The conventional wisdom is that AWS is a commodity, but that only makes sense in the context of the old world. Then, Google tries to catch up to Facebook which tries to catch up to WeChat which is leaping ahead.
2016
Oracle’s Cloudy Future
Larry Ellison has declared that Oracle is a cloud company, but their customer offering seems more suited to the world that was.
Does Uber Have a Strategy Problem?, Netflix and Aggregation Theory, Google Trips
Is Uber bad at strategy? It would be understandable if they were. Then, Hollywood is finally realizing that Netflix is a textbook aggregator. Plus, why Google Trips exists
Uber’s Problematic Google Deal, Lyft’s Sales Pitch, Twitter’s Live Hail Mary
Uber took a shortcut with Google two years ago and are paying the price today, even if the wound is only temporary. Meanwhile, Lyft is costing Uber money but not strategic positioning, and seem to be marketing themselves to acquirers. Plus, mourning the end of what Twitter could be (and no, the NFL didn’t help).
Exponent Podcast: The Dark Side of the Facebook
On Exponent, the weekly podcast I host with James Allworth, we discuss Facebook Versus the Media. Listen to it here.
Apple Watch = Health and Fitness; Apple’s Shifting Strategy; Beyond the iPhone, Continued
The Apple Watch event was on the surface about focusing on health and fitness. However, I also think it signified a shift in focus and a much clearer path to the future for Apple.
What the Media Misses About Facebook, Facebook’s Missing Humans, Will the iPhone 7 Be a Hit?
More on Facebook versus the media: the latter needs to understand that Facebook isn’t the enemy, and the former needs to understand that humans matter. Plus, are iPhone 7 sales better-than-expected?
Facebook Versus the Media
Facebook is in trouble with the media again, guilty of stupidity by apathy. Still, the media itself hasn’t exactly caught up with the reality of the Internet.
Apple Event Follow-up: Super Mario Run, iPhone 7 Pessimism, Additional Notes
More on Apple’s event, in particularly Super Mario Run and why there is reason for pessimism around the iPhone 7 announcement. Plus additional notes on the event and Apple’s big chip advantage.
Exponent Podcast: Meditations on Courage
On Exponent, the weekly podcast I host with James Allworth, we discuss Beyond the iPhone. Listen to it here.