Stratechery merchandise is now available. Then, the New York Times blockbuster story on Facebook, and how the company has misplayed its hand. Plus, why the real problem is employee morale.
Ben Thompson
More on Amazon’s “HQ2”, Two New Paywalls, Subscription Fatigue?
More details are out about Amazon’s site selections, including a 3rd city. Then, two new sites have paywalls, but the paywalls are different in important ways. Plus, why I think “subscription fatigue” both is and isn’t a thing.
Amazon “HQ2” Choice, Disney’s Earnings, Disney’s Hulu Plan
Amazon’s HQ2 process deserves the most cynical of lenses. Then, Disney revealed more details of their streaming service, with a surprising focus on Hulu — and linear TV.
The Experience Economy
SAP’s acquisition of Qualtrics shows how the shift in technology has changed business; it is a perfect example of using the Internet to one’s advantage.
Qualcomm Loses Preliminary Judgment; Qualcomm’s Earnings; More on Netflix and MVPDs
A federal judge rules against Qualcomm in a clear victory for Apple, just another area where Qualcomm is struggling. Then, why is Netflix allowing itself to be commoditized, at least a bit, by MVPDs?
Spotify’s Earnings; Spotify, Supply, and Acquiring Marginal Customers; Spotify’s Research and Development
Spotify’s earnings point to a disturbing trend of the company needing to spend to acquire marginal customers; this makes sense because the company does not have power over supply
Apple’s Earnings; Apple, Tencent, and China; iPad Pro Reviews
Apple’s earnings point towards a disappointing quarter, and there are also clouds on the “services narrative” horizon, particularly in China. Then, Apple’s (ongoing) mistake with the iPad.
Apple’s Social Network
Apple’s decision to stop reporting unit sales is defensible; the company, though, should provide more data to support its new growth story.
Text Messaging in the United States; Google’s Earnings; Google, Facebook, and GDPR
An anecdote about permanence and file systems, an explanation of how the U.S. text messaging market is unique, then an overview of Google’s earnings and why GDPR might be having an effect.
Facebook’s Earnings, Facebook’s Stories Story, Additional Notes on Facebook’s Earnings
Facebook’s earnings were as disappointing as promised, which was ok with the stock market. Still, is there more going on than simply a transition to Stories?