Amazon’s rumored move into Switches is being framed as being about Cisco, but I suspect it’s about Microsoft. Then, Adobe is making Photoshop for iPad, which benefits from subscriptions.
Microsoft and ICE; Tech and Trump, Revisited; Lines and Responsibilities
Microsoft is facing both internal and external pushback for its contract with ICE in the light of the Trump administration decision to separate families at the border; it is time for tech executives to decide where the line is between rhetoric and action.
Scooter Follow-up, Microsoft and the Xbox, Spotify Signs Indie Acts
Scooter follow-up, then why the future of gaming may be very good for Microsoft. Plus, why Spotify’s new distribution agreements are not a big deal for now, but point to a positive future.
Morris Chang Retires; Apple, Microsoft, Facebook Follow-Up; Who Gets to Be on the Steam Store?
Morris Change, the founder of TSMC, is one of the most important tech figures in history. Then, follow-up on Microsoft-GitHub, Apple and the App Store, and Facebook and the New York Times. Plus, why Valve is getting platform control right.
The Cost of Developers
Microsoft paid a lot for GitHub, because it had to pay directly for access to developers. It doesn’t have the leverage of users the way that Apple does on the App Store.
Microsoft to Buy GitHub, A Win for GitHub, Facebook’s Data-Sharing Deals with Device Makers
Microsoft is reportedly buying GitHub, which makes a lot of sense for both Microsoft and GitHub, and all GitHub users. Then, why the latest Facebook scandal is probably overblown.
Snap’s Monetization Flaw; Microsoft and the Effect of Antitrust; Apple, Russia, and Telegram
Reactions from the Code Conference interviews with Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith, plus a very problematic demand of Apple by the Russian government.
The Bill Gates Line
Understanding the differences between aggregators and platforms matters for companies interacting with them and also regulators considering antitrust.
The Moat Map Follow-up; Uber, YouTube, and Spotify; The Public Cloud and Scale
More on The Moat Map, and how it applies to Uber, YouTube, Spotify and the public cloud.
The Moat Map
The Moat Map describes the correlation between the degree of supplier differentiation and the externalization (or internalization) of a company’s network effect.