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Concepts

Product Management

  • Dick Costolo Out as Twitter CEO, Costolo’s Key Shortcoming, Twitter’s Next CEO

    Dick Costolo is out as Twitter’s CEO, a shocking but unsurprising outcome. This update examines why he had to go, as well as why this week’s Twitter product announcements expose the biggest shortcoming of his tenure. Finally, I examine the necessary qualities for Twitter’s next CEO and who might make sense.

  • Battle of the Box, Updated; Apple Enables Ad-Blockers

    A year ago I compared and contrasted Box and Dropbox; both have taken very different paths over the last year, and in light of Box’s earnings and recent Dropbox news I check back in on their progress. Also, Apple and ad-blockers.

  • The News App, Open Source Swift, Additional Notes from the WWDC Keynote

    This update touches on why Apple Music may be a much bigger deal than I suggested, and the moves on to all the other important announcements from Apple WWDC keynote. This includes the News app, open-source Swift, and more.

  • Apple Music and Apple’s Focus

    Apple Music was a muddled mess, which raised the question of why it exists in the first place. Is it important anymore? More importantly, is Apple having trouble remembering how to focus?

  • Apple and Privacy Follow-up, The Top 100 Retailers and Apple Pay, Android Pay’s Missing Bank Fee

    More on the difference between privacy and security, and why precision in language is critical.

  • The Funnel Framework

    The Internet has removed scarcity, meaning business models based on controlling distribution are no longer viable. Instead, the key to success is controlling access to the best customers — and that means being the best.

  • Vox Acquires Recode; Stars, Money, and Reach; The Apple Car and Jony Ive

    Recode has sold to Vox, and while everyone involved is putting a happy face on the matter, it seems highly likely that Recode failed as a business. Understanding how content businesses work show where they went wrong, but what does that mean for someone like Bill Simmons? Also, Jeff Williams spoke at Recode, and he just…

  • Apple Watch and Continuous Computing

    The Apple Watch’s success depends on three things: the physical design, the interaction model, and how it interacts with its environment. It’s on the right track

  • Google’s BeyondCorp, Reddit’s Anti-Harassment Policy, Speech and Abuse on the Internet

    Today’s update discusses Google’s new corporate security approach as well as Reddit’s new anti-harassment policy, as well as the surprising way in which they are connected.

  • The AWS IPO

    AWS has long been a question mark when it comes to Amazon: it’s a good idea, and it makes money, but like it’s parent company, will it ever be profitable? The revelation that AWS is already very profitable indeed is a really big deal both for AWS but also for Amazon itself.