A deep dive into Google I/O: why the overall keynote was a good sign for Google, and then a review of specific announcements.
Update on the Fight over iPhone Security, Encryption Under Attack, WhatsApp Adds Encryption
There have been significant developments when it comes to the debate over security, in which reasonable people can disagree; unsurprisingly it is on the verge of shifting to a debate about encryption. This is a fight that has only one right answer.
Snapchat Follow-up; WeChat, Facebook Messenger, and iMessage; Microsoft’s Bot Parade
Some follow-up on Snapchat, where it fits alongside Facebook Messenger and iMessage, then a discussion of where all the “bot” talk is coming from. Then, Microsoft jumped all in on bots: what does it mean, and what should they do next.
Snapchat’s Ladder
Snapchat is on the verge of conquering the toughest messaging market in the world: the United States. The way they did it is by laddering-up.
Amazon Echo Expands, The Nest Failure, Microsoft and Slack
There are a lot of useful lessons to draw from Amazon Echo’s early success, particularly when placed in contrast to Google’s Nest. Microsoft should pay heed if in fact they had a chance to buy Slack.
Voters Decide Follow-up, Slack Raising Money, Quitting Slack
Follow up on my article about Aggregation Theory and politics, and then a discussion of the import of Slack’s latest fundraising and why “Quitting Slack” stories aren’t representative.
Facebook Earnings, Five Facebook Facts, Additional Facebook Observations
Facebook earnings were once again impressive: they have a killer market, but the company continues to execute fantastically, particularly on the business side.
WhatsApp Drops Subscription Fee, Messaging’s Monetization Potential, GM Acquires Sidecar Remnants
WhatsApp unsurprisingly dropped their subscription fee and, paradoxically, increased the services value. There are much better ways to monetize messaging. Plus, why it doesn’t matter what car makers do.
The Big 5 Year in Review: Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook
A year-end review of tech’s five most important companies.
Slack Follow-up, The WeChat Platform, Uber and Facebook Messenger
More on Slack’s platform opportunity, which can be compared to what WeChat has already accomplished in China. That said, the fact way that China is truly mobile-first means that it’s likely that no one — including Facebook Messenger — will fully imitate WeChat’s model.