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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

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

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’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

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

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...

Hillhouse founder Zhang Lei. Photo by Bloomberg.

Dogs (and Cats) Are Next Big Thing for China’s Hillhouse

By Yunan Zhang · May 14, 2018 10:01am PDT

Hillhouse Capital Group, one of China's most prominent venture capital and private equity firms, struck gold by investing early in today's tech giants including Tencent, Didi Chuxing and Meituan. Now it’s added a new focus: pets. The firm has acquired more than 500 veterinary clinics, including five pet hospital chains, over the... Hillhouse Capital Group, one of China's most prominent venture capital and private equity...

Ring CEO Jamie Siminoff. Photo by Flickr/Christopher Michel

How Amazon’s Latest Security Device Let People Spy on You

By Reed Albergotti · May 11, 2018 7:01am PDT · 4 comments

Ring CEO Jamie Siminoff. Photo by Flickr/Christopher Michel

How Amazon’s Latest Security Device Let People Spy on You

By Reed Albergotti · May 11, 2018 7:01am PDT · 4 comments

In January, Miami resident Jesus Echezarreta’s ex-boyfriend told him he needed to walk his dog more. Taken aback, Mr. Echezarreta asked how he would know that. It turned out it his ex was checking up on him through Mr. Echezarreta’s camera-equipped doorbell, made by Amazon-owned Ring. Ring’s software allowed people who... In January, Miami resident Jesus Echezarreta’s ex-boyfriend told him he needed to walk his...

One of 99's taxis. Photo by Thetechnews.com

How Didi Launched a Brazilian Beachhead in Uber’s Backyard

By Juro Osawa and Yunan Zhang · May 10, 2018 7:00am PDT

Two years ago, Uber, already dominant in Brazil, considered buying a small local rival called 99. But then-Uber CEO Travis Kalanick wasn’t interested. He believed Uber could crush 99 instead.That left an opening for Uber’s archrival, China’s Didi Chuxing, to establish a beachhead in Uber’s second largest market and to... Two years ago, Uber, already dominant in Brazil, considered buying a small local rival called 99....

A Walmart manager demonstrating how customers can pick up online orders. Photo by AP

Walmart and Target Take Page From Amazon’s Cloud Playbook

By Kevin McLaughlin · May 9, 2018 12:31pm PDT · 1 comment

Walmart and Target have decided that the best way to compete with Amazon in shopping is to follow its playbook in the cloud.Both companies are switching to cheap unbranded “white box” servers running open-source software for their data centers, instead of equipment made by firms like Dell or Hewlett Packard Enterprise, said a person... Walmart and Target have decided that the best way to compete with Amazon in shopping is to follow...

Photo by Silvergate Bank

Meet the San Diego Bank That Handles Most of the Cryptocurrency Industry

By Alfred Lee · May 9, 2018 7:01am PDT · 1 comment

Silvergate Bank of San Diego describes itself as a community bank, with clients that include a nearby chain of milkshake stores and a local architectural firm. But in the past year, Silvergate has taken on a new role: the go-to bank for the cryptocurrency industry.Most U.S. banks steer clear of companies involved with digital currencies, which... Silvergate Bank of San Diego describes itself as a community bank, with clients that include a...

A shot from an ABC TV station in Tempe, Arizona, after an Uber self-driving car killed a pedestrian. Photo by AP.

Uber Finds Deadly Accident Likely Caused By Software Set to Ignore Objects On Road

By Amir Efrati · May 7, 2018 9:48am PDT · 6 comments

A shot from an ABC TV station in Tempe, Arizona, after an Uber self-driving car killed a pedestrian. Photo by AP.

Uber Finds Deadly Accident Likely Caused By Software Set to Ignore Objects On Road

By Amir Efrati · May 7, 2018 9:48am PDT · 6 comments

Uber has determined that the likely cause of a fatal collision involving one of its prototype self-driving cars in Arizona in March was a problem with the software that decides how the car should react to objects it detects, according to two people briefed about the matter.The car’s sensors detected the pedestrian, who was crossing... Uber has determined that the likely cause of a fatal collision involving one of its prototype...

Lyft founders John Zimmer and Logan Green. Photo by Bloomberg.

How Lyft’s Missteps Killed Its Chances of Overtaking Uber

By Amir Efrati · May 3, 2018 7:00am PDT · 2 comments

If there were ever a time when Lyft had a chance to catch up with Uber, it was last year. A constant barrage of negative publicity, including a #deleteUber social media movement, offered Lyft a gift in terms of picking up business.But while Lyft made some gains, it still finished the year with just 30% of the market, in terms of revenue, far... If there were ever a time when Lyft had a chance to catch up with Uber, it was last year. A...

A man rides a Citibike in New York. Photo: AP

Facing Startup Competition, U.S. Bike-Share Leader Shops Itself

By Cory Weinberg and Amir Efrati · May 2, 2018 7:00am PDT

Motivate, which runs some of the biggest U.S. bike-share programs, is searching for a buyer or new capital to fend off smaller rivals, according to several people familiar with the matter. It has discussed a deal with Lyft, although an agreement likely isn’t close. The discussions come several months after Motivate failed to close a deal... Motivate, which runs some of the biggest U.S. bike-share programs, is searching for a buyer or...

An attendee at Mobile World Congress in 2016 tries on a pair of Recon's smart spectacles. Photo: Bloomberg

Inside Intel’s Failed Wearables Gambit

By Aaron Tilley · Apr 30, 2018 7:01am PDT · 2 comments

On the day Intel completed its $175 million purchase of smart-spectacle maker Recon Instruments in June 2015, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich flew to Recon’s Vancouver headquarters to welcome the 60-person company. For the next year, he showed close interest in the business, meeting frequently with Recon chief Dan Eisenhardt, even though Mr.... On the day Intel completed its $175 million purchase of smart-spectacle maker Recon Instruments...

VSCO CEO Joel Flory. Photo by Bloomberg.

Once-Hot Social Startup VSCO Finds Success With Subscriptions

By Cory Weinberg · Apr 25, 2018 10:01am PDT · 3 comments

VSCO CEO Joel Flory. Photo by Bloomberg.

Once-Hot Social Startup VSCO Finds Success With Subscriptions

By Cory Weinberg · Apr 25, 2018 10:01am PDT · 3 comments

VSCO, a hip photo-and-video-editing app popular with people younger than 25, captured attention as a startup riding the early mobile, social wave. Instagram tried to buy it at one point and VSCO later raised $70 million in venture funding. But finding a profitable business model was tougher. To cut costs, the Oakland, Calif.–based company... VSCO, a hip photo-and-video-editing app popular with people younger than 25, captured attention...