There is all this argument about who is better, who was first, and how Twitter reacted to Meerkat. There are at least 30 blog post titled “Meerkat or Periscope “?
I strongly disagree that you need to choose who to buy. Why not buying both? Let me analyze what are the points you should think about when buying a startup
Team
Technology
Customers
*Revenue
Everyone says that Ben (Meerkat) is exceptional. They say the same about the CEO of Periscope (Kayvon). Because they are “competitors” (which I don't think they are necessary) it doesn't mean that you don’t want both in your team. Why do you have to choose between 2 A+ players? Or two A+ teams? If you don't need to choose and you can get them both, go for it. I would never doubt on acquiring a startup that had A players.
Technology. So, yeah, it’s similar. Great. Does that mean that is the same? No. Does that mean that you are buying the same technology twice?maybe. Here is where the team come into place. If they could come up with this why wouldn’t come up with more of it? Better features, better product, more audience, better engagement. Bet on the people. Also this next point connects to the customers; technology is useful as it is used and experienced by people.
Inventions that have no real applications in life or no value for people tend to disappear and that companies to die.
Sooner or later someone needs to find a useful use of your technology. And in most cases is about how that technology expresses in humans lives. Well, I'm a customer centric obsessed person and I believe that if Periscope and Meerkat are both serving (well) people, so why not buying both?
Let’s go a little deeper on this thought. This is live streaming from one to many. Ok? So, even if it has certain network power effect that it makes it more useful when all my friends are there so I can follow them and see what they are doing, actually it’s not really that powerful the effect because it’s not an equal experience for those broadcasting and those lurking. It actually serves both kind of people’s experiences in a great way. But this is like being in a concert where the person that sings is my friend or Bob Dylan. Both are really cool, but I'm there for different reasons. Also, and in most cases, I won’t care about who is standing next to me watching. If they are looking to the same as me. Good for them.
What I'm trying to say is that Meerkat and Periscope can coexist and even work together. As today Periscope (in part thanks to Chris Sacca) has all the famous people , politicians, sport players, stars. Meetkat also has them, but it also has most of your friends that just broadcast themselves. Why one would be more useful than the other one? They could serve different purposes for different experiences focus on the different people in them. What is the cost of attention to have both? None. Both can have my notifications and they would let me know when someone I care is love because (as Twitter) I can curate who I follow. What is the cost of installing both and have them in my iPhone ? None. Technology has become this platform where I don’t need to choose between either of them. I can have them in my phone for the low cost of some MB of storage. That is the cost I’m paying.
If they are serving different kinds of users (and I think they do), why not have both? Plug both into Twitter and let the users have the whole experience. They will decide how and when to use each. Don't limit them or tell them which one to choose. Give them ALL.
If you enjoy reading, maybe you will like this other one. Would mean a lot if you recommend it :)
