The Information

A bird scooter in San Francisco. Photo by Bloomberg

One Year in, Bird Founder Sells Some Shares

By Amir Efrati and Alfred Lee · Jun 17, 2018 9:13am PDT · 3 comments

The founder of Bird, a year-old scooter rental service that has attracted $450 million from investors, including Sequoia Capital, already has sold some of his shares, according to people who were briefed on the unusual move. A regulatory filing suggests that the founder, Travis VanderZanden, might have received at least several tens of millions... The founder of Bird, a year-old scooter rental service that has attracted $450 million from...

A Waymo car on a test drive. Photo: AP

Apple Ramps Up Self-Driving Car Program With Waymo Hire

By Amir Efrati and Jessica E. Lessin · Jun 15, 2018 11:20am PDT · 6 comments

Apple has hired a high-profile senior engineer of Alphabet’s Waymo self-driving vehicle unit, Jaime Waydo, to join the iPhone maker’s own self-driving vehicle project, known as Titan, according to a person briefed about the move.Ms. Waydo’s hiring could elevate the stature of Apple’s self-driving car efforts. It also... Apple has hired a high-profile senior engineer of Alphabet’s Waymo self-driving vehicle...

Airbnb’s China Rival in Talks to Raise $100 Million

By Juro Osawa and Yunan Zhang · Jun 15, 2018 10:02am PDT

One of Airbnb’s major Chinese rivals is in talks with investors to raise about $100 million in a new funding round, people familiar with the matter said. Beijing-based Xiaozhu was valued at $1 billion in its previous round in November when it raised $120 million from investors including Yunfeng Capital, a private equity fund backed by... One of Airbnb’s major Chinese rivals is in talks with investors to raise about $100 million...

Screenshot of Supercell game “Clash Royale.” Photo by throttlelwp44/ Flickr

Tencent’s Deal-Making Image Clouded by Supercell’s Slowdown

By Juro Osawa · Jun 13, 2018 7:00am PDT

Screenshot of Supercell game “Clash Royale.” Photo by throttlelwp44/ Flickr

Tencent’s Deal-Making Image Clouded by Supercell’s Slowdown

By Juro Osawa · Jun 13, 2018 7:00am PDT

Tencent’s 2016 megadeal to buy Supercell cemented the Chinese tech giant’s stature as a global powerhouse in the $100 billion-plus videogame industry. The roughly $8 billion transaction by a Tencent-led group of Chinese investors was a huge bet that the Finnish mobile game maker behind worldwide hit “Clash of Clans” would... Tencent’s 2016 megadeal to buy Supercell cemented the Chinese tech giant’s stature as...

Riders use scooters in San Francisco in April. Photo: Bloomberg

Scooter Mania Continues as ‘Skip’ Nabs $25 Million, ‘Bird’ Goes to China

By Amir Efrati, Cory Weinberg and Yunan Zhang · Jun 12, 2018 6:08pm PDT

Electric scooter startups are aggressively seeking to raise money, telling potential investors that restrictions cities have placed on their operations won't impede their long-term growth. So far, Silicon Valley venture capital firms are all in.Skip, a shared electric scooter operator that was founded by the co-creator of “Boosted... Electric scooter startups are aggressively seeking to raise money, telling potential investors...

Tenable CEO Amit Yoran testifying on Capitol Hill in April 2016, when he was president of RSA Security. Photo: AP

Security Firm Tenable Plans IPO in July

By Sarah Kuranda · Jun 12, 2018 4:24pm PDT · 1 comment

Tenable Network Security has filed confidentially for an initial public offering, according to two people with direct knowledge of the filing. Tenable is planning to go public in late July, the people said.The filing, made on Monday, would make Tenable the third major cybersecurity company to go public this year, on the heels of Carbon Black and... Tenable Network Security has filed confidentially for an initial public offering, according to...

A Tesla Model S sedan in Autopilot mode crashed into a fire department mechanic truck in South Jordan, Utah, last month. Photo: AP

When High-Tech Cars Crash, Software Clues Are Elusive

By Reed Albergotti · Jun 7, 2018 7:01am PDT

Many new cars on the roads nowadays have sophisticated safety features that allow cars to steer and accelerate on their own. But when the cars crash, only the automakers know how those safety features performed. Crash investigators are often left guessing.That’s because the information isn’t recorded in most cars’ event data... Many new cars on the roads nowadays have sophisticated safety features that allow cars to steer...

Houses under construction in Florida. Photo by Bloomberg

Amazon Considers Offering Home Insurance

By Priya Anand · Jun 6, 2018 7:00am PDT

Houses under construction in Florida. Photo by Bloomberg

Amazon Considers Offering Home Insurance

By Priya Anand · Jun 6, 2018 7:00am PDT

Amazon.com has contemplated offering home insurance as an offshoot of its development work on robots and other connected devices for the home, according to a person familiar with the discussions. The idea is that robots and other smart devices can be used to monitor for threats such as fires and burglaries, making it possible to offer cheaper... Amazon.com has contemplated offering home insurance as an offshoot of its development work on...

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, appearing in one of the company's new ads.

Uber to Spend Up to $500 Million on Ad Campaign

By Priya Anand · Jun 5, 2018 3:18pm PDT · 4 comments

Uber plans to spend up to $500 million on a global marketing effort this year, according to a person familiar with the matter. It marks Uber’s first large-scale brand campaign and is part of an effort to repair the company’s image after last year’s scandals.The branding campaign, which kicked off in the U.S. last month with... Uber plans to spend up to $500 million on a global marketing effort this year, according to a...

Citibike bicycles, which are operated by Motivate. Photo by Bloomberg.

Lyft Nears Acquisition of Motivate, U.S. Bike-Share Leader

By Amir Efrati and Cory Weinberg · Jun 1, 2018 8:48am PDT · 4 comments

Lyft has agreed to buy Motivate, which runs some of the biggest U.S. bike-share programs, according to two people briefed about the deal. The acquisition, which is likely to be worth $250 million or more, will quickly insert Lyft into the small but fast-growing U.S. bike-sharing market.The two companies have agreed on the terms of the deal,... Lyft has agreed to buy Motivate, which runs some of the biggest U.S. bike-share programs,...

DeRay McKesson. Photo by AP

BuzzFeed News Plans Interview Program for Facebook Watch

By Beejoli Shah · May 30, 2018 6:08pm PDT

BuzzFeed News plans to launch a new video interview show in the next two months, to stream on Facebook Watch. The weekly show is being described as a millennial-focused “Charlie Rose”–style program, with 20-minute episodes featuring an interview a week with a premiere celebrity, politician or other newsmaker.Plans for the... BuzzFeed News plans to launch a new video interview show in the next two months, to stream on...

Photos by Bloomberg, AP, Netflix. Source: The Information

How Netflix’s Management Structure Is Rewriting the Hollywood Script

By Tom Dotan · May 30, 2018 7:00am PDT

Photos by Bloomberg, AP, Netflix. Source: The Information

How Netflix’s Management Structure Is Rewriting the Hollywood Script

By Tom Dotan · May 30, 2018 7:00am PDT

Of all the factors that explain Netflix’s success in upending the media industry, the least understood may be just how little it operates like a traditional media company.At most studios and TV networks, decisions about whether to make a show or a movie can be made only by a handful of people atop the company, namely the president, a... Of all the factors that explain Netflix’s success in upending the media industry, the least...

Taxis at a taxi stand outside a train station in Tokyo. Photo: Bloomberg

Under Pressure, Uber Tries New Approach in Japan

By Juro Osawa · May 29, 2018 7:01am PDT · 1 comment

Last week, 20 Uber executives from around the world flew to Tokyo for a two-day, secret meeting on one of the company’s top priorities: How to work with taxis to crack Japan’s transportation market. Uber is hoping to make a major push in Japan, a country where it desperately wants to succeed after ceding China to Didi Chuxing and... Last week, 20 Uber executives from around the world flew to Tokyo for a two-day, secret meeting...

Photo: Bloomberg

Apple to Expand Secure Wireless Chip Beyond Payments

By Aaron Tilley and Amir Efrati · May 25, 2018 4:32pm PDT · 2 comments

Apple is making a significant change to a wireless chip in the iPhone that will allow users to more securely unlock doors enabled with the same technology, a person familiar with the matter said.The change to the near-field communication, or NFC, chip, which is expected to be announced next month, could pave the way for people to use iPhones for... Apple is making a significant change to a wireless chip in the iPhone that will allow users to...

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky. Photo by Bloomberg

Airbnb’s Rival Gaining Ground

By Cory Weinberg · May 25, 2018 7:02am PDT · 2 comments

Airbnb only recently began to regard travel giant Booking Holdings as a threat. But internal projections from the two companies suggest that the two may be neck and neck in the race to rent rooms outside traditional hotels, The Information has learned.Airbnb internally projects it will sell 255 million to 265 million “room... Airbnb only recently began to regard travel giant Booking Holdings as a threat. But internal...

Oracle CEO Mark Hurd. Photo by Bloomberg

Oracle’s Aggressive Sales Tactics Are Backfiring With Customers

By Amir Efrati and Kevin McLaughlin · May 22, 2018 7:02am PDT · 3 comments

Oracle CEO Mark Hurd. Photo by Bloomberg

Oracle’s Aggressive Sales Tactics Are Backfiring With Customers

By Amir Efrati and Kevin McLaughlin · May 22, 2018 7:02am PDT · 3 comments

Oracle’s efforts to catch up to Amazon in the cloud market are running into obstacles—from Oracle customers upset with the company’s aggressive sales tactics.Several big Oracle customers, including oil and gas exploration company Halliburton, toy maker Mattel and electricity provider Edison Southern California, have recently... Oracle’s efforts to catch up to Amazon in the cloud market are running into...

People riding scooters in downtown San Francisco. Photo by Bloomberg

Lyft Explores Launching Scooter Service in San Francisco

By Cory Weinberg · May 20, 2018 8:01pm PDT

Lyft plans to seek permits to run an electric scooter service in San Francisco, The Information has learned. It is the clearest sign yet that the No. 2 ride-hailing firm plans to compete against its bigger rival Uber and a host of startups in the fast-growing market of electric scooters and bikes.A local consulting firm representing Lyft... Lyft plans to seek permits to run an electric scooter service in San Francisco, The Information...

Snap CEO Evan Spiegel. Photo by AP

How Evan Spiegel Fumbled Snap’s Redesign

By Tom Dotan · May 18, 2018 7:01am PDT · 5 comments

Last fall, on a flight back from China, Evan Spiegel decided to remake Snapchat.Inspired by apps he’d seen in that country, Mr. Spiegel wanted to create a new version separating users’ friends’ content from the professional media. Each category would be sorted by an algorithm rather than Snapchat’s existing chronological... Last fall, on a flight back from China, Evan Spiegel decided to remake Snapchat.Inspired by apps...

Ze Frank. Photo by Cody Glenn/Web Summit

Inside BuzzFeed’s Hollywood Adventure

By Beejoli Shah · May 17, 2018 7:01am PDT

BuzzFeed set out to reinvent Hollywood. It turns out that Hollywood reinvented BuzzFeed.Five years after launching a film and TV business with an unconventional emphasis on audience data and fast program development, BuzzFeed Studios is changing tack. The company’s recent hiring of former MTV executive Lauren Dolgen to lead its studio... BuzzFeed set out to reinvent Hollywood. It turns out that Hollywood reinvented BuzzFeed.Five...

Art by Mike Sullivan

How Sonos Played Patent Hardball to Strike Google Deal

By Aaron Tilley · May 16, 2018 7:01am PDT · 4 comments

Art by Mike Sullivan

How Sonos Played Patent Hardball to Strike Google Deal

By Aaron Tilley · May 16, 2018 7:01am PDT · 4 comments

Sonos had a big announcement last October: Its new voice-activated speaker would be the first to work with both Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant. What hasn’t been reported is that Sonos achieved this by using its patent portfolio to play hardball with Google.The tech giant previously had resisted allowing Google Assistant to work... Sonos had a big announcement last October: Its new voice-activated speaker would be the first to...