Microsoft is announcing a new subscription plan for Xbox that includes the console; it is modest for now, but could be a bigger deal in the future.
Daily Update
Archive of Daily Emails for Stratechery Members
San Francisco and Scooters, Skip’s Strategic Moat, Santa Monica and Scooters
San Francisco has decreed which scooters should win, and acquiesce to regulators appears to be top of the list. Plus, why the differences between scooters and ride-sharing should result in very different strategies.
AMD and Modularity Follow-Up, Trump and Tech, Tech’s Vulnerability
The problem with AMD’s modularity approach; then, Trump attacks tech. The claims are baseless but that hardly means the industry is in the clear.
Uber Follow-up; GlobalFoundries Abandons 7nm; Pricing Power, Differentiation, and Integration
Not all of Uber’s efforts are new, but the urgency is. Then, there are only three foundries pursuing 7nm, which means more pricing power (and how this applies to Uber and self-driving cars).
Fortnite’s Bad Bug, Epic’s Complaint, The Downside of Open
Fortnite has a bad bug, and while the company is being blamed for circumventing the Play Store, Android’s design is a big part of the problem.
Fortnite Skips Google Play, Netflix Explores Bypassing iTunes, Big Names and Long Tails
Fortnite is skipping out on Google Play, and Netflix is trying to get out of the App Store. That’s not great for Apple and Google, but the effort is hardly a surprise.
Facebook, Germany, and Filter Bubbles; The Nutella Factor; Facebook’s Response
A new study suggests that Facebook is to blame for increased attacks on refugees in Germany. The data isn’t perfect, but the worries about filter bubbles should be taken seriously.
Disney and the Resilient Cable Bundle, Disney’s Streaming Plans, ESPN+ and Serie A
Disney has had a difficult three years, particularly from a stock perspective, but things aren’t as bad as feared, and there is a strategy for the future.
Tencent’s Profit Drops, China Freezes Game Approvals, The Tencent Behemoth
Tencent’s profit dropped, in part because the Chinese government has stopped approving games. Plus, why Tencent’s approach to the games industry makes sense in China, even if Facebook’s model may be more attractive.
Facebook Stories Follow-up, Twitter and Newton’s Third Law
History suggests that Stories will be an advertising success; then, the Alex Jones episode shows how un-monopoly-like social networks are.