BlackBerry is suing Facebook and its subsidiaries, Instagram and WhatsApp, alleging the social network has infringed on some of its patents including security features, mobile notifications, and combining gaming with messaging.
Why it matters: BlackBerry no longer makes phones, but it's still looking to profit from patent licenses and software. This is not the first time Facebook has been sued by a fellow digital giant; in 2012, Yahoo sued Facebook, alleging it infringed on some of its advertising patents. BlackBerry, meanwhile, has also gone after Nokia and others.
Airbnb has hired Amazon Prime vice president Greg Greeley as president of its "homes" division, overseeing its core home-sharing service.
Context: Last month, the company said that it's organizing its business into four divisions (the others are Trips, Lux, and China), reflecting its growing business. Although CEO Brian Chesky made it clear that Airbnb won't be going public in 2018, it's nonetheless something it plans to do soon enough, making Greeley's hire a logical step, especially given his experience running Amazon divisions globally.
Google is expanding the reach of its keyboard app, GBoard, with the addition of 20 new languages including Chinese and Korean, TechCrunch reports. The news follows Google's announcement of integrating a Google Search extension app with iMessage.
Why it matters: The GBoard app now supports over 300 languages, and Google said it plans to add lesser-known languages that include Manx and Maori. Despite decreasing interest in separate keyboard apps, these efforts are a part of Google's marketing strategy to be more accessible to first-time mobile users around the world and in developing countries.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos tops the annual Forbes lists of billionaires with an estimated net worth of $112 billion. He's followed by Bill Gates at $90 billion and Warren Buffett at $84 billion. Mark Zuckerberg is #5 with $71 billion.
Behind the numbers: Forbes says it counted a record 2,208 billionaires worth a total of $9.1 trillion, up 18% since the year before. Most billionaires are America. [The full list]
Microsoft says its new diversity chief will start in July after she settled a lawsuit with IBM, her former employer. IBM had sued Lindsay-Rae McIntyre alleging she was in violation of a non-compete agreement.
The bottom line: The suit was an odd one to begin with as diversity tends to be an area where, at least on the surface, tech companies tend to be working together. By settling, both sides avoid would could have been bad publicity had the case gone further.
Facebook has hired Mike Bidgoli, formerly the product lead for Pinterest’s ads, as the head of product for Watch, its new video service, he announced on Monday.
Why it matters: Facebook is said to be planning to turn Watch into a YouTube rival, allowing creators to upload their own video and share in the ad revenues from it. Bidgoli’s experience with content discovery and building out ad products makes him a logical hire.
John Brennan, the former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency under Barack Obama, called out President Trump on Twitter, hours after the president suggested that the Obama administration launched its Russia probe to help Hillary Clinton.
Go deeper: Trump's question about Obama and Russian meddling — answered
Amazon is in early talks with big banks to launch a hybrid checking-account-like product that would appeal to millennials and customers without bank accounts, according to the WSJ.
Why it matters: A branded bank account would further extend the mighty Amazon ecosystem — which has most recently targeted the home security, delivery, and healthcare spaces — and could give the company access to valuable consumer spending data. Sources say it's clear that Amazon's potential entry into the financial services market would come as a partner, not as a bank, as some have speculated.
Facebook will expand its "breaking news" label that's being tested in the U.S. to more than 50 additional publishers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Australia. If the expansion is successful, Facebook says it may add more publishers.
Why it matters: Breaking news has consistently been difficult for tech platforms to manage, making it a prime opportunity for misinformation campaigns. More distinctions around breaking news from verified publishers might help point readers to verified sources during breaking news events.
"Google is reportedly close to reaching a $2.4 billion deal to add a landmark Meatpacking District building to its already substantial New York campus," AP's Karen Matthews reports.
Why it matters: "[I]t would be among the priciest real estate transactions for a single building in city history. It would also give Google a remarkable Manhattan campus to supplement its still-growing main headquarters in Mountain View, Calif."
Broadcom said it is "disappointed" that a shareholder meeting — where it hoped to gain control of Qualcomm's board — will be delayed by a U.S. government inquiry requested by Qualcomm itself.
Why it matters: Broadcom has been seeking control of Qualcomm's board in order to force consideration of its takeover bid, which has thus far been rejected. The shareholder meeting was originally slated for Tuesday.
Twitter debuted its first-ever television commercial during the Oscars Sunday, prominently featuring the hashtag #HereWeAre to spark a conversation about female empowerment. The ad and hashtag were lauded on Twitter by Hollywood and media executives alike Sunday night.
Why it matters: Tech companies are taking advantage of the culturally relevant moment to highlight their corporate values after a year of sexual harassment fallout in Silicon Valley. Google's Nest also aired an ad that touched on a similar #MeToo theme.
