Apple’s earnings point towards a disappointing quarter, and there are also clouds on the “services narrative” horizon, particularly in China. Then, Apple’s (ongoing) mistake with the iPad.
Text Messaging in the United States; Google Earnings; Google, Facebook, and GDPR
An anecdote about permanence and file systems, an explanation of how the U.S. text messaging market is unique, then an overview of Google’s earnings and why GDPR might be having an effect.
Tencent’s Profit Drops, China Freezes Game Approvals, The Tencent Behemoth
Tencent’s profit dropped, in part because the Chinese government has stopped approving games. Plus, why Tencent’s approach to the games industry makes sense in China, even if Facebook’s model may be more attractive.
Drake on Twitch, Fortnite vs PUBG and Selling Feelings, The Returns to the Best
Drake was playing video games on Twitch, and it blew up: there is so much to unpack about games, new business models, Twitch, and asymmetrical returns on the Internet. (Plus, a brief note on that Siri article)
Snapchat’s Redesign, Spiegel’s New (Old) Vision, Tencent and Spotify
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
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.
The End of AOL Instant Messenger, Innovation Versus Interoperability, Portability > Interoperability
AOL Instant Messenger is dead, and there is a new debate as to whether interoperability killed it. The answer is almost certainly no, but that doesn’t necessarily mean interoperability is a bad thing…or is it?
Uber in London: A Correction, Books and Blogs Revisited, More Aggregators
A comment on Twitter 280, and a correction on Uber in London. Then, why blogs are better than books (in some cases), and a whole list of aggregators not covered in Defining Aggregators.
Tencent Earnings, WeChat Advertising, The Potential of WhatsApp Status
Tencent’s earnings were good, but as opaque as always. Still, there are insights to be gleaned about advertising in particular, and what that says about Messenger and WhatsApp.
Uber and Yandex; Grab Raises $2 Billion; Softbank, Ride-Sharing, and Capital
Uber has made a deal in Russia that, to the extent it approximates China, is a great idea. However, the company may soon be knocked out of Southeast Asia: capital is the ultimate aggregator.