This Week in GAFAnomics #30
Google stronger than Uber / Amazon joins the food delivery craze / Facebook is not a technology company
“This week in GAFAnomics” features top articles from FABERNOVEL’s internal Slack discussions on the Network Economy. Subscribe to our “Inside GAFAnomics” publication for your weekly dose of curated news about the Network Economy.
After Uber, Lyft and Gett Taxi are integrated directly into Google Maps. By doing so, Google creates the first price comparison tool for ride hailing. Since its creation, Uber had restricted the use of its API for this purpose in order to avoid desintermediation.
So why would Uber give Google a free pass? Maps has direct contact with over a billion users looking for directions, and Uber cannot let its direct competitors alone provide rides through this huge potential channel.
With a billion+ users, the best mapping technology, the best routing technology, and an apparent lead in autonomous driving, Google has all it takes to fight Uber for ride hailing domination. — Curated by julien breitfeld
In Europe, the market for on-demand food delivery seems overcrowded. As a result, funding has become scarce (2015 food-tech funding is 3 times higher 2016 projections) and companies start to abandon the race (Belgian start-up TakeEatEasy gave up last month).
Yet Amazon is launching a restaurant delivery service in London! The e-commerce giant is adding value to its subscription based Prime service in order to boost membership. By doing so, Amazon tries to become a one-stop shop for everything, and pushes its existing customers to spend more with Amazon. — Curated by Kevin Echraghi
Last week, Apple announced its new iPhone 7, the Apple Watch series two and its wireless earplugs. No breakthrough products for Apple who seems to have lost momentum. Will #7 help curb decreasing iPhone sales?Prospects for the smartphone growth in mature markets are rather grim, and the iPhone is not an exception.
Yet Apple is still king when it comes to pitching its products: this quick wrap up was probably the sexyiest thing featured at last week’s event. — Curated by Legrigeois Laurent
Facebook tries to present itself as a technology company, but its rather a media company, as the vast majority of its revenues come from advertising. Facebook’s multi-platform, multi-media, multi-app, multiple times a day access to consumers makes Facebook the best distributor of content — any content — on the planet. — Curated by Amélie Pauvert
That’s all for this week, but follow us for more news about GAFAnomics next week! In the meantime, you can check our study about Uber’s viral growth model.
