The Athletic is trying to build a bundle around sports and subscription-based content, as CEO Alex Mather explains in an interview with Stratechery
Microsoft/IBM Follow-Up, Facebook Earnings, Instagram Stories > Snapchat Stories
Follow-up on Microsoft and IBM, including why Steve Ballmer deserves more credit than I gave him. Then, Facebook’s earnings and the reluctance to admit to pricing power, and why Instagram Stories are more innovative than Snapchat Stories
Google Earnings, Google Cloud Growth?, Microsoft’s Milestone
Google had great earnings again, although the usual questions — and a new one, about Google Cloud — remain unanswered. Then, Microsoft returned to annual revenue growth, an impressive milestone in the company’s turnaround.
Uber and Yandex; Grab Raises $2 Billion; Softbank, Ride-Sharing, and Capital
Uber has made a deal in Russia that, to the extent it approximates China, is a great idea. However, the company may soon be knocked out of Southeast Asia: capital is the ultimate aggregator.
Google’s Precedent Problem, Five Stories In Brief
Leaving aside whether or not the European Commission decision is justifiable, it has been made, and Google has a big problem on its hands. Then, five stories in brief on Amazon, Ransomware, Blue Apron, Nintendo, and car rental companies.
Acquisitions and Network Effects, Antitrust and Network Effects, The Saga of Whole Foods
Acquisitions that make sense involve network effects; that is why the long-term future of antitrust is about network analysis (not that it will affect this deal). Plus, John Mackey’s pragmatic fit with Amazon.
Amazon’s New Customer
The key to understanding Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods is to understand that Amazon didn’t buy a retailer: the company bought a customer.
Apple’s Strengths and Weaknesses
Both Apple’s strengths and weaknesses were on full display at its annual WWDC keynote; the HomePod is a perfect example.
Blue Apron Files for IPO, Network Effects and Customer Acquisition Costs, Uber Concerns
Blue Apron’s S-1 raises some red flags about unit economics and lifetime value; Uber, meanwhile, lost its CFO, who suggested the company is missing some key financial controls
Boring Google
Google’s I/O was exactly what you would expect from Google, and that’s a great sign for the company.