Creating the future is not just about technology but about creating markets. Right now Snapchat is doing that as well as anyone, which bodes well for Spectacles (but don’t count out Apple).
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.
Uber’s Problematic Google Deal, Lyft’s Sales Pitch, Twitter’s Live Hail Mary
Uber took a shortcut with Google two years ago and are paying the price today, even if the wound is only temporary. Meanwhile, Lyft is costing Uber money but not strategic positioning, and seem to be marketing themselves to acquirers. Plus, mourning the end of what Twitter could be (and no, the NFL didn’t help).
Apple Watch = Health and Fitness; Apple’s Shifting Strategy; Beyond the iPhone, Continued
The Apple Watch event was on the surface about focusing on health and fitness. However, I also think it signified a shift in focus and a much clearer path to the future for Apple.
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
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.
The Audacity of Copying Well
Instagram copied Snapchat, and that’s a good thing: differentiation is about far more than features, and this is Facebook’s best shot at holding off Snapchat.
A Technical Glitch
Facebook Live is likely a lot more meaningful than Facebook expected: it’s a plus for society, but Facebook should expect more scrutiny. Given that, they have work to do when it comes to transparency.
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.
The Curse of Culture
It is very fair to say that Apple is threatened by the potential rise of AI. Google, though, is also threatened by its inability to own customers’ attention. The solution for both companies may entail changing their culture, a very tall order indeed.