Apple was never in a position to respond to WeChat, just as Microsoft couldn’t respond to Google. Then, Chromebooks win in education for more reasons than cost.
2017
Apple’s China Problem
Apple had mixed earnings: most of the world was great, but China was bad again. The reason is that in China WeChat matters more than iOS.
Twitter Earnings, Twitter’s Video Push, Amazon Earnings
Twitter’s earnings were encouraging when it comes to user growth, but the company’s focus on video is a disappointment. Then, Amazon’s earnings were mixed: AWS has competition, but e-commerce is dominant.
Alphabet Earnings; Revisiting Peak Google, Again; How Mobile Helps Google
Google had another stellar quarter; was Peak Google wrong, or did I just underestimate mobile?
Exponent Podcast: It’s Complicated
On Exponent, the weekly podcast I host with James Allworth, we discuss Not OK, Google. Listen to it here.
ESPN’s Cuts, ESPN’s History, ESPN: From Franchise to Business
ESPN’s cuts are not a surprise if you understand how ESPN has made money in the past, and where it must go in the future
Not OK, Google
Google is making an algorithmic change to demote fake news, but its lack of transparency around its actions is concerning in its own right.
Wikitribune, Apple Cuts Affiliate Fees, Netflix Earnings
Wikitribune is betting on scale in a way that most news organizations can’t comprehend. Then, Apple is keeping more of the pie for itself, and Netflix is getting loose with definitions.
The New York Times Versus Uber, Uber Versus Apple, Apple Versus Tencent
The New York Times has a story about Uber and Apple that had a fundamental flaw and lacked context; then, Apple won this round against Tencent, but this is a battle to watch
Exponent Podcast: Lamentation Not Condemnation
On Exponent, the weekly podcast I host with James Allworth, we discuss Facebook and the Cost of Monopoly. Listen to it here.