Apple enters the satellite race
Apple is hiring satellite engineers and executives. Rumor or conjecture speculates that Apple is building communications equipment (not rockets) that will enable communications between Apple devices from a third-party operated satellite. TechCrunch
dis-rup-shun: Here’s why Apple has to consider satellite technology. Elon Musk’s SpaceX is launching hundreds of satellites even as we enjoy our Christmas and holiday feasts. The plan is for SpaceX’s Starlink mini-constellation to have over 12,000 satellites belting the earth, forming a train of satellites. Not to be outdone, Amazon has announced a constellation of 3,236 satellites to be launched in the future. Tim Cook fears the day that Musk or Bezos provides far superior global Internet connectivity from space, forcing Apple to be second. If Big Tech owns and controls superior global connectivity without inviting traditional carriers such as AT&T, Verizon and friends to play, true monopolies or duopolies (or tri-opolies?) of technology and communication will be formed. Ouch.
Smart home industry brings peace on earth
Once again, major smart home and consumer technology players are forming a standard for control and communication of connected devices, using IP as the standard protocol. “Project Connected Home over IP” is the latest alliance between players such as Apple, Google, Samsung, Resideo, Amazon, Zigbee Alliance, Ikea and others. The goal is to make it easy to buy and attach devices to your home network, without having to figure out what works with what. CNBC
dis-rup-shun: We need peace on earth and ease of use in connecting home products. We have at least two completely standard home networks today: our home wiring and phones (land line or cellular). Any product using electricity or phone lines (waves) just works… no questions. Removing the friction we have today of many circles of products that work with each other, some with others, some not, it depends, sort of, is no way to grow a market. However, I am skeptical that this will be the breakthrough, as each of these vendors is also supporting and investing in its current semi-open circle of products and alliances, as most vendors are terrified to give up the revenue stream they have now, and therefore their best resources are deployed to continue the status quo, meaning new alliances are the thing of PowerPoint and press releases before CES, every other year. Hopefully I am wrong.
Share Now, formerly Car2Go car sharing service dies in U.S.
The car sharing service owned by Daimler and BMW that put blue Smart Cars in major cities, is retreating to Europe. Wired
dis-rup-shun: The auto industry, and transportation in general, is in turmoil. We like ride sharing, especially the low prices that keep it unprofitable. We like electric cars and speculate that an electric will be our next car purchase after the next one. We think scooters and bikes for hire are fun, until they litter the sidewalks. The truth is that our society is shifting, but just not as fast as the investors behind new concepts wish they would. Like every big sea change, the road to new industries is littered with startups that were there too soon, without a business plan that accounts for human’s intense resistance to change, even when people say in surveys that they like the new ideas.
How Amazon creates a virtual air force
Amazon is a company that is rapidly growing its logistics capabilities and planning for massive expansion. Sun Country is a small regional airline based in Minneapolis that struggles with the seasonality of passenger travel. Together they will help Amazon grow and help reduce seasonality for Sun Country. The airline will fly 10 of Amazon’s recently acquired Beoing 737 cargo planes. CNBC
dis-rup-shun: Reader, do you get tired of reading about Amazon? The company is a spectacular demonstration of American ingenuity, capitalism, creativity, competitiveness, creative destruction, job growth and economic stimulation. We love success stories, and this is one. We also love the underdog, and just about every business that we work with today is or will be the underdog. Congress, let’s keep the fight fair, but also let the big dog run.