How Amazon’s success with AWS make sense in the context of The Value Chain Constraint, and why Oculus and Facebook do not. Plus, why Microsoft’s approach to HoloLens 2 makes sense.
The Value Chain Constraint
Companies succeed or fail not based on technology but rather according to their ability to integrate within their value chains.
Google “Other Bets” Follow-up, Angela Ahrendts Out at Apple, Microsoft Earnings
Does Angela Ahrendts’ departure from Apple signify a pivot in retail? Then, Microsoft’s earnings highlighted how the company has benefited from its focus on being a horizontal company.
BuzzFeed Followup, The Future is Niche, Atlassian and Bing
BuzzFeed’s relative scale problem, and why venture capital doesn’t make sense for content, because the future is niche. Plus, important follow-up on Bing and Atlassian.
China Blocks Bing; Tencent, China, and Apple; Atlassian Earnings
China blocks Bing, which raises more questions for the most successful foreign service provider in China: Apple. Then, Tencent gets some games approved, and how Atlassian and Netflix are similar.
Satya Nadella on Microsoft
A transcript of a talk Satya Nadella gave on Microsoft to a small group of journalists.
MongoDB Follow-up, AWS’ Incentives, Batteries: The iPhone’s Missing Miss
While there is reason to be concerned about the long-run future of VC-funded OSS, MongoDB is in pretty good shape thanks to its hosted service. Then, AWS and platform incentives, and why battery replacements may have hurt iPhone sales.
AWS, MongoDB, and the Economic Realities of Open Source
Amazon’s latest offering highlights the economic challenges facing open source companies — and Amazon should pay attention.
CES and the Unification of Computing and Consumer Electronics, Google Assistant and Integration, The Modular Competition
Google Assistant has a structural advantage when it comes to the user experience of digital assistants, which should influence the strategies of Amazon and Apple.
Distinguishing Regulation, Is the Internet Different?, Reasons for Skepticism
Follow-up on The State of Technology in 2018: the different types of regulation, whether or not the Internet is different, and why consumer tech companies may be weaker than they seem.