First, the theoretical case for why Meta’s approach to VR is more likely to succeed, then, which companies should acquire TikTok
Meta and Open
Meta is making lots of noise about being open, in everything from AI to the metaverse. This isn’t desperation: it’s smart strategy that understands Meta’s true differentiation.
An Interview with Hugo Barra About a Career in Tech and the Future of VR
An interview with Hugo Barra about his career at Nuance, Android, Xiaomi, and Meta on the Oculus team, with an extended discussion about the Vision Pro.
An Interview with Eric Seufert About Meta at the Top
An interview with Eric Seufert about Meta’s blowout quarter and where the company goes next, anxiety about Google search, and Apple’s fight with developers and regulators
Meta and Amazon, Meta Shops and ATT, Amazon Logistics and the Anti-Amazon Alliance
Meta and Amazon have made a deal that represents the major shift in the e-commerce landscape that has happened over the last four years, thanks to ATT and Amazon’s shift away from being an Aggregator.
Meta Earnings; Reels Reaches Revenue Neutral; The Temu and Shein Effect
Meta’s crushed earnings again, but some of the company’s recovery over the last year should be attributed to Temu and Shein subsidies.
An Interview with Eric Seufert About Unity, Regulation, and Streaming Advertising
An interview with Eric Seufert about Unity’s recent business model changes and what that says about the state of mobile advertising, for-pay social networks, and the prospects for advertising on streaming services.
AI, Hardware, and Virtual Reality
Defining virtual reality as being about hardware is to miss the point: virtual reality is AI, and hardware is an (essential) means to an end.
An Interview with Eugene Wei About Twitter, Threads, and Taylor Swift
An interview with Eugene Wei about Elon Musk’s critical mistake with Twitter, the questionable prospects for Threads, and what Taylor Swift and other communal experiences say about the commoditization wrought by technology.
Meta Blocks News in Canada, LK-99, YouTube and TV Advertisers
Meta is blocking news in Canada after another law requiring Aggregators to pay for links; it’s still an upsetting idea. Then, a brief primer on LK-99, the potential superconducting material.