Airbnb Open: Show & tell
Airbnb unveiled new versions of its mobile apps and a series of additional features Tuesday morning during an event for hundreds of hosts in the sleek and expansive lobby of the company's new headquarters.
[...] the clear secondary purpose of Airbnb Open was to answer ongoing criticisms of the 5-year-old San Francisco company, which allows people to rent their apartments or rooms to travelers.
Various cities, including New York and San Francisco, have struggled to find the appropriate way to regulate the company's "sharing" business model, which enables homeowners, landlords and tenants to act as entrepreneurs in their own right.
There's growing concern that some landlords are taking apartments off the market for permanent city residents in favor of renting them for higher prices to Airbnb travelers.
In much the same way, Airbnb contends its hosts and guests are forming bonds across international borders, enabling people to take a trip without leaving their kitchen.
Early last month, Airbnb changed its tune on the issue of taxes, saying its hosts should pay the same ones long levied on hotels, though with some exemptions for people who earn under a certain threshold.