Instagram copied Snapchat, and that’s a good thing: differentiation is about far more than features, and this is Facebook’s best shot at holding off Snapchat.
Softbank Buys ARM; Taylor, Kanye, Kim, and Twitter
Softbank is buying ARM, which is interesting in its implications for both companies, but probably not that big of a deal for the industry. Then, what the latest Taylor Swift-Kanye West episode says about Twitter.
Amazon Prime Day and Prime Challenges, Facebook Diversity Numbers Don’t Budge
Amazon Prime Day was a smashing success, at least if you ask Amazon. The ongoing shift in ecommerce models, though, threatens Prime’s underlying value proposition. Then, Facebook’s disappointing diversity numbers.
Facebook and Twitter to Stream Conventions; ESPN Going Over-the-top, Kind-of
The different approaches Facebook and Twitter are taking to the political conventions get at the differences between the two platforms; then, ESPN continues to experiment with going over-the-top
A Technical Glitch
Facebook Live is likely a lot more meaningful than Facebook expected: it’s a plus for society, but Facebook should expect more scrutiny. Given that, they have work to do when it comes to transparency.
Snapchat’s Facebook Moment, China Cracks Down on Apps and Social Networks
A quick follow-up on Tesla, where Elon Musk continues to demonstrate how not to win the battle over self-driving cars. Then, Snapchat is getting the Facebook treatment, some of it legitimate, and some of it not, and China is cracking down on apps and social networks
Follow-up: Governments’ Focus, Elizabeth Warren’s Speech on Competition, Facebook Changes the News Feed
One more follow-up to Tuesday’s Weekly Article, then why I don’t necessarily disagree with calls to regulate big platform players. Then, Facebook has changed the news feed, and while there will be an impact on media companies, the bigger news is what this says about Facebook.
Brexit and Tech; More on Musk, Tesla, and Solar City; The Allure of Live: Facebook and ESPN
Why Brexit would be bad for U.S. tech companies, Why Tesla May be Hurt Even if Solar City Isn’t Acquired, and the power of live for escapism and sports
Snapchat’s Advertising API, Snapchat Versus Facebook, Offline Tracking
The biggest news of the week was likely Snapchat’s announcement of an advertising API: how was it introduced, what is it, and how will it affect Facebook? Plus, Snapchat joins Facebook and Google in tracking brick-and-mortar visits.
Twilio Files for IPO, Building Infrastructure, Mary Meeker’s Internet Trends 2016
An overview of Twilio’s IPO and the role of infrastructure, and then my favorite slides from Mary Meeker’s Internet Trends deck.