The Briefing by Martin Peers, Jessica Lessin and the team at The Information

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

Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield. Photo by Bloomberg.

Slack, LinkedIn and the Trouble with Social Networks

By Steve Nellis · Jun 13, 2016 4:24pm PDT · 4 comments

There’s one lesson from the Microsoft-LinkedIn deal that companies like Slack should keep in mind: It’s really hard to make big money off a social network unless it has both scale and engagement.Facebook and LinkedIn started within a year of each other. But now, more than a dozen years later, Facebook counts nearly one out of every... There’s one lesson from the Microsoft-LinkedIn deal that companies like Slack should keep...

LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner. Photo by Bloomberg.

LinkedIn is Microsoft’s Sales Software Play

By Steve Nellis · Jun 13, 2016 9:02am PDT · 1 comment

LinkedIn is one of the most-used pieces of sales software on earth, disguised as a social network. But it’s had a tough time turning its sales business into a money-maker, instead relying on recruiting and marketing tools to bring in the bulk of its revenue. Paired with Microsoft’s more fully fledged sales software and massive... LinkedIn is one of the most-used pieces of sales software on earth, disguised as a social...

Google Senior Vice President for Enterprise, Diane Greene. Photo by AP.

Google’s Secret Weapon in Database Wars

By Steve Nellis and Amir Efrati · Jun 13, 2016 7:01am PDT · 1 comment

Looking for ways to better compete with Amazon Web Services, engineers at Google Cloud Platform have tested how to turn an internal database technology called Spanner into a product it can sell to developers, according to two people briefed on the effort. Spanner is now used to power many Google consumer products.The tests are part of a broader... Looking for ways to better compete with Amazon Web Services, engineers at Google Cloud Platform...

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · Jun 11, 2016 8:02am PDT

The Weekly Digest

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · Jun 11, 2016 8:02am PDT

Good Morning!If it’s June, it must be time for WWDC. And yes, Apple’s annual developer conference kicks off on Monday. Prepare for a flood of news coverage. Good Morning!If it’s June, it must be time for WWDC. And yes, Apple’s annual...

The Information’s 411 — Moonlighting

By Tom Dotan · Jun 10, 2016 3:11pm PDT

Jessica talks about Larry Page's flying-car side projects and why they should live inside Alphabet. Zara Zhang, our summer intern, makes her podcast debut to talk about China's live streaming market. Reed discusses the future of Nest post Tony Fadell. Jessica talks about Larry Page's flying-car side projects and why they should live inside...

Our Top Comments of the Week

By The Information Staff · Jun 10, 2016 1:14pm PDT

Here are this week’s top comments as selected by our reporters and editors. Here are this week’s top comments as selected by our reporters and editors.

Alphabet CEO Larry Page. Photo by Bloomberg.

The Real Problem with Larry Page’s Flying Cars

By Jessica E. Lessin · Jun 10, 2016 7:00am PDT · 6 comments

Is it me or does Larry Page’s secret flying car company—revealed this week by Bloomberg BusinessWeek—not smell right? It’s not that the idea is straight out of science fiction. That’s hardly surprising in Silicon Valley these days.It’s that, last I checked, Page ran a public company that prided itself on its... Is it me or does Larry Page’s secret flying car company—revealed this week by ...

Cyanogen CEO Kirt McMaster. Photo by Flickr/Web Summit.

Executive Shuffle at Cyanogen Amid Challenges

By Amir Efrati · Jun 9, 2016 2:26pm PDT · 3 comments

Cyanogen CEO Kirt McMaster. Photo by Flickr/Web Summit.

Executive Shuffle at Cyanogen Amid Challenges

By Amir Efrati · Jun 9, 2016 2:26pm PDT · 3 comments

Cyanogen’s prospects for challenging Google’s domination of the Android mobile operating system are dimming.Several senior managers have departed the high-profile Android software startup in recent weeks, as the firm struggles to show it can offer a differentiated version of Android of value to app developers. Google has updated... Cyanogen’s prospects for challenging Google’s domination of the Android mobile...

Online web personality Wang Weiying broadcasting a live stream from a Beijing cafe. Photo by AP.

Lessons from China’s Live Stream Bubble

By Zara Zhang · Jun 9, 2016 7:01am PDT · 3 comments

Every few years, China’s tech industry sees a new bubble: a few years ago, it was Groupon-like services; then it was “O2O” (online-to-offline). Now Chinese investors are speaking of a bubble in live streaming apps, which number in the hundreds.Open any of these—popular ones include Inke or Huajiao—and you’ll... Every few years, China’s tech industry sees a new bubble: a few years ago, it was...

This is our view!

Become The Information’s Graphics Editor

By The Information Staff · Jun 8, 2016 1:27pm PDT

About UsThe Information, is a San Francisco-based business publication known for original, in-depth reporting about the technology industry. We’re the go-to daily read for the most important people in technology and business. And we are building a one-of-a kind community of subscribers. We have a sustainable business, plenty of capital and... About UsThe Information, is a San Francisco-based business publication known for original,...

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi presenting an award to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in Washington on Tuesday. Photo by AP.

Next Front in India’s E-Commerce War: Smaller Cities

By Cory Weinberg · Jun 8, 2016 11:57am PDT · 1 comment

Hoping to regain momentum in India’s tough e-commerce war, Flipkart is looking to partner with shopkeepers in India’s smaller cities. In doing so, Flipkart hopes to win over tens of millions of people not accustomed to shopping online.Flipkart will soon let people living in the country’s small and midsized cities get goods they... Hoping to regain momentum in India’s tough e-commerce war, Flipkart is looking to partner...

Vista Equity Partners CEO Robert Smith. Photo by Bloomberg.

Private Equity Pushes Up Prices for Software Firms

By Steve Nellis · Jun 8, 2016 7:01am PDT

Vista Equity Partners CEO Robert Smith. Photo by Bloomberg.

Private Equity Pushes Up Prices for Software Firms

By Steve Nellis · Jun 8, 2016 7:01am PDT

With three subscription software firms—Ping Identity, Marketo and Demandware—changing hands in recent weeks, it seems a long-awaited consolidation in subscription software is in full swing. But instead of other software companies, it’s private equity firm Vista Equity Partners driving the dealmaking, buying Ping and Marketo for... With three subscription software firms—Ping Identity, Marketo and Demandware—changing...

Source: DataFox

Uber and Didi’s Cash Race

By Amir Efrati and Peter Schulz · Jun 7, 2016 11:20am PDT · 2 comments

The cash being raised by the world’s top two ride-sharing companies, Uber and China-based Didi Chuxing, is breaking records for private-company financing. Last week Uber said it had raised $3.5 billion from a Saudi Arabia fund, bringing its 2016 fundraising total to $5.7 billion, according to Datafox. Almost immediately Didi’s... The cash being raised by the world’s top two ride-sharing companies, Uber and China-based...

Alphabet CEO Larry Page. Photo by Bloomberg.

Nest Without Fadell Heads Down a Tighter Path

By Reed Albergotti · Jun 7, 2016 7:01am PDT · 1 comment

Employees at Nest had the weekend to cool off, following news of co-founder Tony Fadell’s abrupt departure on Friday. But questions still remained on Monday about Alphabet CEO Larry Page’s new marching orders for the company.As Mr. Page ponders what to do with Nest, he has to balance two conflicting factors. Nest remains one of the... Employees at Nest had the weekend to cool off, following news of co-founder Tony Fadell’s...

Vice CEO Shane Smith. Photo by Bloomberg.

Questions Grow on Digital Media Valuations

By Tom Dotan · Jun 6, 2016 10:01am PDT · 2 comments

In the last 12 months, a rush of investments in digital media companies has pumped up valuations. Disney invested in Vice at a $4 billion valuation, the same value it paid for Star Wars’ maker Lucasfilm in 2012. NBCUniversal invested in BuzzFeed at a $1.5 billion valuation. A handful of other online publishers got valuations in the... In the last 12 months, a rush of investments in digital media companies has pumped up valuations....

Art by Sam Lessin.

Era of Lean Startups Nears an End

By Sam Lessin · Jun 6, 2016 7:01am PDT · 12 comments

Art by Sam Lessin.

Modest Proposals

Era of Lean Startups Nears an End

By Sam Lessin · Jun 6, 2016 7:01am PDT · 12 comments

After about a decade of lean, capital-efficient startups, I believe we’re moving back toward a world of more expensive startups with higher initial capital requirements.That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it will change power dynamics between founders and investors and put pressure on incubator models. It means that the... After about a decade of lean, capital-efficient startups, I believe we’re moving back...

The Weekly Digest

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · Jun 4, 2016 8:02am PDT

Good Morning!There’s not too many surprises in Silicon Valley these days, what with all the leaks from big companies. But Tony Fadell’s sudden departure from Nest on Friday certainly caused a jolt. Good Morning!There’s not too many surprises in Silicon Valley these days, what with all the...

The Information’s 411 — Whistleblowers

By Tom Dotan · Jun 3, 2016 3:59pm PDT

Reed talks about Google's employee policies that prevent workers from talking to the media. Cory explains the promise and disappointment of buy buttons on social networksYou can find our RSS feed here or subscribe via iTunes and SoundCloud. Reed talks about Google's employee policies that prevent workers from talking to the media....

Nest's new CEO Marwan Fawaz, center. Photo by Flickr/The Cable Show.

New Nest Boss is Big Company Cable Guy

By Steve Nellis and Jessica E. Lessin · Jun 3, 2016 2:48pm PDT

In hiring Marwan Fawaz to run Nest, Google is bringing in a leader who has the polar opposite DNA of Tony Fadell. While Mr. Fadell is a startup consumer product guru, Mr. Fawaz is a big company, B2B executive who is a veteran of the cable TV industry.While Mr. Fadell is a product showman who likes the spotlight, Mr. Fawaz is a low-profile... In hiring Marwan Fawaz to run Nest, Google is bringing in a leader who has the polar opposite DNA...

Tony Fadell. Photo by Bloomberg.

Tony Fadell Leaving Nest

By Jessica E. Lessin and Reed Albergotti · Jun 3, 2016 1:06pm PDT · 1 comment

Tony Fadell. Photo by Bloomberg.

Tony Fadell Leaving Nest

By Jessica E. Lessin and Reed Albergotti · Jun 3, 2016 1:06pm PDT · 1 comment

Tony Fadell’s abrupt departure as CEO of Nest offers Alphabet an opportunity to reboot the troubled connected-home unit, hopefully salvaging something from the $3.2 billion purchase two years ago. One question is whether Alphabet will take that opportunity or instead cut its losses and sell.The choice of Marwan Fawaz, a low-profile veteran... Tony Fadell’s abrupt departure as CEO of Nest offers Alphabet an opportunity to reboot the...