It is no surprise that a judge allowed the AT&T-Time Warner acquisition to proceed given the government’s poor case; the question is if a better case could have been made. What is ultimately needed, though, are new laws.
The Bill Gates Line
Understanding the differences between aggregators and platforms matters for companies interacting with them and also regulators considering antitrust.
Sports Gambling Defederalized, Amazon Channels
Sports gambling is defederalized, and the opportunity is likely larger than people think: then, Amazon Channels is another manifestation of the company’s “first customer” strategy.
ZTE and Trump, Dropbox Earnings, Bloomberg’s Paywall
The ZTE saga takes a twist, Dropbox’s first earnings are solid, and Bloomberg shows how the rich get richer.
The ZTE Ban, Tech’s Trade War Risk, China’s Delayed Approval and Apple’s Pain
The U.S. government banned companies from selling to ZTE for issues unrelated to the current trade war; that may not much matter, and Apple and other U.S. tech companies could soon feel the pain.
Zuckerberg’s House Hearing, Toutiao’s Apology, Apple’s Siri Hire
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was back on the hill, using his usual talking points; the contrast with a Chinese news app, facing its own political pressure, was striking. Plus, why Apple’s Siri hire is so important.
The Facebook Current
The Senate hearing about Facebook was a bigger deal than it might have seemed, both because it happened and because of what was said.
Qualcomm, National Security, and Patents
The Trump administration blocked Broadcom’s acquisition of Qualcomm, and I think it was the right move. Understanding why means understanding Qualcomm and Broadcom’s plan for the company — and the problem with patents.
The Athletic Raises $20 Million, Four Stories on Tech and Politics
The Athletic is right to go for it, and raise more VC money. Then, tech and politics is only becoming more complicated as national security concerns enter the debate.
AT&T Pulls Out of Huawei Deal, Apple’s Other China Problem, YouTube’s Logan Paul Decision
AT&T skipped out on its deal with Huawei, reportedly under political pressure. Expect more tech issues between the U.S. and China, and Apple has the most to lose.