Business Models
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UberPool Follow-Up, Google Bans Interstitial App-Install Ads, Instagram Allows Multiple Photo Sizes
More on UberPool, including the inevitability of self-driving cars, Uber’s competitors, and whether or not Uber needs mass transit. Then, Google’s ban on interstitial app install ads may be a bit arbitrary, but does that matter? Plus a must-read article that ties Instagram’s photo sizes to Twitter’s 140 characters.
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Amazon Retrenches on Hardware, Apple to Create Original Programming?
Amazon is making big changes at Lab126, its hardware subsidiary, after the Fire phone flop. I think it’s a fantastic sign for the company going forward. Plus, Apple is reportedly thinking about getting into original content; there are both optimistic and pessimistic spins to put on this, but ultimately I think it’s a bad idea.
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Ballmer’s Bad Bundle Economics, Netflix Loses Epix Movie Deal
The Daily Update is back with a renewed focus on streaming, bundling, and over-the-top offerings. First up is an analysis of Steve Ballmer’s rumored plans to launch an over-the-top network for Clippers games, and more broadly, a discussion about why bundling works. Then, Netflix loses movies, but it’s the content companies that are losing more from…
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Aggregation and Antitrust, BuzzFeed Makes News, BuzzFeed’s Valuation in Perspective
The differing approaches to antitrust in the U.S. and Europe could mean completely different outcomes in the long run for aggregation companies. Meanwhile, BuzzFeed has raised a new round and seems to be doing better than ever, which is great news for journalism. Plus, how to think about startup valuations.
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Amazon Continued and the Role of Journalism, Three Streaming Developments: HBO, Amazon Prime, and ESPN
The Amazon story continues, and it is striking how there is zero common ground between people who work in tech and the journalists who cover it. Will this mark a shift in the relationship? Plus, what HBO’s Sesame Street deal, Amazon’s Top Gear deal, and NBC’s Premier League deal say about the future of streaming.
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China’s Yuan Depreciation, The Yuan’s Effect on Apple, The Yuan and Unicorns
The most important story of the week has been China’s ongoing depreciation of the Yuan. Clearly, the company that will be impacted the most is Apple, but there is a a potential impact on Unicorns as well.
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ESPN Follow-up, BAM Tech and Bundle Logic, No Apple MVNO and the Apple TV
A follow-up to my piece on ESPN
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Why Disney and ESPN Will Be OK
An increasing number of questions are being raised about the future of the pay-TV bundle, and of ESPN. The former may indeed be doomed, but that doesn’t mean the latter is in as much trouble as people think: after all, Disney is the master of differentiated content.
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Meetup Information; LinkedIn Beats, Slumps; Samsung’s Shift Continues; Sony’s Specialization
LinkedIn and Samsung both had negative reactions to their earnings, but both are in the middle of a shift to a better position going forward; Sony’s results were worse on an absolute basis but better received because they’ve already gone through the hard work of focusing on what works. Plus, meetup information for Chicago, New York,…