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Concepts

Software as a Service

  • Drake on Twitch, Fortnite vs PUBG and Selling Feelings, The Returns to the Best

    Drake was playing video games on Twitch, and it blew up: there is so much to unpack about games, new business models, Twitch, and asymmetrical returns on the Internet. (Plus, a brief note on that Siri article)

  • Lessons From Spotify

    Spotify has a marginal cost problem, but while the cause is unique to Spotify, the challenges are more applicable than it seems.

  • Dropbox’s Cost of Revenue, Cost of Revenue and Churn, Cloudy Dropbox

    Dropbox’s falling cost of revenue has received a lot of attention, but absent more data, the trend appears unsustainable — just a company getting ready to go public.

  • The Dropbox Comp

    Dropbox has filed its S-1, but comparisons with Box, Atlassian, and Slack demonstrate how difficult it is to tell just how good its business is.

  • Apple’s Middle Age

    For Apple, hitting middle age means a strategy primarily focused on monetizing its existing customers. It makes sense, but one wonders what happens next.

  • Facebook Earnings, Microsoft Earnings

    Amazon Health was not about the health insurance industry, but about Amazon. Then, Facebook’s earnings were stronger than most appreciate (and as predicted), while Microsoft’s hybrid strategy continues to pay off.

  • AWS Fargate and Kubernetes Support, Embrace and Extend, AWS’s Execution Advantage

    AWS announced Kubernetes support, which seems to fulfill Google’s strategic objectives: strategy without execution, though, can turn the tables.

  • SendGrid IPOs, The Nintendo Marios

    SendGrid’s IPO exemplifies a company that works: a SaaS offering that enables, and grows alongside, its customer. Then, the differing results for Super Mario Run and Super Mario Galaxy show the value in maximizing revenue amongst core customers.

  • Apple Should No Longer Buy Netflix, Snap Earnings, Tencent Buys 12% of Snap

    Circumstances — and outlooks — have changed from a year ago, which is why I don’t think Apple should buy Netflix. Then, Snap’s earnings are a reminder of why the company shouldn’t have gone public, but Tencent throws a lifeline.

  • Apple Earnings, Forecasting the iPhone X, Rising ASP and Services

    Apple had a great quarter, and a great forecast that suggests there is more to come. Plus, the company is shifting to making money from its best customers.