Netflix’s earnings seemed targeted at other Hollywood Studios losing money on streaming; then, why gaming isn’t a completely terrible idea (and how it works in the App Store)
Unity CEO Out, Microsoft Owns Activision
John Riccitiello is out as Unity’s CEO, but the circumstances of his exit may have done the company a favor. Then, Microsoft finally owns Activision, and the outlines of the deal are a win for everyone except the FTC.
Spotify Subscription Audiobooks, Casual Fans and Bundles, Spotify’s Goals
Audiobooks on Spotify will not be available for “free” to Spotify Premium subscribers. It’s a move that makes sense for Spotify, and is one that authors should embrace.
Max Gets Sports, The Fox Linchpin, Disney’s Taylor Swift Era Confirmed
Max adds sports, and Fox might want to shore up its position in the bundle. Then, Disney confirms it is in its Taylor Swift era, and investors are not impressed.
An Interview with Daniel Gross and Nat Friedman about the AI Hype Cycle
An interview with Daniel Gross and Nat Friedman about the AI hype cycle, what products are working, the current state of ChatGPT, the data constraint, and Nvidia.
Microsoft, Activision, and Ubisoft(?!); The Activision Deal; Foolhardy Forecasting
Microsoft has substantially reworked its deal with Activision to satisfy U.K. regulators; it’s a win for the CMA, and time to consider what comes next.
Disney Earnings, A Split Disney?, ESPN’s Advertising
Disney’s earnings point to the importance of advertising going forward; that’s also the best argument for keeping Disney a conglomerate.
Disney’s Taylor Swift Era
Not even Taylor Swift can fight the devaluation of recorded music, but she makes it up in physical experiences; Disney isn’t much different, but it looks much worse given the company’s old business model.
Apple Earnings; OpenAI, GPTBot, and Robots.txt; Zoom’s Terms-of-Service
Apple’s earnings were boring, which is a credit to the company, while OpenAI and Zoom raise questions about data and AI
Netflix Earnings, Netflix’s Coming Price Increases, Netflix and the Strike
Netflix’s earnings were ambivalent about the impact of the password-sharing crackdown, and point to upcoming price increases