Business Models
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The iPhone and Apple’s Services Strategy
Apple’s annual iPhone event may have marked Apple’s true shift into being a Services company
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Slack Earnings, Slack’s Sales Cycle, The FTC Fines YouTube
Slack’s earnings were fine, but lacked the explosive growth their valuation needed. Understanding Slack’s past and future product-market fit explains why. Then, the real problem with the FTC’s fine of YouTube is a lack of transparency.
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Tech Companies and Hardware, The Cost of Low Margins
Software-differentiated hardware companies are tech companies, but be careful about low margins leading to a destructive cycle where marketing costs drown a company.
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What Is a Tech Company?
The question of “What is a tech company” comes down to how much software and its unique characteristics affects the company’s core business.
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Apple Card Launches, Without a Website; Revisiting Stratechery: If Steve Ballmer Ran Apple
Apple Card launched without a website, which suggests something fundamental about Apple’s nature. Then, revisiting a Stratechery article from six years ago.
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The WeWork IPO
The WeWork IPO is defined by audaciousness and excess, all of which is driven by unlimited access to capital.
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Verizon Sells Tumblr to Automattic, What Went Wrong?, Tumblr’s Future
Verizon is selling Tumblr to WordPress for only $3 million. Why did Tumblr fail, and is there reason for optimism with Automattic as its new owner?
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Disney’s Bundle, Huawei’s HarmonyOS, Uber Earnings
Disney’s bundle is compelling both for Disney and also Hulu, then Huawei’s new OS doesn’t make sense commercially but does make sense geopolitically. Plus, Uber’s earnings have been unfairly represented even as they are very concerning.
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The Athletic Reaches 500,000 Subscribers, Brute-Forcing the Bundle, Local Bundles
The Athletic has 500,000 subscribers and continues to pursue growth over profitability. It’s an approach that makes sense, and the demise of local bundles helps explain why.