Concepts

Aggregation Theory

Aggregation Theory provides a framework to understand the impact of the Internet on nearly all industries.

  • Lessons From Spotify

    Spotify has a marginal cost problem, but while the cause is unique to Spotify, the challenges are more applicable than it seems.


  • The Aggregator Paradox

    Google is winning with AMP and blocking ads in Chrome: both seem bad, but aren’t they actually good for consumers? That is the paradox of aggregation.


  • Shipping With Amazon, FBA Onsite, Uber and Waymo Settle

    Amazon is unsurprisingly moving into logistics. It is another announcement, though, that explains the orthogonal way they are doing so. Then, Uber and Waymo settle in a win-win.


  • Amazon Health

    Amazon Health doesn’t seem like much now, but there are hints it could be the ultimate application of Aggregation Theory.


  • Fixing the Conclusion, Licensing Amazon Go and Self-Checkout, Netflix Earnings

    Fixing the conclusion of Amazon Go and the Future, and why I don’t think Amazon Go’s technology is a primitive. Then, Netflix continues to be an aggregator, and other notes from the company’s earnings.


  • Amazon Go and the Future

    Amazon Go exemplifies how Amazon is building its monopoly in three ways: horizontally, vertically, and financially. Plus, why automation is worth being optimistic about.


  • Facebook Adds Reputation Scores, Facebook’s Solution, The Unintended Consequences

    Facebook will assign reputation scores to news sources, and the solution is far better than most of the company’s critics would have you think. There are, though, unintended consequences.


  • Facebook’s Motivations

    The impact of Facebook’s News Feed changes on the media is far less interesting than what the changes — and their stated purpose — say about Facebook itself.


  • AT&T Pulls Out of Huawei Deal, Apple’s Other China Problem, YouTube’s Logan Paul Decision

    AT&T skipped out on its deal with Huawei, reportedly under political pressure. Expect more tech issues between the U.S. and China, and Apple has the most to lose.


  • Disney-Fox Deal Announced, Horizontal Antitrust, Whither Hulu

    The Disney-21st Century Fox deal is official, and the antitrust questions continue to loom large: there are clear issues with regards to a horizontal merger, but is having a vertical competitor to Netflix worth it?