Brandless is closing down, which is being spun into a commentary on Softbank. This is fair, but the bigger takeaway is about DTC broadly.
Spotify Earnings, Podcasts and Lifetime Value, The Ringer Acquisition
Spotify’s mixed earnings, why podcasts are uniquely valuable to the company, and where The Ringer fits in.
Google Earnings, YouTube and Google Cloud, Google’s Falling Margin
Google finally released new financial information about YouTube and Google Cloud, but it is still not sufficient. Then, Google’s margins are falling just like Facebook’s: is the engine finally sputtering?
Facebook’s Platform Opportunity
Facebook is under pressure from all sides, but that actually means it has an opportunity to build the platform it has always wanted — in digital ads.
Apple’s Earnings, Slowing Services Growth, Apple and the Wuhan Virus
Apple’s surging iPhone sales and slowing services growth suggest that lots of iPhone customers are upgrading. It’s a testament to how strong Apple’s position is that revenue it misses now it catches later.
Netflix Earnings; Self-Production, Cash Flow, and Margin; Netflix’s New Rung
Netflix’s earnings were mostly more of the same, but management’s comments helped explain an interesting connection between cash flow and margin, and showed how Netflix has evolved again.
Visa, Plaid, Networks, and Jobs
The history of credit cards helps explain why Plaid is valuable to Visa, and how Visa can make it significantly better.
Casper Files for IPO, Casper’s Business, Spotify Ad Targeting
Casper is a tech-enabled company, but so are its many competitors. Trying to win with brand is difficult in a market defined by infrequent purchases. Spotify, meanwhile, is seeking to expand the podcasting market beyond companies like Casper.
CES Concepts, Verizon Drops Bundles, Technology and TV
CES is boring, because no one knows what is next. Then, Verizon is dropping Internet and TV bundles, which is a rational response to the changing nature of pay-TV. It also shows how much tech disruption is still to come.
Bubble Talk, Revisited; It [Wasn’t] 1999; The Big Tech Basket
While 2015 Unicorns did not meet expectations, that doesn’t mean 2015 was a bubble. Indeed, the most surprising reality is how well established big tech companies did.