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The Briefing

By Martin Peers, Jessica Lessin and the team at The Information

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Recent Editions

Mark Zuckerberg. Photo by AP.

Facebook Faces Hurdles in Messenger Push

By Cory Weinberg · Jan 6, 2016 7:01am PST · 9 comments
Customers of clothing maker Everlane might have seen a promotion for free two-day shipping just days before Christmas in an unusual place: Facebook’s Messenger app. For months, a handful of companies such as Everlane, children’s clothes maker Zulily and Hyatt Hotels Corp. have captured attention by fielding customer service questions... Customers of clothing maker Everlane might have seen a promotion for free two-day shipping just...
McKesson Ventures managing partner Tom Rodgers. Photo by McKesson.
The Big Interview

A Health Care Giant’s Plan to Outlast Venture Capital

By Steve Nellis · Jan 5, 2016 11:51am PST · 1 comment
To date, there hasn’t been a huge string of hits from Silicon Valley’s top venture firms in digital health. That’s partly because the typical venture capitalist has a five to 10 year investing time horizon. But getting new technology adopted in places like hospitals requires thousands upon thousands of employees to change their... To date, there hasn’t been a huge string of hits from Silicon Valley’s top venture...
Oracle executive chairman Larry Ellison. Photo by Bloomberg.
2016 Predictions

Oracle Will Buy a Database Startup

By Steve Nellis · Jan 5, 2016 7:01am PST · 3 comments
Recently, I was visiting an enterprise-focused VC firm when one of the partners told me something striking: Out of all the startups in the firm’s portfolio, only one had decided to build its software atop Oracle’s databases. And that startup was having trouble.That anecdote confirmed what analysts have predicted. Oracle Corp.,... Recently, I was visiting an enterprise-focused VC firm when one of the partners told me...
Art by Sam Lessin.
Personal Voice Analysis for the New Year
By Sam Lessin · Jan 4, 2016 10:02am PST · 1 comment
Art by Sam Lessin.
Modest Proposals

Personal Voice Analysis for the New Year

By Sam Lessin · Jan 4, 2016 10:02am PST · 1 comment
In the past several years I have participated in the chorus of people railing against phone calls. People dislike them because they aren’t asynchronous, and they don’t allow for the depth of in-person exchanges.So I decided to run some analysis of my phone calling behavior over the last 14 months (the longest period of call records I... In the past several years I have participated in the chorus of people railing against phone...
Mark Zuckerberg. Photo by Bloomberg.
Exclusive

Facebook’s Android Contingency Planning

By Amir Efrati · Jan 4, 2016 7:00am PST · 4 comments
Facebook has been secretly preparing contingency measures to allow its apps to operate on Android phones without going through Google’s app store, according to people who have been involved in different parts of the strategy.Facebook’s goal is to be ready in case it has an intractable conflict with Google, which operates the Android... Facebook has been secretly preparing contingency measures to allow its apps to operate on Android...
Photo by Bloomberg.
Exclusive

Facebook Considered Push into Open-Source Android Phones

By Amir Efrati · Jan 4, 2016 7:00am PST
As Facebook has prepared for the possibility of being removed from Google Play app store on Android phones, it also has contemplated an intriguing push to integrate itself with Android phones that aren’t controlled by Google, a small but significant percentage of the total Android ecosystem.Toward the end of 2015, Facebook was looking at... As Facebook has prepared for the possibility of being removed from Google Play app store on...
The Weekly Digest

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · Jan 2, 2016 8:02am PST
Good Morning!Get ready. The two week year-end hiatus is ending. It’s time to get back to work. At The Information, we’re looking forward to 2016. And we’re kicking it off with a bang next week. Stay tuned. Good Morning!Get ready. The two week year-end hiatus is ending. It’s time to get back to...
Photo by AP.
What to Read in 2016
By Jessica E. Lessin · Jan 1, 2016 8:01am PST · 3 comments
Photo by AP.
The Takeaway

What to Read in 2016

By Jessica E. Lessin · Jan 1, 2016 8:01am PST · 3 comments
Happy 2016 to you and your families! For as long as I can remember, my New Year’s resolution has been to read more books. That makes our annual survey of The Information subscribers’ favorite books a real treat.This year, subscribers’ picks were heavy on history. What is it about this moment that has technology leaders turning... Happy 2016 to you and your families! For as long as I can remember, my New Year’s...
The Information's 411

The Information’s 411 — Run for the Exits

By Steve Nellis · Dec 31, 2015 11:08am PST
In our last podcast of 2015, The Information’s entire staff crammed into our conference room to talk about their predictions for next year. We touched on prospects for Google, Microsoft, Snapchat and more.Amir predicted a shakeout in mobile advertising as big players like Twitter make money off their datasets and smaller, third-party... In our last podcast of 2015, The Information’s entire staff crammed into our conference...

Our Favorite Stories of the Year

By The Information Staff · Dec 31, 2015 7:01am PST · 1 comment
New Year’s Eve is a time for looking back at the year just gone and looking ahead at what’s to come. Over the past few days we’ve published predictions for 2016. Today we’re looking back at our favorite stories from 2015. Here are some picks from our team to help you catch up on anything you missed—including our... New Year’s Eve is a time for looking back at the year just gone and looking ahead at...
Photo by AP.
2016 Predictions

Next Tech Boom: Lawsuits

By Alfred Lee · Dec 30, 2015 10:01am PST
The current tech boom has created enormous wealth, and at successful companies, founders, employees and investors are each getting enough of a share of that wealth to be kept happy. But when that perpetual motion machine breaks down, potential conflicts between those stakeholders emerge.I predict that in 2016 that kind of breakdown will occur... The current tech boom has created enormous wealth, and at successful companies, founders,...
A Jet fulfillment center. Photo by Bloomberg.
Jet Will Struggle to Take Flight
By Dan Chaparian · Dec 30, 2015 7:01am PST · 7 comments
A Jet fulfillment center. Photo by Bloomberg.
2016 Predictions

Jet Will Struggle to Take Flight

By Dan Chaparian · Dec 30, 2015 7:01am PST · 7 comments
Last month, I purchased a top-of-the-line KitchenAid Stand Mixer from Jet. The item was listed for $289.99, but it only cost me $8.50.It was a good deal. Too good, in fact. I don’t think Jet can last with such offers. And my bet is that becomes clear in 2016. Last month, I purchased a top-of-the-line KitchenAid Stand Mixer from Jet. The item was listed...
Business Insider's Henry Blodget. Photo by AP.
2016 Predictions

Here’s What Happens Next to Millennial News Sites

By Tom Dotan · Dec 29, 2015 10:01am PST · 9 comments
If you were a millennial in 2015, it was a good time to get news tailored to you. And if you were an online news site trying to provide news to millennials, it was a good time to raise money. Next year, though, things will get a lot tougher.During 2015, Mashable, Business Insider, Vice, Buzzfeed, NowThis, Vox and Mic all received funding. If you... If you were a millennial in 2015, it was a good time to get news tailored to you. And if you were...
Art by Matt Vascellaro.
The Big Interview

AOL’s Armstrong Plans a Busy 2016

By Martin Peers · Dec 29, 2015 7:01am PST
You might think AOL chief Tim Armstrong would take a breath after what’s been a frenetic year. AOL became part of Verizon, struck a big ad deal with Microsoft and bought mobile ad firm Millennial Media. Yet Mr. Armstrong, who stayed on to continue running AOL as well as overseeing Verizon’s digital media services business,... You might think AOL chief Tim Armstrong would take a breath after what’s been a frenetic...
Art by Matt Vascellaro.
2016 Predictions

Get Ready for the Uber Arena

By Cory Weinberg · Dec 28, 2015 10:01am PST · 2 comments
Uber and professional basketball’s Golden State Warriors have been two of the most dominant organizations in the Bay Area in 2015. Next year, expect the two behemoths to team up on a San Francisco power play.I’d bet that you will see a press conference in 2016—maybe with Travis Kalanick donning a Warriors jersey—that will... Uber and professional basketball’s Golden State Warriors have been two of the most dominant...
Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure. Photo by AP.
When Used Phones Become A Thing
By Martin Peers · Dec 28, 2015 6:01am PST · 3 comments
Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure. Photo by AP.
2016 Predictions

When Used Phones Become A Thing

By Martin Peers · Dec 28, 2015 6:01am PST · 3 comments
Many people would never buy a new car, opting instead for used vehicles a year or two old and significantly cheaper. A similar trend will next year start to transform the smartphone market, I predict, where the supply of used phones is going to take off.And that will permanently change the market for new smartphones. Both iPhones and Android... Many people would never buy a new car, opting instead for used vehicles a year or two old and...
The Weekly Digest

Christmas Edition: The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · Dec 26, 2015 7:53am PST
You made it.Hope your holiday week went well and welcome to the last week of the year. It’s that nebulous time between Christmas and New Year’s, where everyone is somewhere between working and vacationing. Though news is famously slow now, it gives us a moment to reflect on the last 12 months. That was the mindset at The Information... You made it.Hope your holiday week went well and welcome to the last week of the year. It’s...
Art by Matt Vascellaro.
The Takeaway

Keeping an Eye Out for a Snapchat IPO

By Jessica E. Lessin · Dec 24, 2015 7:00am PST · 4 comments
Speculation about the next major private tech company to go public will run high in 2016, as it did this year. Just how many articles were there about whether Square had filed or filed secretly, etc.?Speculation swirls around Uber, for obvious reasons. It’s massive. And all eyes are on Airbnb and Dropbox. But my bet for the company that... Speculation about the next major private tech company to go public will run high in 2016, as it...
Nutanix Granted ‘Ratchet’ to VC Investors
Brief

Nutanix Granted ‘Ratchet’ to VC Investors

By Alfred Lee · Dec 23, 2015 10:58am PST
Investors have been watching tech IPOs with an eye on what kind of protections late-stage backers are getting. Both Box and Square, for example, revealed they granted “ratchets” promising more shares if the IPO price fell below a certain point.Now, yet another highly valued tech company is going public with such protections. Nutanix,... Investors have been watching tech IPOs with an eye on what kind of protections late-stage backers...
Source: The Information Subscriber Survey
Subscribers See Rise in Investor-Friendly Terms
By Peter Schulz and Martin Peers · Dec 23, 2015 10:02am PST
Source: The Information Subscriber Survey
Subscriber Survey

Subscribers See Rise in Investor-Friendly Terms

By Peter Schulz and Martin Peers · Dec 23, 2015 10:02am PST
In our ongoing effort to report on the fine print of private tech financing deals, we asked you, our subscribers, for a sense of what’s new and changing in the deals you see. The findings made it clear that increasingly complex deal terms, like multiple liquidation preferences and participation rights, are on the rise. Fifty three percent... In our ongoing effort to report on the fine print of private tech financing deals, we asked you,...