YouTube live stream is the biggest surprise. It is that time of year again (10th September, 10 am PT) and the biggest surprise is that the whole event will be live-streamed on YouTube in another sign that, Apple may be starting to abandon its isolationist attitude when it comes to its ecosystem. The new iPhones have been widely leaked and...
I can’t see value even after a 58% cut in the valuation. Other than its cool factor, I struggle to see why WeWork is better than its biggest rival IWG, which trades at a tiny fraction of the valuation even after more than halving the mooted IPO valuation. The WeWork roadshow is about to start, and this already looks like...
It’s the boring stuff that works. As the big ambitious moonshots crash and burn, it’s the smaller, simpler and deadly dull projects that are likely to see real success in the short to medium-term. Everyone wants to hear about how AI will cure cancer or drive all our vehicles, but it is the really boring things like saving money on...
Smartphones could be obsolete before this update is complete. Android 10 (Q) becomes available today but it could be as much as 7-10 years before all of Google’s Ecosystem devices have this or a later version, meaning that smartphones could be obsolete before this update is complete. Android 10 became publicly available yesterday (see here) with much fanfare about improvements...
Alexa’s access to the vehicle is strictly limited. Amazon has grand plans for the vehicle but until it can convince OEMs of its benign intentions, Alexa will be a simple voice assistant that is also present in the car. If its demonstration area is anything to go by, Amazon clearly intends for Alexa to be able to control every aspect...
Rapid replacement will not save the OEMs. Automakers who are expecting to avoid a collapse in vehicle demand because autonomous vehicles will be replaced more frequently are in for a nasty shock because I calculate that their maths is wrong. The most important factor in vehicle demand is miles driven because it is this that is the biggest determinant in...
The best refinement is to ditch Bixby Undeterred by its failure to launch Galaxy Home, a smart speaker with the execrable Bixby, Samsung is doubling down with a mini version which may just have the beginnings of a use case. The new device is slightly larger than the Amazon Dot and in addition to Bixby, the device will be able...
Huawei’s ex-China smartphone share is heading to 0%. Q4 19 will be a crucial test for Huawei as its new flagship (Mate 30) will not be a Google ecosystem device (see here) meaning that Huawei faces a Herculean task to convince users to buy its device. I think that without the Google ecosystem installed at the factory, market share outside...
No telling when frantic spending can stop. Peloton is to fitness what Lyft and Uber are to taxis. All have reinvented an industry and have reached scale, but appear chronically incapable of making money. Peloton is a connected fitness equipment company that also sells content (virtual classes) for its equipment and has filed its S-1, (see here) signaling its...
Richard is founder, owner of research company, Radio Free Mobile. He has 16 years of experience working in sell side equity research. During his 11 year tenure at Nomura Securities, he focused on the equity coverage of the Global Technology sector.
Softbank and WeWork – No Work
Softbank blinks after two heavy losses. With Uber down 28% and Lyft down 38% from their respective IPO prices, it looks like Softbank has finally figured out that fake it till you make it does not work in the stock market. Softbank is now urging (see here) WeWork to pull its IPO rather than face having to write down an...