More details are out about Amazon’s site selections, including a 3rd city. Then, two new sites have paywalls, but the paywalls are different in important ways. Plus, why I think “subscription fatigue” both is and isn’t a thing.
ZTE and Trump, Dropbox Earnings, Bloomberg’s Paywall
The ZTE saga takes a twist, Dropbox’s first earnings are solid, and Bloomberg shows how the rich get richer.
Apple Acquires Texture; The Problem with Magazines; Texture, Apple News, and Bundles
Apple acquired Texture and is taking the last, best shot at building a digital text bundle.
The Athletic Raises $20 Million, Four Stories on Tech and Politics
The Athletic is right to go for it, and raise more VC money. Then, tech and politics is only becoming more complicated as national security concerns enter the debate.
Could Spotify Be Netflix?, Calculating Spotify’s LTV and CAC
Spotify is in a much weaker position that Netflix was, because it could not build up a user base before negotiating with its suppliers. However, the company does seem to be acquiring customers efficiently.
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.
More on the Switch, Apple Music and the HomePod, Songwriter Royalties Increase
More on the Nintendo Switch, and how Apple Music is more strategic than I appreciated. Then, Spotify hits another obstacle — is the streaming service an acquisition target?
Disney to Buy 21st Century Fox?, Two Strategies for Content Companies, Netflix and ESPN
Disney may buy portions of 21st Century Fox; it is a deal that makes a lot of sense for both sides, particularly when you consider how the industry has been fundamentally changed.
More Spectacles Mea Culpas; The Athletic in the New York Times; Google, Facebook, Apple, and Subscriptions
More mea culpas about Spectacles, then the CEO of The Athletic gives an explosive interview to the New York Times. Plus, more news about Google and Facebook’s subscriptions offerings, and Apple’s interference.
Goodbye Gatekeepers
Harvey Weinstein was a gate-keeper — a position that existed in multiple industries, including the media. That entire structure, though, is untenable on the Internet, and that’s a good thing.