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

Jeff Bezos. Credit: Steve Jurvetson via Flickr

Where Amazon Is Winning in Mobile

By Eric Newcomer and Jessica E. Lessin · Feb 18, 2014 12:21pm PST

Amazon.com has minuscule market share in selling mobile apps, and the company’s long-awaited phone has yet to appear after years of work. But Amazon is nevertheless becoming a mobile juggernaut in an increasingly important realm: services that store and process data for apps. Despite competition from Google and Microsoft, Amazon dominates... Amazon.com has minuscule market share in selling mobile apps, and the company’s...

Max Levchin, Sebastian Thrun, Howard Lerman, Amol Sarva and Tony Conrad. Art: Matt Vascellaro

When One Company Is Not Enough

By Eric Newcomer · Feb 17, 2014 7:41am PST

What do the CEO of a consumer credit company, the chairman of a review website and the chairman of a fertility company have in common? They’re all named Max Levchin. Mr. Levchin holds top roles at Affirm, Yelp and Glow, and also satisfies his entrepreneurial itch by running a fourth venture: HVF Labs, which he started in 2011 as a hub for... What do the CEO of a consumer credit company, the chairman of a review website and the chairman...

Friday Newsletter

Tech's Duopoly Moment

By Jessica E. Lessin · Feb 14, 2014 9:44am PST

As everyone wonders whether regulators will bless Comcast’s $45.2 billion megamerger with Time Warner Cable, don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. It isn’t just the cable industry consolidating. It’s the technology industry. Just a day or so before news broke about that deal, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son reminded us of... As everyone wonders whether regulators will bless Comcast’s $45.2 billion megamerger with...

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO. Source: Flickr

Where Online Users Are Worth the Most

By Katie Benner · Feb 13, 2014 10:25am PST

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO. Source: Flickr

Where Online Users Are Worth the Most

By Katie Benner · Feb 13, 2014 10:25am PST

The conventional wisdom about social networks and the ultra-competitive world of Internet engagement is that upstarts are always on the verge of unseating stalwarts like Yahoo and Google. So The Information compiled metrics about key players to go beyond the top-line numbers. This scorecard paints a more nuanced picture. More... The conventional wisdom about social networks and the ultra-competitive world of Internet...

The Man Behind Google’s Latest Ventures

By Amir Efrati · Feb 12, 2014 3:02pm PST

Bill Maris doesn’t Tweet. Even at the helm of Google’s venture capital arm, he seldom attends technology conferences or networking events hosted by his own firm. But the low public profile belies the fact that the boyish-looking, dogged investor has made a big impact on the direction of Google and on the venture capital industry that Google... Bill Maris doesn’t Tweet. Even at the helm of Google’s venture capital arm, he seldom attends...

Bruno François presenting his app Cycloramic. Credit: Ergos Ventures

Why Murky Analytics Hurt Mobile

By Eric Newcomer · Feb 12, 2014 7:21am PST

As founder of app maker Egos Ventures, Bruno François worries a lot about keeping his photography app Cycloramic among the most popular 100 in Apple’s App Store. Like many developers, he turns to data to make sure people are using the app. He monitors Flurry (for monthly active users), Google Analytics (for daily usage), and App... As founder of app maker Egos Ventures, Bruno François worries a lot about keeping his...

Source: Wikimedia

Why Investors Still Believe In Twitter

By Katie Benner · Feb 11, 2014 1:15pm PST

Twitter’s earnings results last week knocked 20% off the stock price. Slim sequential monthly active user growth of 3% in the U.S. and 5% overseas, and a decline in overall user engagement, raised questions about how widely used the service can become. But the most interesting puzzle about the company right now is why investors still have... Twitter’s earnings results last week knocked 20% off the stock price. Slim sequential...

Inside the Tower: Samsung’s Mobile Power Brokers

By Jessica E. Lessin · Feb 10, 2014 1:39pm PST

Inside the Tower: Samsung’s Mobile Power Brokers

By Jessica E. Lessin · Feb 10, 2014 1:39pm PST

Samsung Electronics’ slow-going push to invest in mobile software is drawing attention throughout the technology industry. The company has vowed to better partner with app developers. But Samsung remains one of the most opaque companies in business, with Samsung employees often calling its close-knit leadership “The Tower” or the “Invisible... Samsung Electronics’ slow-going push to invest in mobile software is drawing attention throughout...

Matt Vascellaro

Software Saps Samsung’s Might

By Jessica E. Lessin · Feb 10, 2014 1:37pm PST

The last week in January, Google chief executive Larry Page met with Samsung Electronics vice chairman and heir apparent Jay Y. Lee at Google's Mountain View campus to discuss the relationship between the technology giants, according to several people briefed on the meeting. The agenda for the conversations, which included other... The last week in January, Google chief executive Larry Page met with Samsung...

Friday Newsletter

Will Mobile App Preloads Disappear?

By Jessica E. Lessin · Feb 7, 2014 12:56pm PST

In the race for mobile distribution and revenue, there's been a under-the-radar development worth watching. A new set of guidelines in South Korea will soon require wireless carriers and handset makers to allow consumers to delete many of those pesky apps that come preloaded on phones, like music and messaging services. In the race for mobile distribution and revenue, there's been a under-the-radar development...

Google CEO Larry Page Source: Wikimedia

Google Ventures: A Closely-Watched Wildcard

By Katie Benner · Feb 6, 2014 1:23pm PST

The next venture capital era may be defined by an unusual player, and Silicon Valley isn’t sure what to think. Google Ventures—with only one investor and a seemingly limitless supply of cash to play with—was the third most active venture capital investor last year, with 73 investments, according to DJX VentureSource. No other... The next venture capital era may be defined by an unusual player, and Silicon Valley isn’t...

TechCrunch

Google Looks to Ads Executive Susan Wojcicki as Next YouTube Chief

By Jessica E. Lessin and Amir Efrati · Feb 4, 2014 11:27pm PST

TechCrunch

Google Looks to Ads Executive Susan Wojcicki as Next YouTube Chief

By Jessica E. Lessin and Amir Efrati · Feb 4, 2014 11:27pm PST

Google is likely to tap longtime ad products head Susan Wojcicki as the new head of YouTube, according to two people briefed on the discussions, a surprising move that would place one of the company’s earliest employees at the helm of the video unit. The move would send a clear signal that Google CEO Larry Page wants to zero in on the site... Google is likely to tap longtime ad products head Susan Wojcicki as the new head of YouTube,...

Art: Matt Vascellaro/The Information

Riot Games Beware: One-Hit Wonders Flame Out

By Eric Newcomer · Feb 4, 2014 5:45pm PST

Riot Games, maker of the popular League of Legends computer game, is emerging as a gaming company to watch thanks to its free-to-play business model that offers hope for the dim PC gaming industry. But the company should take a lesson from gaming giants of the past and be quick to diversify. Timeless money-making hits are rare to non-existent in... Riot Games, maker of the popular League of Legends computer game, is emerging as a gaming company...

Exciting News @The Information: Jonathan Weber joins as Managing Editor

By Jessica E. Lessin · Feb 4, 2014 10:00am PST

I am delighted to announce that Jonathan Weber, a veteran editor and journalism entrepreneur and who is currently West Coast Bureau Chief for Reuters News, will be joining us as managing editor. I am also thrilled to welcome reporter Tom Dotan and engineer Pius Uzamere to Team Information.Jonathan is the perfect fit to oversee our newsroom... I am delighted to announce that Jonathan Weber, a veteran editor and journalism entrepreneur and...

National Security Agency Director Keith Alexander in 2010. Credit: Department of Defense

How Feds, Tech Giants Share Intelligence

By Amir Efrati · Feb 3, 2014 12:59pm PST

Little has been disclosed about the Enduring Security Framework, part of the U.S. government’s efforts to share sensitive cyber threat information with big telecom, hardware and software companies. A picture emerged through interviews with six people who have participated in these meetings and others who have been briefed on them, all of... Little has been disclosed about the Enduring Security Framework, part of the U.S....

NSA headquarters in Fort Meade, Md.

When Silicon Valley Met the NSA

By Amir Efrati · Feb 3, 2014 12:58pm PST

NSA headquarters in Fort Meade, Md.

When Silicon Valley Met the NSA

By Amir Efrati · Feb 3, 2014 12:58pm PST

In recent years, top executives from U.S. technology giants such as Google, Microsoft and Intel routinely filed into a secured room deep inside the bowels of the National Security Agency’s headquarters in Fort Meade, Md. During the visits, which continue today, the NSA and other U.S. government agencies provide classified, “top secret”... In recent years, top executives from U.S. technology giants such as Google, Microsoft and Intel...

By Matt Vascellaro · Feb 3, 2014 12:13pm PST

BloomEnergy

Friday Newsletter

Grandmaster Larry Page

By Jessica E. Lessin · Jan 31, 2014 1:20pm PST

If it wasn’t clear that Larry Page is playing—and winning—a game of chess against the rest of the technology industry, it has become clear in the past two weeks. The Google CEO took aim at Apple and upgraded its entire hardware strategy by ditching struggling Motorola and buying Nest Labs, the thermostat company loaded with Apple alumni. And he... If it wasn’t clear that Larry Page is playing—and winning—a game of chess against the rest of the...

Credit: Bill Grado via Flickr

Next on Google’s Shopping List: Wearables

By Jessica E. Lessin and Amir Efrati · Jan 30, 2014 4:02pm PST

Nest Labs for $3.2 billion. DeepMind Technologies for $550 million. Which company will Google buy next? The tech giant has been studying wearable technology companies to acquire, according to three people briefed on the internal discussions. It isn't clear whether the studying has led to formal talks and which companies Google is... Nest Labs for $3.2 billion. DeepMind Technologies for $550 million. Which company will Google buy...

Silicon Valley’s Cyber Guy: Ted Schlein Speaks

By Katie Benner · Jan 30, 2014 7:40am PST

Silicon Valley’s Cyber Guy: Ted Schlein Speaks

By Katie Benner · Jan 30, 2014 7:40am PST

The relationship between technology companies and the government is complicated, to say the least. Ted Schlein, a 17-year veteran of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, where he is a general partner, is one of the men in the middle. Technology companies’ distrust of government agencies seeking data about consumers for national security... The relationship between technology companies and the government is complicated, to say the...