Uber-Didi Follow-up, SalesForce Buys Quip

More on Uber and Didi, and why the evaluation of this deal depends on the lens you use. Then, why Salesforce bought Quip, and what that says about both enterprise startups and Salesforce versus Microsoft.

Why LinkedIn Sold, Dropbox is Cash Flow Positive

Why did LinkedIn sell? The company almost certainly put itself into a box of its own making, over which it had no control. Meanwhile, Dropbox is cash-flow positive, but the company has made similar mistakes.

Microsoft and Apple Double Down

Both Microsoft and Apple made news yesterday, and while one was unexpected and the other predictable, both are effectively doubling down on their strategies. And both may not matter.

Everything as a Service

We have likely reached Peak iPhone, and if not, it’s only a matter of time; physical goods can only scale so far. The future, thanks to the Internet, is everything-as-a-service

Prince, Bowie, and Beyoncé; Google’s Margin Squeeze; Microsoft’s Miss

Prince and David Bowie both understood the Internet, but took drastically different approaches. Then, Google’s business is fine, but it has almost certainly peaked, and the company could learn something from Microsoft about managing expectations.

Services and Apple’s Strategy, The Power of a P&L, Intel Restructures

First, a follow-up on Apple’s Organizational Crossroads including why a focus on services could make more strategic sense than one might think, and why P&L responsibility can be a powerful tool. Then, Intel is restructuring in the face of increased margin pressure and in pursuit of a vision that is, from the company’s perspective, more radical than it may appear.

Apple’s Organizational Crossroads

A core part of what makes Apple Apple is its organization structure; Tim Cook has said it will never change. However, if Apple is serious about being a services company, change it must.

Dropbox Leaves AWS, Should UPS and Fedex Be Afraid?

In an inconvenient bit of timing Dropbox announced they were leaving AWS just as I was singing its praises; in fact the storage company’s decision reinforces the benefits AWS provides. Then, why Amazon’s move into logistics makes sense, and how it might play out.