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

Medium CEO Ev Williams. Photo by Bloomberg.

What Everyone Is Missing About Media Business Models

By Jessica E. Lessin · Jan 6, 2017 7:01am PST · 26 comments

Oh, how the winds have changed for ad-supported media. Over the past year, it’s become decidedly trendy to praise non-advertising business models. This week Ev Williams, a longtime advertising adherent, called online ads a “broken system.” Fred Wilson, a venture capitalist who has argued vociferously that news and opinion... Oh, how the winds have changed for ad-supported media. Over the past year, it’s become...

Oracle Cloud Hardware Exec Departs

By Kevin McLaughlin · Jan 5, 2017 6:25pm PST

Scott Genereux, an Oracle senior vice president in charge of hardware sales in North America, recently left the company, said two people with knowledge of the matter. He will join storage vendor Veritas Technologies later this month as executive vice president of worldwide field operations, a Veritas spokeswoman said. Mr. Genereux, who joined... Scott Genereux, an Oracle senior vice president in charge of hardware sales in North America,...

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. Photo by Bloomberg.

Amazon Courts Retailers To Use Its Mobile App

By Cory Weinberg · Jan 5, 2017 1:59pm PST

Amazon.com is planning to let competing retailers integrate with its mobile app, as part of a broader effort to power more shopping outside its digital walls, according to a person briefed by the company.The service, which Amazon is calling “place cards,” would let a consumer click on an email from a store that takes them to an app... Amazon.com is planning to let competing retailers integrate with its mobile app, as part of a...

Snap Chief Strategy Officer Imran Khan, expected to help lead Snap's IPO efforts. Photo by Bloomberg.

The Tax Question Facing Snap in IPO

By Alfred Lee · Jan 5, 2017 7:01am PST · 7 comments

Snap Chief Strategy Officer Imran Khan, expected to help lead Snap's IPO efforts. Photo by Bloomberg.

The Tax Question Facing Snap in IPO

By Alfred Lee · Jan 5, 2017 7:01am PST · 7 comments

If Snapchat’s parent company Snap Inc. goes public this year as expected, some employees will find themselves holding stock worth millions of dollars. But much of their newfound wealth will quickly vanish—in many cases, nearly half of it will be owed in taxes.Companywide, that could add up to tens if not hundreds of millions of... If Snapchat’s parent company Snap Inc. goes public this year as expected, some employees...

Jobs@TheInformation

Manage The Information’s Community

By The Information Staff · Jan 4, 2017 4:39pm PST

The Information is a fast-growing, thriving media startup in the heart of San Francisco. We’re a must-read for the most important people in technology and finance and are building a one-of-a kind community of subscribers. We have a thriving business, doubling our subscribers in the past 12 months. Our goal is to repeat that feat in 2017.... The Information is a fast-growing, thriving media startup in the heart of San Francisco....

Alibaba Chairman Jack Ma. Photo by Bloomberg.

2017 Predictions

What Trump Could Mean for China’s Tech Industry

By Shai Oster · Jan 4, 2017 10:00am PST · 3 comments

The new year promises to be exceptionally rough for the always-complicated relationship between the U.S. and China. As President-Elect Donald Trump threatens tariffs, China’s leaders heed calls to prepare countermeasures. There’s a chance that Mr. Trump’s saber-rattling could accelerate a push already underway toward reforms in... The new year promises to be exceptionally rough for the always-complicated relationship between...

Enterprise Strategy Chief Greg Stubblefield. Photo by Laura Bryant

Q&A

What Silicon Valley Sees in Enterprise Rent-A-Car

By Amir Efrati · Jan 4, 2017 7:02am PST · 4 comments

Enterprise, a 60-year-old company that owns and rents more cars in the U.S. than anyone else, is gaining newfound attention in Silicon Valley and Detroit, judging by conversations with tech executives lately. The reason is simple: Enterprise is one of the few companies that can manage large fleets of cars at scale. That’s a skill likely to... Enterprise, a 60-year-old company that owns and rents more cars in the U.S. than anyone else, is...

An Amazon delivery truck. Photo by Flickr/SounderBruce.

Why Amazon Will Launch Self-Driving Car Effort

By The Information Staff · Jan 3, 2017 10:00am PST · 1 comment

An Amazon delivery truck. Photo by Flickr/SounderBruce.

2017 Predictions

Why Amazon Will Launch Self-Driving Car Effort

By The Information Staff · Jan 3, 2017 10:00am PST · 1 comment

Developments in self-driving car technology will be a big theme in tech in 2017, including at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. One company to watch is Amazon.com, which is likely to jump into the field this year by unveiling an effort to develop autonomous truck software.Amazon isn’t trying to go up against other... Developments in self-driving car technology will be a big theme in tech in 2017, including at...

Art by Sam Lessin.

Modest Proposals

Bot Check-In: A Year of Disappointment

By Sam Lessin · Jan 3, 2017 7:00am PST · 10 comments

In January, I wrote about how 2016 had been declared the year of bots by many. At year’s end, the bots narrative has been very loud but mostly disappointing. Most of the major technology companies announced big initiatives. But the platforms, enabling technologies and new products have largely failed to materialize.The demand from startups... In January, I wrote about how 2016 had been declared the year of bots by many. At year’s...

The Weekly Digest

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · Dec 31, 2016 8:00am PST

Happy New Year!If you notice Alexa starts speaking with a Russian accent, you’ll know tech’s in tune with the new administration. Happy New Year!If you notice Alexa starts speaking with a Russian accent, you’ll know...

Source: The Information Subscriber Survey

Subscriber Survey

Subscribers Turn Less Sour on Economy, Tech

By Cory Weinberg and Peter Schulz · Dec 30, 2016 10:01am PST

Subscriber optimism about the economy and the tech industry rebounded from the post-election lows reached in November, our latest survey showed. But subscribers remained noticeably more downbeat than they were for much of this year.That held true for subscriber predictions for next year as well. Subscribers foresee tougher times for companies... Subscriber optimism about the economy and the tech industry rebounded from the post-election lows...

Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Photo by Flickr/TechCrunch and Bloomberg.

Why Spiegel Isn’t Zuckerberg (and Vice Versa)

By Jessica E. Lessin · Dec 30, 2016 7:01am PST · 5 comments

Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Photo by Flickr/TechCrunch and Bloomberg.

Why Spiegel Isn’t Zuckerberg (and Vice Versa)

By Jessica E. Lessin · Dec 30, 2016 7:01am PST · 5 comments

I was going to write an end-of-year column today. But as I sat down to write in a quiet San Francisco cafe, I was distracted by an article about Snap's IPO strategy and I had to respond. If the story is true, Snap should fire its bankers. The piece was reporting about Snap’s desire to compare itself to Facebook and how its IPO bankers... I was going to write an end-of-year column today. But as I sat down to write in a quiet San...

Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne. Photo by Bloomberg.

Fiat’s Secret Self-Driving Car Shows How Industry May Evolve

By Amir Efrati · Dec 29, 2016 1:02pm PST · 3 comments

Fiat Chrysler has garnered outsized headlines for becoming the first traditional carmaker to make electric minivans with self-driving technology designed by Alphabet’s Waymo. Behind the scenes, however, Fiat Chrysler is developing its own autonomous vehicles so that it won’t be just a metal bender for tech companies like Waymo, The... Fiat Chrysler has garnered outsized headlines for becoming the first traditional carmaker to make...

Didi President Jean Liu. Photo by Bloomberg.

What Investors Expect of Didi and Dropbox in 2017

By Alfred Lee · Dec 29, 2016 7:01am PST · 1 comment

Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing had a big year, vanquishing Uber in China. In the wake of that deal, one of Didi’s mutual fund investors raised its expectation for Didi’s revenue growth rate to more than 150% next year, from 99%, securities filings suggest.Meanwhile, mutual funds have pushed back the date they expect some... Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing had a big year, vanquishing Uber in China. In the wake of...

Couriers of Baidu Waimai on the road in Taicang city. Photo by AP.

2017 Predictions

Settling China’s Food Fight

By Shai Oster · Dec 28, 2016 10:00am PST · 2 comments

Prepare for a wave of mega-mergers in China’s food delivery apps, the last major holdout in that country’s subsidy-fueled on-demand services.The market is dominated by just three players: Ele.me, Meituan Waimai, and Baidu Waimai. Like Cold War proxy states, each one is backed by one of China’s Big Three technology titans:... Prepare for a wave of mega-mergers in China’s food delivery apps, the last major holdout in...

Alphabet CEO Larry Page. Photo by Bloomberg.

Why Google Might Sell Its Fiber Business

By Kevin McLaughlin · Dec 28, 2016 7:00am PST · 3 comments

Alphabet CEO Larry Page. Photo by Bloomberg.

2017 Predictions

Why Google Might Sell Its Fiber Business

By Kevin McLaughlin · Dec 28, 2016 7:00am PST · 3 comments

Google’s Access unit, home to Google Fiber, hit major turbulence this year, laying off staff, cutting back on the scope of the project and parting ways with its CEO. That paves the way for Alphabet next year to sell or spin. Potential acquirers could include another fiber internet provider like CenturyLink, said one telecommunications... Google’s Access unit, home to Google Fiber, hit major turbulence this year, laying off...

Art by Sam Lessin.

Modest Proposals

In 2017, Tech Will Seek to Regain Moral High Ground

By Sam Lessin · Dec 27, 2016 10:01am PST · 9 comments

One of the things that in recent history set the technology complex apart from finance and other industries has been the ability to simultaneously be financially successful and maintain broad-based admiration—sometimes bordering on adoration—from the public.That nexus of love and success was threatened in 2016, for the first time in... One of the things that in recent history set the technology complex apart from finance and other...

Art by Matt Vascellaro.

Amazon Echo and the Hot Tub Murder

By Tom Dotan and Reed Albergotti · Dec 27, 2016 7:01am PST · 6 comments

Be careful what you say around your Amazon Echo. Your words may be recorded and used against you in court.In what may be the first case of its kind, police investigating a murder in Bentonville, Arkansas, issued a warrant to Amazon.com to turn over audio and other records from an Echo. The device in question belongs to James Andrew Bates, who... Be careful what you say around your Amazon Echo. Your words may be recorded and used against you...

The Weekly Digest

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · Dec 24, 2016 8:02am PST

Season's greetings!You’re probably looking forward to a break next week. But don’t forget to check out The Information as we’ve got some good stories coming in the next few days. Season's greetings!You’re probably looking forward to a break next week. But...

The Information’s 411 — 2016: Deal or No Deal

By Tom Dotan · Dec 23, 2016 3:00pm PST

The Information’s 411 — 2016: Deal or No Deal

By Tom Dotan · Dec 23, 2016 3:00pm PST

Jessica, Tom and Reed wrap up 2016 with their take on why we named Evan Spiegel won our Person of 2017, Peter Thiel's grand plans, whether Twitter will finally sell next year, and more. Jessica, Tom and Reed wrap up 2016 with their take on why we named Evan Spiegel won our Person of...