Didi Kuaidi, Ola, GrabTaxi, and Lyft are teaming up against Uber. Most are focused on Lyft, but they’re the least interesting part of this deal. Meanwhile, why is anyone surprised that Tencent would compete “unfairly”, plus, Tiger Capital hedges its bets.
Stratechery Gifts and Announcements, Apple Open-Sources Swift
Stratechery gift subscriptions are now available, plus an important site announcement. Then, we all knew Apple was going to open-source Swift. What was impressive was how the company went about doing it; hopefully it will prove to be an example for a clearly divided company.
Fidelity Reprices Again, Uber Partners with Tom-Tom, Lyft Struggling
Fidelity repriced some startups again, and it really isn’t that big of a deal. Plus, why Here may not have been right for Uber, and the struggles of Lyft.
Amazon Unveils New Drone Video, Amazon Flying Airplanes?, Amazon the Logistics Company
Amazon is showing off drones, and may even be flying airplanes. Are we sure this is a retail company?
Google and the Shift From Web to Apps, Indexing App-Only Content, Streaming Apps
Phase one of the shift from web to apps was a problem for Google, but a solvable one. Phase two, though, is much more of an existential threat.
Google Hires Diane Greene, Google the Cloud Company?
Google is signaling that it is getting serious about the cloud, so success is certain. Or is it? What actually matters in building an adjacent business for a different kind of market?
“Selling Feelings” Follow-up, Match.com’s IPO and Tinder, The Sean Rad Interview
Follow-up on my piece about Selling Feelings, and then an analysis of the Match.com IPO, and Tinder in particular. Plus, why I think Sean Rad is getting a bit of a bad rap for his disastrous interview.
Amazon Opens Physical Bookstore, The iPad Pro’s Half Launch
Amazon’s physical bookstore is first and foremost an experiment. However, it’s worth considering how it fits into Amazon’s measurement of success. Then, the iPad Pro launched, but not its accessories. It’s part of a worrying trend.
Sequoia Scouts, Fidelity Cuts Value of Unicorns
Sequoia has been funding pre-angel investors called Scouts: the point isn’t to make money, but to gather information and build relationships. Then, Fidelity is marking down startups: is the sky falling?
Atlassian Files for IPO, Square Prices IPO Below Last Round
Atlassian is a very remarkable company, particularly from a financial perspective. In fact, they may be so unique that they are one of a kind — and that has risks. Plus, most folks are drawing the wrong lessons from Square’s IPO pricing.