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 Myk Klemme

The Information's 411

The Information’s 411 - Apple, WeWork and Google

By Tom Dotan · Sep 4, 2015 4:07pm PDT

Summer’s officially over after the weekend, and with that comes the end of an eventful few months in tech. Twitter’s CEO search merry-go-round, the creation of Alphabet, Apple's nacent interests to get into the overcrowded original content game—all things dominated the news cycle and were at once surprising yet ultimately... Summer’s officially over after the weekend, and with that comes the end of an eventful few...

Why Readers Don’t Get the True Story

By Jessica E. Lessin · Sep 4, 2015 8:26am PDT · 3 comments

A few months ago, LinkedIn convened a dinner at Bar Agricole in San Francisco to give reporters a taste of its roadmap. Over pickles and pigs heads fritters, CEO Jeff Weiner spoke with around a dozen reporters from outlets including The Information. Not one of these reporters wrote about the news discussed. Why? Because it was discussed... A few months ago, LinkedIn convened a dinner at Bar Agricole in San Francisco to give reporters a...

Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Photo by Bloomberg.

Google Nears Re-entry to Mainland China

By Amir Efrati · Sep 4, 2015 7:06am PDT

After a five year absence, Google expects to return shortly to mainland China to sell mobile services, a move with ramifications for the future of Android and a host of Chinese companies.As early as this fall, the company hopes to get Chinese government approval to distribute a special China version of its Google Play mobile app store for... After a five year absence, Google expects to return shortly to mainland China to sell mobile...

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. Photo by Bloomberg.

Amazon to Buy Elemental for $500M

By Steve Nellis and Tom Dotan · Sep 3, 2015 12:54pm PDT · 1 comment

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. Photo by Bloomberg.

Amazon to Buy Elemental for $500M

By Steve Nellis and Tom Dotan · Sep 3, 2015 12:54pm PDT · 1 comment

Amazon is to acquire Elemental Technologies, a backend mobile video service for more than $500 million in cash, according to a person familiar with the situation. Amazon is to acquire Elemental Technologies, a backend mobile video service for more than $500...

A WeWork location in Berkeley, Ca. Photo by Flickr/305 Seahill

WeWork’s Ambitious Hopes For Co-Living

By Alfred Lee · Sep 3, 2015 7:06am PDT · 1 comment

Now that it’s become a dominant provider of shared office spaces, WeWork is setting its sights on the co-living market through a venture called WeLive. And an investor presentation suggests WeWork’s hopes for the new business are nearly as ambitious as those of its core business.WeLive’s first two buildings could open as soon... Now that it’s become a dominant provider of shared office spaces, WeWork is setting its...

Apple's Eddy Cue. Photo by Bloomberg.

More Thoughts on Apple’s Video Plans

By Jessica E. Lessin · Sep 2, 2015 11:19am PDT · 2 comments

When it comes to Apple’s ever-expanding plans to conquer our living rooms, we now know quite a bit about what Apple is talking about—or at least exploring—with partners. There’s the company’s pursuit of licensing deals for a cable killer and now a vague interest in making its own content too, as reported by Variety.... When it comes to Apple’s ever-expanding plans to conquer our living rooms, we now know...

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Photo by Bloomberg.

Microsoft’s Partner Push Targets Small Firms

By Steve Nellis · Sep 2, 2015 7:09am PDT

Microsoft rose to dominance selling its software through PC makers and companies that make a living maintaining the computer fleets of other businesses. But as CEO Satya Nadella focuses the company more on selling software on a subscription basis, Microsoft is adapting its approach.In recent weeks, Microsoft has started to broaden its network of... Microsoft rose to dominance selling its software through PC makers and companies that make a...

Hannah Hart, left and Grace Helbig. Photo by Flickr/Gage Skidmore.

The Fight Over YouTube Stars’ Cash

By Tom Dotan · Sep 1, 2015 10:06am PDT

Hannah Hart, left and Grace Helbig. Photo by Flickr/Gage Skidmore.

The Fight Over YouTube Stars’ Cash

By Tom Dotan · Sep 1, 2015 10:06am PDT

YouTube stars didn’t need much outside help building their large and passionate online audiences. But there’s a battle underway to help them cash in on their celebrity.As a growing number of YouTube stars sign deals with TV networks, for movies or for brand endorsement deals, they’re getting caught up in the middle of struggles... YouTube stars didn’t need much outside help building their large and passionate online...

Facebook vp of messaging products, David Marcus. Photo by Bloomberg.

Facebook Accelerates Messenger Platform as WhatsApp Testbed

By Amir Efrati · Sep 1, 2015 7:06am PDT

The path to making money from mobile chat apps is taking many twists and turns. Last week, Facebook publicly previewed “M,” a kind of virtual assistant that lives on Facebook Messenger and tries to help people complete tasks like looking for gift ideas or quickly booking appointments. Behind the scenes, Facebook has continued to talk... The path to making money from mobile chat apps is taking many twists and turns. Last week,...

WeWork co-founder and CEO Adam Neumann. Photo by Bloomberg.

WeWork’s Gamble On Growth

By Alfred Lee · Aug 31, 2015 7:06am PDT

Even for a startup, the gap between expectations and reality is enormous at WeWork. The company has emerged as an early leader in renting out co-working spaces, and for this investors have lined up to buy in at a valuation of $10 billion, making it one of the world’s most valuable venture-backed private companies. But an analysis of its... Even for a startup, the gap between expectations and reality is enormous at WeWork. The company...

The Information You Missed

By The Information Staff · Aug 29, 2015 8:06am PDT

Good morning! Our first podcast “The Information’s 411” (get it?) hit the airwaves yesterday, hosted and produced by the great Tom Dotan. Grab some headphones and let us know what you think.If you watched the public markets this past week, you might feel like you’ve just gotten off a rollercoaster. Good morning! Our first podcast “The Information’s 411” (get it?) hit the...

Art by Myk Klemme

Introducing: The Information’s 411

By The Information Staff · Aug 28, 2015 4:37pm PDT · 1 comment

Art by Myk Klemme

The Information's 411

Introducing: The Information’s 411

By The Information Staff · Aug 28, 2015 4:37pm PDT · 1 comment

We’re excited to announce our newest feature at The Information: a podcast. It’s called “The Information’s 411,” and it’s a weekly rundown of the stories we covered during the week as well as bonus insights and analysis from all members of our team. (That’s reporters, editors, engineers...and one day,... We’re excited to announce our newest feature at The Information: a podcast. It’s...

Apple, Amazon and the Race for Input Zero

By Jessica E. Lessin · Aug 28, 2015 7:24am PDT

While the tech industry has circled Sept. 9 as the date the new iPhone will be revealed, I am looking forward to it for a different reason: the new Apple TV box. I feel this way despite the fact Apple isn’t going to debut a fancy new television service with the box. The long, long, long-rumored television service remains delayed because... While the tech industry has circled Sept. 9 as the date the new iPhone will be revealed, I am...

*Calculation: More Optimistic - Less Optimistic = The Information Score

Subscriber Survey

Doubts About Private Tech Grow

By Peter Schulz and Martin Peers · Aug 27, 2015 10:06am PDT

You’re not the only one feeling gloomy about the markets. Sentiment towards both the broader economy and the technology sector turned negative this month among The Information subscribers, according to our latest survey. It’s the first time sentiment has turned negative for either since the monthly survey began last November.The... You’re not the only one feeling gloomy about the markets. Sentiment towards both the...

Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun, left. Photo by Bloomberg.

The Information Series

Four Questions for Xiaomi

By Amir Efrati · Aug 27, 2015 7:06am PDT · 1 comment

Xiaomi has a lot to live up to. Just five years after it was founded, the Chinese smartphone maker has become the second-most-valued private tech company in the world—worth $45 billion on paper, more than public tech stocks like Sony, Panasonic, LG Electronics and Canon and only a third as much as Samsung Electronics. Xiaomi has a lot to live up to. Just five years after it was founded, the Chinese smartphone...

Photo by AP.

To Recruit Top Talent, Startups Offer Rosy Predictions

By Reed Albergotti · Aug 26, 2015 7:06am PDT · 1 comment

Photo by AP.

To Recruit Top Talent, Startups Offer Rosy Predictions

By Reed Albergotti · Aug 26, 2015 7:06am PDT · 1 comment

When employees at Palantir Technologies want to see what their stock in the private company is worth, they can’t use the public markets. So they turn to the next best thing: an internal tool on the company intranet that estimates the worth of their holdings based upon an imaginary future value of Palantir. By moving a slider to the right,... When employees at Palantir Technologies want to see what their stock in the private company is...

DirecTV's former CEO Mike White, left, with AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson. Photo by Bloomberg.

DirecTV May End Up More Burden for AT&T

By Martin Peers · Aug 25, 2015 10:06am PDT

In the annals of big acquisitions that look doomed from the start, Microsoft’s purchase of Nokia and Hewlett-Packard’s purchase of Compaq Computer may be hard to beat. At least, until, AT&T completed its $63 billion purchase of DirecTV last month.This is a case of a company whose business is growing very slowly buying a company... In the annals of big acquisitions that look doomed from the start, Microsoft’s purchase of...

A New York Stock Exchange specialist. Photo by AP.

Private Tech: The New Realities

By The Information Staff · Aug 25, 2015 7:06am PDT · 1 comment

Private tech investors are bracing for how a Wall Street selloff could send ripple effects throughout the private side tech, preparing for new realities around fundraising, hirings and exits. The Information spoke with about half a dozen investors Monday to determine what they’re looking out for and how they’re adapting to changing market... Private tech investors are bracing for how a Wall Street selloff could send ripple effects...

Art by Sam Lessin.

Modest Proposals

Understanding the Hidden ‘Costs’ of Products

By Sam Lessin · Aug 24, 2015 11:13am PDT · 4 comments

If you ask someone about the cost of a product, either hardware or software, you typically get an answer in dollars. HBO, for example, is $15 a month, and Facebook is free. The reality, however, is a bit more complicated.All products—virtual or physical—have financial costs and cognitive costs, both upfront and on an ongoing basis.... If you ask someone about the cost of a product, either hardware or software, you typically get an...

Art by Matt Vascellaro.

Slack’s Enterprise Playbook

By Steve Nellis · Aug 24, 2015 7:06am PDT

Art by Matt Vascellaro.

The Big Interview

Slack’s Enterprise Playbook

By Steve Nellis · Aug 24, 2015 7:06am PDT

Slack’s strategy for expanding in the business market is simple: focus on tiny firms.“My favorite customer is the five person graphic design team in Omaha that pulls out the credit card and then never contacts us,” said Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield in an interview with The Information. “There are hundreds of thousands of... Slack’s strategy for expanding in the business market is simple: focus on tiny firms....