Microsoft’s Build was good for what it had — and what it didn’t, even accidentally. Microsoft’s future is about meeting real business needs, not wowing customers. Plus, an interview with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.
Microsoft, Slack, Zoom, and the SaaS Opportunity
The Zoom and Slack IPOs show what Microsoft is missing in its growth story: a way to acquire new customers.
Disney and the Future of TV
TV is moving from a world where distribution dictates business models to one where business models need to fit the jobs consumers want done. That is the best way to understand Disney’s latest announcement.
The Snap Partner Summit, Snap’s Announcements, Vision Versus Execution
Snap’s announcements at its Partner Summit signaled a new strategy that makes a lot of sense. The company, though, needs to show that it can execute.
Apple’s Services Event
Apple’s Services Event generally made sense, even if most products weren’t ready to launch. It’s fair to wonder, though, if something important is being lost.
Airbnb Acquires HotelTonight, Supply Versus Demand, The HotelTonight Proposition
Airbnb has acquired Hotel Tonight, three years too late. The question is whether Airbnb wants to own a subset of the travel market, or the whole thing — and abandon its view of itself.
Netflix Follow-up, Bill Simmons Interviews Jack Dorsey, Twitter and the Pollyannish Assumption
Why there is room for multiple winners in streaming, then Bill Simmons interviews Jack Dorsey. My takeaway is that Twitter is suffering from the Pollyannish Assumption.
Netflix Flexes
Netflix is an Aggregator, with a value chain that lets it drive demand, raise prices, and dismiss competition.
AWS, MongoDB, and the Economic Realities of Open Source
Amazon’s latest offering highlights the economic challenges facing open source companies — and Amazon should pay attention.
Apple’s Errors
Apple’s management made three errors that led to the restatement of revenue; those errors, though, suggest that the company’s business is in better shape than it appears.