My attempt last summer to justify WeWork’s $10 billion valuation is looking pretty good, but I’m not sure I can pull off the trick for $16 billion. Plus, the brilliant strategy of Facebook’s Open Compute Project
Amazon Echo Expands, The Nest Failure, Microsoft and Slack
There are a lot of useful lessons to draw from Amazon Echo’s early success, particularly when placed in contrast to Google’s Nest. Microsoft should pay heed if in fact they had a chance to buy Slack.
Apple-FBI Follow-up; Xiaomi, Samsung, LG and High-End Android, Spotify Moves to Google’s Cloud
First some follow-up on Apple versus the FBI, then a discussion about how high-end Android is a distinct market, and how that impacts new phones from Xiaomi, Samsung, and LG. Finally, why Spotify’s move to Google makes sense.
The Reality of Missing Out
Tech is entering a period of inequality where the big winners lift the sector as a whole even as smaller companies suffer. The best example is Facebook, Google, and digital advertising.
Why I Stand by Peak Google, Amazon is Fine, More Amazon Stores?
Google had great earnings again, and was briefly the most valuable company in the world. That doesn’t change my opinions in Peak Google. Then, Amazon lost the expectations game, but the underlying business continues to look great. Plus, a theory about those rumored Amazon stores.
Semil Shah: How FANGAM Impacts Startups, How Startups Adjust to FANGAM, Investing in a FANGAM World
Ben is on vacation, so Semil Shah wrote a guest post about startups in a world dominated by FANGAM: Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, Google, Apple, and Microsoft.
Twitter’s Shakeup, So You Wanted a Turnaround, Google’s Android Finances
There was another executive shakeup at Twitter, which probably shouldn’t have been a surprise. Plus, Oracle has revealed new numbers about Android that highlight just how little Google probably makes on mobile search.
The FANG Playbook
The FANG companies — Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, and Google — are far more similar than you might think. Their rise in value is no accident, and it is connected to Aggregation Theory.
Car Follow-up, The Apple Car, Uber’s Financials
Google’s vision for driverless cars fails to take into account the world as it is. and Apple’s car efforts likely have a market for the foreseeable future. Plus a look at Uber’s financials.
Cars and the Future
A massive revolution in cars seems right around the corner. However, I think it will take longer then most technologists think, but when it comes it will come quickly.