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.
Changes at HBO, AT&T’s Strategic Rationale, HBO’s Differentiation
There are changes afoot at HBO, driven by AT&T’s desire to compete with Netflix; that, though, risks HBO’s differentiation.
The Value Chain Constraint
Companies succeed or fail not based on technology but rather according to their ability to integrate within their value chains.
Spotify and Podcasts Follow-up, Apple and Podcasts, Luminary and Himalaya
More on podcasts, including why I’m cautiously optimistic, plus Apple’s missed opportunity, and why I’m skeptical of startups in the space.
Netflix Follow-up, Bill Simmons Interviews Jack Dorsey, Twitter and the Pollyannish Assumption
Why there is room for multiple winners in streaming, then Bill Simmons interviews Jack Dorsey. My takeaway is that Twitter is suffering from the Pollyannish Assumption.
Netflix Flexes
Netflix is an Aggregator, with a value chain that lets it drive demand, raise prices, and dismiss competition.
More on Scooters; Airbnb and Hotels; Netflix, AT&T, and Friends
Succeeding in scooters may require vertical integration, why Airbnb should go deeper into hotels, and why AT&T is making a mistake with Friends (or are they)
Amazon’s Reported RSN Bid, The Future of Sports Rights, Apple in the Supreme Court
Amazon probably isn’t buying 22 RSNs; sports rights don’t really make sense for streaming services. Then, Apple is in the Supreme Court in a case that is hugely important for the entire tech industry.
Amazon “HQ2” Choice, Disney Earnings, Disney’s Hulu Plan
Amazon’s HQ2 process deserves the most cynical of lenses. Then, Disney revealed more details of their streaming service, with a surprising focus on Hulu — and linear TV.
Qualcomm Loses Preliminary Judgment; Qualcomm Earnings; More on Netflix and MVPDs
A federal judge rules against Qualcomm in a clear victory for Apple, just another area where Qualcomm is struggling. Then, why is Netflix allowing itself to be commoditized, at least a bit, by MVPDs?