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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Apple’s EU Tax Problem, How Apple Pays Taxes…Eventually, Everyone is a Loser
Apple has to pay Ireland a lot of money…maybe. Why this is probably a bad decision, and why everyone involved is a loser.
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Google, Uber, and the Evolution of Transportation-as-a-Service
The competition between Uber and Google has broken out into the open: who has the advantage in the evolution of transportation-as-a-service, and who will likely win?
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Sports and TV Follow-up, Intel Licenses ARM IP
First, why I don’t think sports is a bubble, then, Intel finally gives in to reality and licenses ARM IP, a necessary step in becoming a foundry-for-hire.
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Google Earnings, Microsoft Earnings
Google’s earnings were fantastic, but I’m still not totally convinced about their shift to mobile. Microsoft’s were good as well, but what was under the surface was more important.
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Amazon’s Overwhelming Leverage, P&G Scaling Back Targeted Facebook Ads, Facebook Earnings
In case I wasn’t clear in yesterday’s article, Walmart really has no chance to catch Amazon in e-commerce. Then, the news that P&G will reduce targeting isn’t a surprise, but it’s not necessarily that much of a problem for Facebook. Plus, notes on Facebook’s earnings.
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Walmart and the Multichannel Trap
Walmart wasted years trying to retrofit their model to ecommerce. Buying Jet.com will give them a better chance, but it’s almost certainly too late to compete with Amazon.
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Apple Earnings, Apple Car Updates, Apple TV and Leverage
Apple’s earnings were better than expected but the growth challenge remains; might it come from the Apple Car? The Apple TV’s challenges are instructive in that regard.
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Netflix Earnings, Netflix and the Aggregation Dream
Netflix’s earnings were disappointing for reasons characteristic to disappointing earnings for all service companies. For Netflix, though, the stakes are higher.
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Brexit and Tech; More on Musk, Tesla, and Solar City; The Allure of Live: Facebook and ESPN
Why Brexit would be bad for U.S. tech companies, Why Tesla May be Hurt Even if Solar City Isn’t Acquired, and the power of live for escapism and sports
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Apple Makes Major Changes to App Store, The App Store and Apple’s Nature, Additional Notes
Apple made major changes to the App Store; in this double Daily Article I explain why they’re a big deal but not yet perfect, and how that demonstrates the difficulty of change.