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

Photo by Flickr/Yusuke Kawasaki. Data based on WeWork projections obtained by The Information, prepared on a per-square foot basis. Art by Myk Klemme.

Keeping a Lid on Labor Costs: WeWork’s Example

By Alfred Lee · Sep 16, 2015 7:06am PDT

One of the biggest questions hanging over tech is how fast-growing companies manage their labor costs. This is an acute issue in the on-demand world, where labor is a major portion of costs. Uber, for instance, has fought legal battles over whether its drivers are employees or independent contractors. Lyft has faced similar pressures.Then... One of the biggest questions hanging over tech is how fast-growing companies manage their labor...

Source: CB Insights

The Make-Or-Break Series C

By Steve Nellis and Peter Schulz · Sep 15, 2015 10:03am PDT

When Uber raised its Series C round in 2013, its value soared by 10 times, from about $347 million to $3.5 billion. But companies that raised C rounds after Uber also experienced sharp increases in valuation, suggesting the Uber round reset valuation levels broadly.The Information asked CB Insights for historical fundraising and valuation data... When Uber raised its Series C round in 2013, its value soared by 10 times, from about $347...

Eddy Cue. Photo by Bloomberg.

Apple Unifies Cloud Services Platform Amid Open-Source Push

By Amir Efrati · Sep 15, 2015 7:15am PDT

Like other tech companies that run Web services, Apple has long relied on open source software. But unlike most others, Apple has largely done so secretly, hampering its hiring and causing other problems. Now some within Apple are hoping that is going to change.The tech firm is developing a technology platform that can power all of its Web... Like other tech companies that run Web services, Apple has long relied on open source software....

Art by Sam Lessin.

Paying Up Front is a Legacy Concept

By Sam Lessin · Sep 14, 2015 10:06am PDT · 6 comments

Art by Sam Lessin.

Modest Proposals

Paying Up Front is a Legacy Concept

By Sam Lessin · Sep 14, 2015 10:06am PDT · 6 comments

Last week Apple announced that they were taking a step towards a subscription model around the iPhone. Rather than paying upfront for the hardware, you pay each month and get access to iPhone as a product — effectively whatever is the ‘best’ version of the product at any given moment.This is thematically quite consistent... Last week Apple announced that they were taking a step towards a subscription model around the...

Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel. Photo by Flickr/TechCrunch.

Snapchat Faces Rivals for Ad Dollars: Social Media Stars

By Tom Dotan · Sep 14, 2015 7:05am PDT

Snapchat’s plans to grow its revenue and build advertiser relationships are running into an interesting conundrum: social media stars. Dozens of content creators with huge followings have flocked to Snapchat from other social media apps, posing competition to Snapchat’s ad ambitions.These so-called influencers, names like Shaun... Snapchat’s plans to grow its revenue and build advertiser relationships are running into an...

The Information You Missed

By The Information Staff · Sep 12, 2015 8:06am PDT

Good Morning! This week we unveiled details of the speaker lineup at our upcoming inaugural Subscriber Summit. Here’s Jessica’s story in case you missed it. Good Morning! This week we unveiled details of the speaker lineup at our upcoming inaugural...

Art by Myk Klemme

The Information's 411

The Information’s 411 – Jawbone, Off the Record

By Tom Dotan · Sep 11, 2015 2:14pm PDT

On this seasonably, yet still surprisingly warm week in San Francisco, we went long on two stories. They both happen to touch on similar topics about the process of reporting while dealing with sources and companies on and off the record.The first was a debate—a polite discussion, really—between Jessica and Frank Shaw, who heads up... On this seasonably, yet still surprisingly warm week in San Francisco, we went long on two...

Apple Is In the Grey

By Jessica E. Lessin · Sep 11, 2015 8:06am PDT · 1 comment

Apple Is In the Grey

By Jessica E. Lessin · Sep 11, 2015 8:06am PDT · 1 comment

The media coverage of big Apple events is almost as entertaining as the events themselves, and this week’s iPad-AppleTV-iPhone bonanza was no different. Within hours, reporters and analysts had declared the two hour and 20 minute pitch fest everything from the most spectacular press event in years to a snooze. The truth is it was... The media coverage of big Apple events is almost as entertaining as the events themselves, and...

Announcing our Summit Lineup and Co-Hosts

By Jessica E. Lessin · Sep 10, 2015 9:08am PDT

When we told you we were planning our Inaugural Subscriber Summit about the private tech markets, we knew the topic would be interesting and timely.We had no idea.I am thrilled to announce that our first Subscriber Summit will be October 8 in San Francisco, and more details about the program and tickets are now available at... When we told you we were planning our Inaugural Subscriber Summit about the private tech...

Photo by Flickr/Lucas Hayas

Option Games: Common Stock Values Get Murkier

By Alfred Lee · Sep 10, 2015 7:06am PDT · 2 comments

Valuing common stock has gotten trickier for startups.The growing number and complexity of rights on preferred shares are causing companies to adjust their reasoning around how much their common stock is worth, according to firms providing the valuations and lawyers overseeing them. But companies still have a lot of discretion, a reminder that... Valuing common stock has gotten trickier for startups.The growing number and complexity of rights...

Apple CEO Tim Cook. Photo by Bloomberg.

When iPhones Seem Pricier

By Martin Peers · Sep 9, 2015 9:06am PDT · 1 comment

Today’s Apple event will show off a new iPhone offering lots of glitzy new features, sure to attract the usual deluge of media attention. But anyone trying to figure out how the iPhone will sell in the future should focus less on these features and more on cellular carriers’ pricing.In the past two years, the major carriers have... Today’s Apple event will show off a new iPhone offering lots of glitzy new features, sure...

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff. Photo by Bloomberg.

Salesforce Analytics Chief Stepping Aside

By Steve Nellis · Sep 9, 2015 7:06am PDT

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff. Photo by Bloomberg.

Salesforce Analytics Chief Stepping Aside

By Steve Nellis · Sep 9, 2015 7:06am PDT

Keith Bigelow, a Salesforce.com executive who was hired from archrival SAP to oversee the launch of an ambitious new line of analytics software, is stepping down from the role, Salesforce said.Mr. Bigelow runs Salesforce’s so-called analytics cloud. Its flagship product is Wave, the tool for slicing and dicing raw data into useful reports... Keith Bigelow, a Salesforce.com executive who was hired from archrival SAP to oversee the launch...

Jawbone CEO Hosain Rahman. Photo by Flickr/TechCrunch. Chart by Jeff Greco, chart images by Jawbone..

What Went Wrong at Jawbone

By Reed Albergotti · Sep 8, 2015 7:06am PDT

May was a triumphant month for Jawbone, an otherwise embattled maker of fitness-tracking bracelets and other gadgets. For more than 12 months, it had been looking for badly-needed investment capital, after having spent heavily on product development, new employees and dealing with complaints about defective products. But that month it raised... May was a triumphant month for Jawbone, an otherwise embattled maker of fitness-tracking...

The Information You Missed

By The Information Staff · Sep 5, 2015 8:06am PDT

Good Morning! Happy Labor Day weekend. New to the digest this week: our most popular stories of the month. You can find them at the end of the email. We hope you like the section! Amir dropped a big scoop yesterday: Google expects to return to China after five years, with a local version of Google Play and support for Android Wear... Good Morning! Happy Labor Day weekend. New to the digest this week: our most popular stories of...

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

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 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

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...