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.
Apple’s China Problem
Apple had mixed earnings: most of the world was great, but China was bad again. The reason is that in China WeChat matters more than iOS.
Microsoft, eBay, and Tencent Invest in Flipkart; The Indian E-Commerce Market; Lyft Raises $500 Million
Microsoft, eBay, and Tencent are investing in Flipkart: the opportunity is just too big to miss out on, even if Amazon looks ever stronger. It’s the same reason investors are putting more money into Lyft.
Xiaomi Retrenches, Lenovo’s Smartphone Struggles, The Chinese Consumer Market and Smartphones
Xiaomi’s CEO confirms how and why the company went wrong; then, why I got Lenovo wrong when it comes to smartphones. Plus, why China is such a challenging market for everyone, including Apple.
Airbnb Christmas Q&A, Airbnb and Flights, Apple-China Follow-up
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky had a Twitter Q&A on Christmas, which is a terrible idea for product development but an interesting insight into the power Airbnb derives from owning users. Might that be applied to flights? Then, more on Apple and China.
Trump Appoints China Hawk to Trade Council, Apple and Chinese Manufacturing, Automation and Apple’s Risk
Tech generally and Apple in particular has reason to be concerned about Trump’s recent appointments; the company would be the biggest loser in any trade dispute
Facebook’s China Censorship Tool, The Fake News Connection, A Thanksgiving Note
Facebook has pre-emptively built a tool for censoring content in China even as the Chinese government is talking about “fake news”. Then, a note of thanks from me to you.
Apple Earnings, The End of Google Fiber
Apple reports solid earnings with good news for the iPhone, while Google pulls the plug on Fiber.
Apple’s EU Tax Problem, How Apple Pays Taxes…Eventually, Everyone is a Loser
Apple has to pay Ireland a lot of money…maybe. Why this is probably a bad decision, and why everyone involved is a loser.
Uber-Didi Follow-up, SalesForce Buys Quip
More on Uber and Didi, and why the evaluation of this deal depends on the lens you use. Then, why Salesforce bought Quip, and what that says about both enterprise startups and Salesforce versus Microsoft.