Spotify announced a new home page, which makes sense both in isolation and in the context of Spotify’s competition with YouTube.
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
Spotify Earnings, Spotify Exclusives, Spotify vs. Apple
Spotify’s earnings were solid, although I am more skeptical of its podcast exclusive strategy than ever. Plus, Apple continues to act anti-competitively, this time in e-books.
Spotify Audiobooks, Audiobook Business Models, Limitations and Skepticism
Spotify is now selling audio books, but with an analog business model that is further hampered by Apple. The limitations aren’t Spotify’s fault, but do limit upside.
Sharp Tech and Stratechery Plus
Stratechery is launching a new podcast: Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson. In addition, the Stratechery Update subscription has now been expanded to the Stratechery Plus subscription, including the Stratechery Update, Stratechery Interviews, Sharp Tech, and Dithering.
An Interview With Michael Mignano About Podcasts, Standards, and Recommendation Media
An interview with former Anchor co-founder and CEO Michael Mignano about podcasts, Anchor, Spotify, standards, and recommendation media.
An Interview With The New York Times Company CEO Meredith Kopit Levien
An Interview with The New York Times Company CEO Meredith Kopit Levien about her path to The New York Times Company, what it is like managing an entity where the most important product is out of your control, and a substantial dive into her thinking about bundles, recent acquisitions, and how The New York Times Company can transform from a skyscraper into a neighborhood.
Spotify, Netflix, and Aggregation
The original definition of Aggregation Theory emphasized the importance of commoditized supply; that makes Spotify more of an Aggregator than Netflix
Spotify’s Investor Day, Spotify’s Music Aggregation, Podcast Anecdata
Spotify’s investor day may not have convinced Wall Street, but the company provided compelling evidence its approach was working.
An Interview with Coda Founder (and Bundle Expert) Shishir Mehrotra
An interview with Coda founder Shishir Mehrotra about documents, go-to-market, and competing with Microsoft, plus bundling, Spotify, and Passport.