An interview with Matthew Ball about the Apple Vision Pro, the malaise in gaming, and the Disney-Epic deal.
FTC Fines Epic, Netflix Ads, YouTube and the NFL
Epic’s FTC settlement is a reminder about the value of the App Store. Then, Netflix’s ad weakness is disappointing but not surprising, while the YouTube/NFL deal could have been worse for cable companies and other leagues.
Roblox Ads, Walmart Land, Internal Economies
Roblox announced an advertising platform; I’m skeptical about the value to brand advertisers, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be valuable to Roblox itself.
AppLovin Offers to Buy Unity, Roblox Earnings, Amazon Buys iRobot
More Unity drama, which validates the ironSource deal. Then, games might not be recession proof, and why Amazon bought iRobot.
Microsoft Acquires Activision Blizzard, Notes on the Acquisition, An Interview With Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer
Breaking down Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, plus an interview with Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer
Facebook Gaming, Facebook’s Innovation, Apple and Facebook
Facebook Gaming is perhaps the most innovative game streaming service; Apple should embrace it.
Apple’s Services Event
Apple’s Services Event generally made sense, even if most products weren’t ready to launch. It’s fair to wonder, though, if something important is being lost.
Antitrust, the App Store, and Apple
Apple’s case before the Supreme Court is about standing; Apple has a strong case. That, though, doesn’t mean the App Store isn’t a monopoly — and that Apple isn’t increasingly predicated on rent-seeking.
Drake on Twitch, Fortnite vs PUBG and Selling Feelings, The Returns to the Best
Drake was playing video games on Twitch, and it blew up: there is so much to unpack about games, new business models, Twitch, and asymmetrical returns on the Internet. (Plus, a brief note on that Siri article)
SendGrid IPOs, The Nintendo Marios
SendGrid’s IPO exemplifies a company that works: a SaaS offering that enables, and grows alongside, its customer. Then, the differing results for Super Mario Run and Super Mario Galaxy show the value in maximizing revenue amongst core customers.