Tencent’s earnings were good, but as opaque as always. Still, there are insights to be gleaned about advertising in particular, and what that says about Messenger and WhatsApp.
Daily Update
Archive of Daily Emails for Stratechery Members
Box and Google Cloud Vision, An Interview with Box CEO Aaron Levie
Box has made a deal to offer Google’s Vision AI services to its customers; is there space to be the intermediary between technology providers and end users? Box CEO Aaron Levie answers those questions and more.
Cloudflare and Daily Stormer, Free Speech and Corporations, Just War and Regulation
Cloudfare finally pulled the plug on the Daily Storm. It may have been an easy call in isolation, but the implications highlight the inevitable push towards regulation online.
Disney Shifts to Streaming, Disney Versus Netflix, ESPN
Disney is making big changes — finally. What will be fascinating to watch is if the company is willing to fully embrace the Internet and its own brand and become an aggregator.
Benchmark’s Letter to Uber Employees, Is Benchmark Right?, Intel CEO Leaves Trump Advisory Board
Follow-up on Benchmark’s suit against Uber, and then why it is time for tech to draw the line with President Trump.
Apple and the Oak Tree Follow-up, Is HomePod Late?, Apple Earnings
More on Apple’s earnings, China prospects, and HomePod’s potential beyond simply being a speaker.
Amazon Earnings, Amazon Logistics Services?, Netflix Earnings
A follow-up on The Athletic’s potential and challenges, then Amazon’s earnings and the mystery of its increased investment. Then, a reminder of why Amazon is a threat to Netflix in the long run.
Microsoft/IBM Follow-Up, Facebook Earnings, Instagram Stories > Snapchat Stories
Follow-up on Microsoft and IBM, including why Steve Ballmer deserves more credit than I gave him. Then, Facebook’s earnings and the reluctance to admit to pricing power, and why Instagram Stories are more innovative than Snapchat Stories
Google Earnings, Google Cloud Growth?, Microsoft’s Milestone
Google had great earnings again, although the usual questions — and a new one, about Google Cloud — remain unanswered. Then, Microsoft returned to annual revenue growth, an impressive milestone in the company’s turnaround.
Uber and Yandex; Grab Raises $2 Billion; Softbank, Ride-Sharing, and Capital
Uber has made a deal in Russia that, to the extent it approximates China, is a great idea. However, the company may soon be knocked out of Southeast Asia: capital is the ultimate aggregator.