Facebook is one of the most dominant digital platforms in the world, with over 2.8 billion monthly active users and 10 million advertisers. But what are the digital concepts that enable Facebook to achieve such scale and reach? This article explores six key concepts that matter for Facebook’s tech strategy: network effects, data network effects, platform business models, digital superpowers, digital dragons, and digital competition.
Category Archives: Ecosystems vs. Platforms
Facebook Meta is Mostly 4 Networks and 2 Platforms (Tech Strategy – Podcast 193)
Facebook Meta is not just one thing, but a collection of different products and services that work together to create a powerful tech ecosystem. In this podcast, Jeff Towson breaks down the four networks (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger) and two platforms (Oculus and Spark AR) that form the core of Meta’s strategy. He explains how each network and platform serves a different purpose, attracts a different audience, and generates a different revenue stream. He also analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of Meta’s approach, and what it means for the future of social media and augmented reality.
3 Digital Strategy Lessons from Epic Games and NetEase (Tech Strategy – Podcast 168)
Jeff Towson’s Podcast highlights three pivotal lessons from NetEase, an often-underappreciated yet influential player in the gaming industry. The discussion also touches on the concept of platforms vs. ecosystems, emphasizing the latter’s role in driving major technological innovation through collaboration. This podcast brings valuable strategy insights not just for gaming companies, but also for entities in general media and entertainment
Alibaba’s Cloud Platform is the Big Frontier (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
I wrote about Alibaba’s 5 growth strategies under “Domestic Consumption”. But CEO Daniel Zhang has also outlined 5 growth strategies for Alibaba Cloud. And their cloud business is what everyone has been speculating about. It’s the most exciting growth opportunity but it also has the greatest uncertainty. I’ve argued Alibaba is 100% in the platform […]
My List of Web2 and Web3 Business Models (3 of 3) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
I’ve been arguing that digital strategy is mostly about developing expertise in 4 areas. Digital economics Platform business models AI and machine learning Blockchain Each area has lots of depth and most of the subjects listed in the Concept Library are about the first two. The last two are still emerging. But I think if […]
Epic Games, Apple and Ecosystem Competition (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
We are a couple of years into the epic (pun intended) fight between Apple and Epic Games over the App Store. This is really the biggest tech fight we have seen in tech in a decade. For example: Apple doubles down in fight with Fortnite creator Epic Games, seeks damages for breach of contract (CNBC) […]
An Introduction to Tuya and How to Build Consumption Ecosystems (1 of 2) (Tech Strategy)
In the past months, I’ve been looking at companies are on the enterprise and cloud side. As opposed to the B2C side, which is where China / Asia tends to be very advanced. As part of this, I recently did a podcast about the fight for “dominant design” in cloud. Snowflake, Tuya and the Fight […]
Can Huawei’s HarmonyOS Break Android’s Monopoly? (Tech Strategy – Podcast 73)
In this episode of the Tech Strategy podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses whether Huawei’s HarmonyOS can break Android’s global dominance. He argues that HarmonyOS has several strengths, including its security features and its ability to run on a wide range of devices. However, he also notes that HarmonyOS faces several challenges, including the lack of app support and the fact that it is competing against an entrenched incumbent.
Huawei vs. the Android-iOS Duopoly: My Interview with Huawei Consumer Products. (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)
Huawei is “all in” on building a third mobile operating system and ecosystem. This is the first major challenge to the Android-Apple iOS duopoly in almost a decade. And as iOS is a closed system, it is really about Huawei taking on globally dominant, open source Android. It’s a big deal. I recently spoke with […]
Will JD Logistics Become a New Type of Ecosystem? (Tech Strategy – Podcast 71)
In this episode of Tech Strategy Podcast, we delve into the emerging ecosystem of JD Logistics. Discover how this innovative approach is reshaping the logistics industry and influencing the broader tech landscape in Asia. Join us as we unpack the strategies and implications of this new type of ecosystem.