have stabilized considerably this year. Most of the crucial management roles have now been filled, in time for the company’s expected IPO in early 2017. Earlier this year Snap made interim CFO Drew Vollero permanent, reporting to CEO Evan Spiegel instead... After some turmoil at senior levels of Snapchat’s parent Snap last year, things have...

Art by Sam Lessin.

Where Airbnb May Be More Vulnerable than Uber

By Sam Lessin · Oct 31, 2016 7:01am PDT · 3 comments

Art by Sam Lessin.

Modest Proposals

Where Airbnb May Be More Vulnerable than Uber

By Sam Lessin · Oct 31, 2016 7:01am PDT · 3 comments

Airbnb and Uber are, far and away, the two poster children for digital businesses disrupting physical-world industries in deep ways. As such, it is unsurprising that they have been reaping all the growth, value, attention and regulatory scrutiny that comes when scalable marketplaces hit up against large and entrenched industries.Uber’s... Airbnb and Uber are, far and away, the two poster children for digital businesses disrupting...

The Weekly Digest

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · Oct 29, 2016 8:02am PDT

Happy Saturday!Still need a Halloween costume for this weekend? There are now plenty of zombies to choose from if you want to bring Vine, Meerkat or Vessel back from the dead. Happy Saturday!Still need a Halloween costume for this weekend? There are now plenty of zombies...

The Information’s 411 — Satya’s Coming For You

By Tom Dotan · Oct 28, 2016 12:24pm PDT

Martin explains why the AT&T-Time Warner deal makes no sense. Stephen delves into Oracle's offer for NetSuite and what the future of the enterprise software landscape holds. Martin explains why the AT&T-Time Warner deal makes no sense. Stephen delves into...

Apple CEO Tim Cook at a MacBook event on Thursday. Photo by Bloomberg.

The Missing Seat on Apple’s Board

By Jessica E. Lessin · Oct 28, 2016 7:01am PDT · 4 comments

Apple reported rocky financial results and a disappointing forecast this week, sending shares falling. And there are other reasons to worry. The company had been plowing away on a bold new cable-killer TV service. But all we’ve seen is an updated Apple TV box and yesterday a new TV listings app. Meanwhile, the car project seems to be in... Apple reported rocky financial results and a disappointing forecast this week, sending shares...

Former Cisco CEO John Chambers. Photo by Bloomberg.

Former Cisco Execs Talk to Microsoft About Startup

By Kevin McLaughlin · Oct 27, 2016 10:21am PDT · 1 comment

Former Cisco CEO John Chambers. Photo by Bloomberg.

Former Cisco Execs Talk to Microsoft About Startup

By Kevin McLaughlin · Oct 27, 2016 10:21am PDT · 1 comment

Microsoft has talked with four former Cisco Systems engineering executives about backing them in a new networking startup, said a former Cisco employee and another person with knowledge of the matter. The four left Cisco earlier this year after 20 years creating new businesses for the company that now generate billions of dollars in annual... Microsoft has talked with four former Cisco Systems engineering executives about backing them in...

Merchants who use Etsy display their wares outside the Nasdaq MarketSite in New York the day Etsy went public last year. Photo by Bloomberg.

How Etsy is Becoming a Services Firm

By Alfred Lee · Oct 27, 2016 9:31am PDT · 1 comment

Online craft marketplace Etsy, considered one of last year’s IPO duds, has seen its stock rebound like the handmade bouncy ball cat toys it sells ($5 for two, with felted wool and organic catnip). It’s more than doubled to above $13 in recent months, closer to its $16 IPO price than it has been for a while.Yes, it’s fended off... Online craft marketplace Etsy, considered one of last year’s IPO duds, has seen its stock...

Chinese President Xi Jinping at last year's World Internet Conference in China. Photo by AP.

How China is Asserting Control of Tech Sector

By Shai Oster · Oct 27, 2016 7:01am PDT

November is a big month for China tech. First, on the 11th, Alibaba brings in Katy Perry to help mark Singles’ Day, its $14 billion online shopping festival. Then on the 16th, domestic and foreign tech leaders will head to the tourist town of Wuzhen for the Cyberspace Administration of China’s Third World Internet Conference.... November is a big month for China tech. First, on the 11th, Alibaba brings in Katy Perry to help...

Oracle Executive Chairman Larry Ellison. Photo by Bloomberg.

As Oracle’s Offer Flounders, What’s Next for NetSuite?

By Steve Nellis · Oct 26, 2016 10:01am PDT

Oracle Corp. has set a hard deadline of Nov. 4 for shareholders in NetSuite to accept or reject its $9.3 billion offer to purchase the cloud financial software maker. That puts the pressure on T. Rowe Price, an 18% shareholder in the company, to accept a deal it has so far rejected. The mutual fund firm contends that Oracle founder Larry... Oracle Corp. has set a hard deadline of Nov. 4 for shareholders in NetSuite to accept or reject...

Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, former IBM CEO Sam Palmisano, President Obama, former National Security Advisor Tom Donilon and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson. Messrs Palmisano and Donilon lead the president's cybersecurity panel. Photo by AP.

Why ISPs Have to Help Fight Cyber Attacks

By Reed Albergotti · Oct 26, 2016 7:01am PDT · 3 comments

Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, former IBM CEO Sam Palmisano, President Obama, former National Security Advisor Tom Donilon and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson. Messrs Palmisano and Donilon lead the president's cybersecurity panel. Photo by AP.

Why ISPs Have to Help Fight Cyber Attacks

By Reed Albergotti · Oct 26, 2016 7:01am PDT · 3 comments

A massive hack brought down much of the internet on Friday, including Twitter, Spotify and Reddit. According to a commissioner on President Obama’s cybersecurity panel, future attacks could be prevented if Internet Service Providers got involved in defense efforts.Steven Chabinsky, who also serves as general counsel of internet security... A massive hack brought down much of the internet on Friday, including Twitter, Spotify and...