Snap

Snap’s Apple Strategy

Monday, February 13, 2017

Snap plans to win on innovation; we’ve known for 30 years, though, that that is not always enough.
Snapchat Spectacles and the Future of Wearables

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Creating the future is not just about technology but about creating markets. Right now Snapchat is doing that as well as anyone, which bodes well for Spectacles (but don’t count out Apple).
Snapchat’s Ladder

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Snapchat is on the verge of conquering the toughest messaging market in the world: the United States. The way they did it is by laddering-up.

Spotify Earnings, Spotify’s Free Plan and Hulu Partnership, Snap Earnings

Monday, May 7, 2018

Spotify’s earnings were not what the market expected, but the company gained credibility. Snap, meanwhile, doesn’t have any credibility at all.
Twitter Earnings; The End of TellApart; Direct Versus Brand Marketing, and Size

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Twitter’s earnings were both less and more impressive than they appeared; plus, a lesson I have learned about direct versus brand advertising, and what it means for both Twitter and Snap.
Snap Mania and Metamarkets; John Perry Barlow Dies; Barlow, Disney, and Streaming

Thursday, February 8, 2018

When it comes to struggling companies like Snap, bullishness is all relative — and there’s a big red flag in their earnings. Then, John Perry Barlow passed away: his influence was immense, even on surprising entities like Disney.
Snap Earnings, Fox Signs Deal for Thursday NFL Football, The Sports Linchpin and Snap et al.

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Snap had strong results that build on progress made last quarter; the company is looking less like Twitter, at least for now. Then, FOX spends on football, even as the Sports Linchpin weakens.
Snapchat’s Engagement Numbers, Apple’s Tax Repatriation, The Shift to a Territorial Tax System

Thursday, January 18, 2018

Snap’s engagement numbers are a reminder that it is first and foremost a chat app; that’s not great for advertising. Then, explaining the changes in the U.S. tax system through the lens of Apple, which is claiming credit that may not be entirely deserved.
Snapchat’s Redesign, Spiegel’s New (Old) Vision, Tencent and Spotify

Monday, December 11, 2017

Snap has a more cogent vision than the one it presented in its S-1; the problem is it might be too late. Tencent, meanwhile, fresh off its Snap investment has picked up a piece of Spotify.
Apple Should No Longer Buy Netflix, Snap Earnings, Tencent Buys 12% of Snap

Thursday, November 9, 2017

Circumstances — and outlooks — have changed from a year ago, which is why I don’t think Apple should buy Netflix. Then, Snap’s earnings are a reminder of why the company shouldn’t have gone public, but Tencent throws a lifeline.
More Spectacles Mea Culpas; The Athletic in the New York Times; Google, Facebook, Apple, and Subscriptions

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

More mea culpas about Spectacles, then the CEO of The Athletic gives an explosive interview to the New York Times. Plus, more news about Google and Facebook’s subscriptions offerings, and Apple’s interference.
Antitrust Philosophy, Two More Follow-Ups, Spectacles Inventory — and Mea Culpas

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

A discussion of the differences between antitrust and more general regulation, and why acquisitions are the most problematic issue. Then, Spectacles inventory is building up, which calls for a mea culpa by me.
Microsoft/IBM Follow-Up, Facebook Earnings, Instagram Stories > Snapchat Stories

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Follow-up on Microsoft and IBM, including why Steve Ballmer deserves more credit than I gave him. Then, Facebook’s earnings and the reluctance to admit to pricing power, and why Instagram Stories are more innovative than Snapchat Stories

Panic Rankings: Pistons Picking Up the Pieces, Rockets on the Ropes, Blazers Pinching Pennies, and More from the NBA Playoffs

Snap

More Spectacles Mea Culpas; The Athletic in the New York Times; Google, Facebook, Apple, and Subscriptions

Panic Rankings: Pistons Picking Up the Pieces, Rockets on the Ropes, Blazers Pinching Pennies, and More from the NBA Playoffs

Play-In Chaos and Knueppel Slippage, Anyone But the Thunder, Title Picks and Awards Resolution

Vibe App Quality

TSMC Earnings, New N3 Fabs, The Nvidia Ramp

An Interview with F1 Driver and Venture Capitalist Nico Rosberg About the Drive to Win

Amazon Buys Globalstar, Delta to Add Leo, The Apple Angle

Panic Rankings: Pistons Picking Up the Pieces, Rockets on the Ropes, Blazers Pinching Pennies, and More from the NBA Playoffs

Play-In Chaos and Knueppel Slippage, Anyone But the Thunder, Title Picks and Awards Resolution

Vibe App Quality

An Interview with F1 Driver and Venture Capitalist Nico Rosberg About the Drive to Win

An Interview with Asymco’s Horace Dediu About Apple at 50

An Interview with Arm CEO Rene Haas About Selling Chips