Facebook is acquiring tbh, another burgeoning social network; regulators erred in allowing the Instagram and WhatsApp acquisitions, but there is no better place to start enforcing the law than now.
The End of AOL Instant Messenger, Innovation Versus Interoperability, Portability > Interoperability
AOL Instant Messenger is dead, and there is a new debate as to whether interoperability killed it. The answer is almost certainly no, but that doesn’t necessarily mean interoperability is a bad thing…or is it?
Tencent Earnings, WeChat Advertising, The Potential of WhatsApp Status
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.
BuzzFeed Reorganizes, WhatsApp Eases Privacy Rules
BuzzFeed reorganizes and thus reemphasizes their new business model. Unfortunately, it’s a business model that doesn’t necessarily need news. Then, WhatsApp predictably eases their privacy policy, their CEO’s previous declarations notwithstanding.
Update on the Fight over iPhone Security, Encryption Under Attack, WhatsApp Adds Encryption
There have been significant developments when it comes to the debate over security, in which reasonable people can disagree; unsurprisingly it is on the verge of shifting to a debate about encryption. This is a fight that has only one right answer.
WhatsApp Drops Subscription Fee, Messaging’s Monetization Potential, GM Acquires Sidecar Remnants
WhatsApp unsurprisingly dropped their subscription fee and, paradoxically, increased the services value. There are much better ways to monetize messaging. Plus, why it doesn’t matter what car makers do.
Daum Kakao Buys Path, Amazon’s Funnel, More from Mary Meeker
Messaging apps are great examples of the power of funnels, and of how difficult they are to build. Meanwhile, Amazon expands and leverages theirs, plus my five favorite Mary Meeker slides.