I’ve agreed that there is probably an Apple Car for a while, but I do need to make it official that I was likely wrong about Jony Ive. Then, what is the deal with 21 Inc’s Bitcoin Computer? Is there any way it makes sense?
2015
Malware Hits iOS, The Importance of the App Store, XcodeGhost: What Happened and What Now?
(Legitimate) iOS has been hit by malware for the first time. It’s a big deal because it gets at the heart of why the App Store is so important not just to Apple but to the entire industry. Plus, how on earth did this happen, and what will happen next?
Exponent Podcast: All About Ads
On Exponent, the weekly podcast I host with James Allworth, we discuss Popping the Publishing Bubble. Listen to it here.
The Amazon Fire Lineup, The Apple TV, Cable’s User Experience Advantage
An overview of Amazon’s new fire lineup and how it fits with the company’s overall strategy, an overview of the Apple TV from last week’s event, and a discussion about the fundamental challenge facing all of these TV boxes.
Medium and the Publishing Long Tail, Content Blockers and Facebook, Amazon Prime and the Washington Post
A bit of follow-up on yesterday’s post Popping the Publishing Bubble, and why Medium is potentially trying to replicate Stripe’s strategy. Plus, the key decision-maker when it comes to ad-blocking is Facebook, and it’s not at all clear what they will do. Finally, an experiment from Jeff Bezos with the Washington Post and Amazon Prime.
Popping the Publishing Bubble
For years publishers haven’t had to worry about business models: they just captured attention and watched the money come in. Those days, though, are over: the publications that survive will start with business models and build journalism around it.
Stripe Relay, Stripe’s Differentiation and Challenges, Mobile E-Commerce and Relay
The launch of Stripe Relay gives me an occasion to cover Stripe for the first time, how it succeeded, its challenges living up to its valuation, and why Stripe Relay could be an important step in that regard
The iPhone 6S, The End of the iPhone 5C, The iPhone Upgrade Program
The iPhone 6S is an impressive upgrade, particularly 3D Touch. The iPhone, though, has far deeper advantages: first, in China where its status remains unchallenged, and also in developed markets where Apple is commoditizing carriers.
Exponent Podcast: Segue
On Exponent, the weekly podcast I host with James Allworth, we discuss From Products to Platforms. Listen to it here.
App Store Policy Follow-up, The iPad Pro, The iPad Pro Accessories
First, some follow-up on yesterday’s piece on App Store policies: I actually forgot some product holes, plus a defense of “shareware.” Then, the iPad Pro’s strategic justification and a review of it and its accessories.