This Week in GAFAnomics #32
Google to launch a new smartphone / Snapchat launches Spectacles / The AI goldrush / Facebook’s approximate measurements
“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.
Over the past week, Google has hinted with an intriguing marketing campaign that it will launch a new hardware device, most likely a new phone. A month ago, Google announced that it dropped its modular phone project, Ara. Can Google take on Apple’s Iphone 7 ? Probably not, but if the phone is a success it’ll help Google gain a larger control of its Android ecosystem. — Curated by Nuno Ribeiro
Google is not the only one announcing big hardware news this week: Snapchat just unveiled its $130 connected sunglasses. The sunglasses will allow you to record and post photos and videos from a first person perspective.
For Snapchat, it’s also a great timing to rebrand the social networking app into Snap Inc. for a broader definition of the company. A new line of business and a big differentiation bet for Snapchat who has recently seen some of its competitors copying its social features with success. — Curated by Louis Moullard
Google acquired API.AI, a company helping developers build conversational, Siri-like bots, Amazon hired Navid Hadzaad, the founder of Angel.ai to lead its Bots initiatives, and Apple has acquired Indian machine-learning startup Tuplejump. Would it be for voice of chat interfaces, GAFA are increasingly investing in AI tech to reach the next frontier of computing. — Curated by Patrícia Santos Silva
Facebook confirmed that it has overestimated its average viewing time of videos on its platform for the past two years. Facebook says that the error didn’t impact the billing process and that marketers didn’t lose money. But due to the miscalculated data, marketers may have misjudged the performance of video advertising on Facebook. Therefore, it may have impacted their decisions about how much to spend on Facebook video versus other video ad sellers such as YouTube, Twitter or TV networks. Who can regulate this when the firm is the market ? — Curated by Legrigeois Laurent
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.
