Low Cost Strategy
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Memory Chips and China, Microsoft and Chinese Models
The big three memory makers may come to regret opening up the door to Chinese memory makers; Microsoft, meanwhile, is very incentivized to use Chinese models.
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Amazon Earnings, Trainium and Commodity Markets, Additional Amazon Notes
Amazon’s earnings suggest that the shift away from training towards inference and agents means their bet on Trainium is paying off. Plus, additional notes on ads, agents, and sports rights.
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Elon Dreams and Bitter Lessons
SpaceX’s triumph is downstream of a dream and getting the cost structure necessary to make it happen; Elon Musk is trying the same approach for Tesla self-driving cars
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Tesla’s Robotaxi Event, Tesla Self-Driving 12.5 Experience, Starlink and Airlines
Tesla has a Robotaxi event, and its current self-driving software is impressive. It’s still Level 2, though, and has a long way to go to match Waymo. Starlink, meanwhile, is an example of how Musk alters market structure to win.
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TSMC Earnings, TSMC’s Pricing Mistake, Intel v. TSMC
TSMC earnings and Taiwan’s margin impact, why the company left money on the table (which might have cost the chairman his job), and Intel’s relative risk-taking.
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The iPhone SE, Accounting for the iPhone SE, New iPhones
The new iPhone SE inspires a revisit to Apple’s low-end strategy, which may simply be a matter of accounting. Then, Apple may be launching new iPhones despite the coronavirus.
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Brandless Closes, The DTC Facebook Challenge, DTC Versus Softbank
Brandless is closing down, which is being spun into a commentary on Softbank. This is fair, but the bigger takeaway is about DTC broadly.
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Apple-WeChat Follow-up, Windows 10 S and the Education Market
Apple was never in a position to respond to WeChat, just as Microsoft couldn’t respond to Google. Then, Chromebooks win in education for more reasons than cost.
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Amazon Shutters Quidsi, Amazon and CPG Companies, Amazon and Wal-Mart
Amazon is shutting down Quidsi, and taking the fight for CPG goods to Wal-Mart.