The juiciest detail yet came out of the Google antitrust case: how much the company pays Apple. This isn’t just a function of Apple’s leverage, but also Google’s strategic foresight.
Unity CEO Out, Microsoft Owns Activision
John Riccitiello is out as Unity’s CEO, but the circumstances of his exit may have done the company a favor. Then, Microsoft finally owns Activision, and the outlines of the deal are a win for everyone except the FTC.
FTC Sues Amazon
The FTC is suing Amazon, and some of the complaints are compelling, but ultimately not convincing.
Microsoft-Activision Updates; Reader Follow-Up; Free Speech, the Government, and Scale
An update on Microsoft-Activision, and then a response to a reader upset at my take, weaved in with commentary about free speech in the context of last week’s ruling about social media moderation.
Microsoft Can Acquire Activision, The FTC vs. the Record, The FTC’s Failed Vendetta
Microsoft didn’t just win its case against the FTC: the totality of its victory calls into question the FTC’s legitimacy, and may lead to more acquisitions in the future.
FTC Sues to Block Activision Deal (Again), Global Companies vs. Regional Regulators, How Big is the Xbox Business?
The ongoing saga around Xbox Game Pass raises a host of issues, including the FTC’s overall approach, the question of regional regulators and global businesses, and whether or on the Vision Pro will be truly open.
UK Blocks Microsoft Activision Acquisition, Microsoft and Google Earnings
The UK blocks Microsoft’s Activision acquisition using a market definition that makes no sense; then, Google and Microsoft’s earnings both talked about AI, but the discussion was more favorable to Microsoft
EU Narrows Apple Case, Snap’s My AI
The European Commission closes on a ruling that makes sense for Apple’s App Store, and Snap launches their own OpenAI-powered chat bot
DOJ Sues Google, Google’s Advertising Aggregation, No Duty to Deal
The DOJ’s lawsuit against Google details a lot of anti-competitive behavior, but the underlying source of Google’s strength is Aggregation.
Twitter’s Link Ban, Network Portability, China and the Trailing Edge
Twitter’s link ban is not a new tactic to the company, or the industry, and shows where regulation goes wrong. Then, China doubles down on trailing edge semiconductor capacity.