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Samsung – Optimistic Origami

Folding devices to offset the ravages of commoditisation. The announcement of a device with a truly flexible screen looks to have been perfectly timed as Samsung is starting to run...

Bike sharing – BATmen again

Ofo’s travails will put it in Didi clutches. Ofo is facing another angry creditor, which combined with the seemingly endless bicycle graveyards in China, clearly indicates that the consolidation phase...

Tencent – Helpful regulation.

Short-term pain for long-term gain. While the move by the Chinese regulator is hurting Tencent badly right now, greater regulation will, in the end, work in Tencent’s favour by keeping...

Autonomous autos – Data shortage

Anecdotes are not data. Waymo may appear to be struggling with some of the most basic vehicle operations, but the little data that there is still suggests that it is...

Volareo – The late hour.

Volareo is way too late to have a chance. The smart speaker market is already extremely crowded which is likely to ensure that Volareo’s offering disappears without a trace. Volareo...

Toyota and Uber – Metal shells.

On course to become a commodity. Toyota is partnering with Uber in a move that confirms that it has no confidence in an in-house autonomous vehicle offering as well as little...

Didi – Broken panda.

Didi has its Baidu and Facebook moment. Chinese technology companies have a culture of moving fast and breaking things, and while Didi got a free pass from the regulator for...

Magic Leap – The reality gap pt II.

Device pays the hype price. There is nothing wrong with the Magic Leap One when compared to its peers, but relative to what Magic Leap promised, the device is very...

Xiaomi Q2 18 – Margin gadfly

Gross margin of 6.7% is all one needs to know. Xiaomi reported what is being received as a reasonable set of results, but in my opinion, these results further highlight...

Cable TV – Sword of Damocles pt. VII

Cable cedes users to a combination of streaming and OTA. The usage of digital antennas to receive over-the-air broadcast TV is continuing to rise in yet another sign that the...