The Role of Technology in Product Success and Failure

Special guest Ben Thompson returns, with the intention of not talking about Apple Watch — and so of course we spend two hours talking about Apple Watch. Other topics include the launch of Jay Z’s streaming music service Tidal, audience ceilings faced by different types of dedicated TV devices, and Meerkat-vs.-Periscope and the nascent revolution of ubiquitous live-streaming video. We make some NCAA men’s basketball Final Four picks, too.

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Links:

• Ben’s website: Stratechery.
• David Pierce, writing for Wired: “iPhone Killer: The Secret History of the Apple Watch”.
• Daring Fireball, back in 2013: “Exhibit A in the Case That Newly-Hired Apple Vp of Technology Kevin Lynch Is a Bozo, a Bad Hire”.
• Kevin Lynch’s personal website.
• Billboard: “Jay Z on Competing With Jimmy Iovine: ‘I Don’t Have To Lose…For You Guys To Win’”.
• Steve Jobs unveils Apple’s “Digital Hub” strategy at Macworld Expo in January 2001.
• Panic: “The True Story of Audion”.
• Yahoo Finance: “YouTube’s Highest-Paid Star Is a Woman Who Unboxes Disney Toys”.
• Recode: “Apple Asks TV Programmers to Supply Their Own Streams for Apple’s TV Service”.