Google plans to start charging for Android apps in Europe (Axios)
How northern Virginia checks the most boxes for Amazon HQ2 (The New York Times)
- Why it matters: Tight-lipped Amazon has the entire country wondering where its second headquarters will be. Northern Virginia checks out as a top choice: good transit, diverse residents, a friendly business climate and a single developer with a big chunk of land.
eBay sues Amazon, alleging it illegally poached sellers (Axios)
- Why it matters: The two e-commerce giants go up against each other, as eBay asks for a jury trial and a halt to the allegedly fraudulent activity by Amazon, along with monetary and punitive damages. The lawsuit alleges Amazon reps contacted American and international eBay sellers using eBay’s messaging system — a fraudulent act.
Lyft now has a subscription plan for $299 a month (TechCrunch)
- Why it matters: Lyft and rival Uber have been experimenting with monthly subscriptions and bundles for a while now—not a surprise as they can can hook customers into paying a big sum upfront. The Lyft plan comes with 30 rides at up to $15 each, with a 5% discount on subsequent rides.
JD.com to launch online store on Google shopping for Americans (Bloomberg)
- Why it matters: In June, JD.com took a $550 million investment from Google as part of a partnership to help each other expand into their respective markets. JD is in direct competition with Alibaba. The main hiccup for China’s second-largest retailer is the trade war between the U.S. and China — a potential for inflation of shipping costs and levies on imported goods.
