Apple
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Tim Cook had an extraordinary run — and impeccable timing, both in terms of when he became CEO, and when he is stepping down.
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Apple has survived 50 years by being the only company integrating hardware and software; if the company loses because of AI it will be because the point of integration changes.
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Apple is well and truly a services company; hardware is necessary but insufficient for future growth.
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For Apple, hitting middle age means a strategy primarily focused on monetizing its existing customers. It makes sense, but one wonders what happens next.
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A core part of what makes Apple Apple is its organization structure; Tim Cook has said it will never change. However, if Apple is serious about being a services company, change it must.
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Clayton Christensen continually predicts that Apple will be disrupted because his theory does not incorporate the importance of the user experience.
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Podcast Apps Banned in China, Podcast Censorship, Zoom Suspends U.S.-based Chinese Activist
Two podcasts apps were banned in China; Apple has to follow local law, but how much censorship is Apple doing itself? Then Zoom demonstrates it can’t be trusted.
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HBO Max Launches, Amazon and Roku, Apple in 3rd
HBO Max is confusing because of negotiations with cable carriers, which is expected, and negotiations with OTT resellers, which perhaps was not. Then, is Apple making a move?
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Platforms in an Aggregator World
Facebook Shops are good for Shopify merchants, but bad for Shopify; the answer is to push more into the real world.
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Steve Jobs and OpenDoc, Fluid Framework, Microsoft Lists
At Build Microsoft’s vision for their enterprise operating system in the cloud was clearer than ever.
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Joe Rogan and Spotify, Luminary and Howard Stern, Apple’s Response
Joe Rogan is exclusive to Spotify, which suggests the streaming service realizes it needs to steal share to get its Aggregation flywheel spinning.
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Taiwan and Tech’s Geopolitical Realities, ARM on Mac?, TSMC’s Choice
The U.S. is increasingly — and appropriately — concerned about its extreme dependence on Taiwan. TSMC needs to build in the U.S. if they don’t want to let Intel back in the game.
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Apple Earnings, Amazon Earnings
Apple’s Earnings show the stabilizing factor of services and the upside of China; Amazon’s earnings show that supply constraints make forecasts easy.
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The iPhone SE, Accounting for the iPhone SE, New iPhones
The new iPhone SE inspires a revisit to Apple’s low-end strategy, which may simply be a matter of accounting. Then, Apple may be launching new iPhones despite the coronavirus.
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Coronavirus Clarity
The coronavirus crisis is making clear just how powerful tech companies are; hopefully this leads to a much more productive conversation about how that power should be utilized or regulated.