Five times/week

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.

By providing your email, you agree to The Information’s Privacy Policy

Recent Editions

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.
Next Tech Boom: Lawsuits
By Alfred Lee · Dec 30, 2015 10:01am PST
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.
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.
Get Ready for the Uber Arena
By Cory Weinberg · Dec 28, 2015 10:01am PST · 2 comments
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.
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
Nutanix Granted ‘Ratchet’ to VC Investors
By Alfred Lee · Dec 23, 2015 10:58am PST
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
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,...
Frank Wang in 2010. Photo by AP.

The Information’s Up-and-Comer of 2016: Frank Wang

By Amir Efrati · Dec 23, 2015 7:00am PST
Frank Wang and his Chinese firm, DJI, have won the first phase of the race to develop civilian drones—basically, selling cameras that fly. He’s now expanding into what could be a much bigger market, selling intelligent, autonomous flying machines for business use.In the tech business world, Mr. Wang isn’t a household name like... Frank Wang and his Chinese firm, DJI, have won the first phase of the race to develop civilian...
Source: DB-Engines
Data Point

Beyond Google, a Search Battle Brews

By Steve Nellis and Peter Schulz · Dec 22, 2015 10:02am PST · 1 comment
When you think search technology, Google springs to mind.But think of all the other searching you do, such as when you hit the search bar on Zappos.com, try to find a movie on Netflix or even research a tech company on The Information. Those don’t rely on Google. Instead, they turn to so-called enterprise search technology, also used by... When you think search technology, Google springs to mind.But think of all the other searching you...
Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel, left, with his co-founder Bobby Murphy. Photo by AP.
The Fine Print of Snapchat’s Financing Terms
By Alfred Lee · Dec 22, 2015 7:00am PST · 3 comments
Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel, left, with his co-founder Bobby Murphy. Photo by AP.
Private Tech Database

The Fine Print of Snapchat’s Financing Terms

By Alfred Lee · Dec 22, 2015 7:00am PST · 3 comments
It’s typical for investors in private tech companies to get lots of protections for the risk they take. But the financing of Snapchat has been anything but typical.An analysis of public documents shows that investors have poured more than $1 billion into the messaging company despite receiving virtually no protections, no stockholder votes... It’s typical for investors in private tech companies to get lots of protections for the...
Google's VR cardboard. Photo by Flickr/sndrv.
2016 Predictions

Virtual Reality Will Come Into Focus

By Reed Albergotti · Dec 21, 2015 10:00am PST · 2 comments
Sometime next year, when you come across a group of teenagers holding cardboard boxes up to their faces and giggling, remember one thing: I told you this would happen. Virtual reality will become a “thing” in 2016, but not in the way your inner Star Trek geek had hoped. (That will come later.) Instead, it will be normal to play... Sometime next year, when you come across a group of teenagers holding cardboard boxes up to their...
Art by Sam Lessin.
Modest Proposals

Star Wars’ Private Tech Valuation Formula

By Sam Lessin · Dec 21, 2015 9:12am PST
Would you rather own Star Wars or 25% of Snapchat?  What about 6% of Uber, 40% of Dropbox, or 1.3% of Facebook?  Based on the 2012 sale of LucasFilm for $4 billion, that is generally the question that many investors might be ball-parking in their heads as they walk in to see the excellent new Star Wars movie this week. Would you rather own Star Wars or 25% of Snapchat?  What about 6% of Uber, 40% of Dropbox,...
Art by Sam Lessin.
Modest Proposals

Why Aren’t We Talking More About Autonomous Passenger Planes?

By Sam Lessin · Dec 21, 2015 7:00am PST · 3 comments
Of all the tantalizing futuristic possibilities on the horizon, self driving cars is clearly the topic people love to talk about these days. But fully autonomous cars are going to take a long time to actualize. Passenger aircraft could be a different story, with profound implications at least for small plane travel. Of all the tantalizing futuristic possibilities on the horizon, self driving cars is clearly the...
The Information You Missed This Week
By The Information Staff · Dec 19, 2015 8:02am PST
The Weekly Digest

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · Dec 19, 2015 8:02am PST
Good Morning!The world may be winding down for the holiday season. But for readers of The Information, Christmas came early this week, with a bumper crop of good stories. And starting next week, we’ll begin publishing our prediction series for 2016. Good Morning!The world may be winding down for the holiday season. But for readers of The...