Making Money
Business models are the surest way to understand a company’s motivations.
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For Apple, hitting middle age means a strategy primarily focused on monetizing its existing customers. It makes sense, but one wonders what happens next.
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The impact of Facebook’s News Feed changes on the media is far less interesting than what the changes — and their stated purpose — say about Facebook itself.
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Google is at its best when its product focus follows its business model; for too long Android was a detour.
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Trump Appoints China Hawk to Trade Council, Apple and Chinese Manufacturing, Automation and Apple’s Risk
Tech generally and Apple in particular has reason to be concerned about Trump’s recent appointments; the company would be the biggest loser in any trade dispute
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Uber Losses (But China Gains?), Uber and Unit Economics, Reconsidering Uber
New Uber financials have leaked, showing more losses but perhaps unexpected gains in China. However, while it’s hard to gain insight without a view into Uber’s unit economics, that doesn’t mean the company shouldn’t be questioned.
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Opendoor Follow-up, Fitbit Buys Pebble Assets, GoPro Closes Entertainment Unit
The point of writing about Opendoor was to praise the ambition for the very reason that it might not work. Then, hardware continues to be hard: Pebble is out of business, and GoPro is in very big trouble.
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Apple Should Buy Netflix
The fact Apple’s ‘TV’ app doesn’t have Netflix shows who has the leverage; Apple should just buy in.
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Coupa IPOs — and Pops, Why (Most) IPOs are Under-Priced, Why the IPO Process Doesn’t Change
The latest tech IPOs are all popping in price: are banks screwing startups? In fact, I think it is not a big deal, and may even help startups. Regardless, it is very unlikely to change.
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Google and the Limits of Strategy
Google went wrong in the past by abandoning their horizontal business model; are they repeating their mistake, or does the future give them no choice?
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Spotify to Buy Soundcloud?, Apple Logs iMessage Contacts, Aetna and Apple Watch
Once you understand Spotify’s long-term business model buying Soundcloud makes a lot of sense. Then, Apple didn’t do anything wrong with iMessages, other than show they’re (rightfully) not privacy absolutists. Plus a few quick words on a big deal with Aetna.
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Oracle’s Cloudy Future
Larry Ellison has declared that Oracle is a cloud company, but their customer offering seems more suited to the world that was.
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Samsung “Recalls” Galaxy Note 7, Fitbit Updates Fitness Trackers, Apple to Repatriate Profits?
Samsung seems to have handled the exploding Note 7 as well as they could have, Fitbit releases new products that raise questions about Apple Watch pricing, and a follow-up on Apple’s tax mess