An interview with Eugene Wei about Elon Musk’s critical mistake with Twitter, the questionable prospects for Threads, and what Taylor Swift and other communal experiences say about the commoditization wrought by technology.
X, Musk’s Motivation, Beats and Big Tech
Twitter has a new name, and it’s past time to wonder why any of us should care.
Threads and the Social/Communications Map
Understanding Threads and its threat to Twitter means understanding the current landscape of social media.
Substack Notes, Twitter Blocks Substack, Substack Versus Writers
Substack launched a Twitter competitor, and Twitter responded, in a predictable way. The real losers were writers, who were bound to be de-prioritized by Substack eventually.
Twitter Timelines, Azure and OpenAI, Apple and China
Introducing the Greatest Of All Talk, a new addition to the Stratechery Plus bundle. Then, more on Twitter and Microsoft/OpenAI, plus the Financial Times covers Apple and China.
Twitter Kills Third-Party Clients, Twitter’s Tortured History With 3rd-Party Apps, The Twitter Files Business Model
Twitter’s decision to kick-off third party clients is classic Musk; it also gives a signal as to Twitter’s business model focus going forward.
Twitter’s Link Ban, Network Portability, China and the Trailing Edge
Twitter’s link ban is not a new tactic to the company, or the industry, and shows where regulation goes wrong. Then, China doubles down on trailing edge semiconductor capacity.
Musk vs. Apple; Advertising, App Store Review, and 30%; Google Headcount
Elon Musk vs. Apple has felt like an inevitability, and the battle was joined over advertising, App Store control, and 30% fees. Plus, Google’s money-making employee base is remarkably small.
Disney Expectations, Twitter Expectations, Silicon Valley Expectations
Bob Chapek’s failure was about managing expectations; expectations are why the perception of Musk’s tenure have switched. The ultimate impact may be on Silicon Valley as a whole.
The AI Moat Debate, Continued; Twitter’s Regulatory Risks; Twitter and Advertisers, Continued
More on Twitter, including the company’s real regulatory risk, and following-up on advertisers pulling back.