Inflation’s Impact on Tech Is Complicated
Inflation fears continue to grow. What had flown under the radar for far too long is now unavoidable. With inflation at 40-year highs, entire industries are needing to learn how to deal with a macro scenario that had been nothing more than a risk factor talked about in financial filings. While the tech industry won’t be able to avoid inflation, many software-driven companies are in a much stronger position than is being implied by financial markets.
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Microsoft’s Growing Bet on Gaming
It may be tempting for an outsider to dismiss gaming as a hobby for Microsoft. Doing so would make it difficult to understand the company’s multi-decade bet on gaming. Reported within the same business segment as Windows and Surface, gaming is about twice as large of a business as Surface when looking at revenue. One can argue from a mindshare perspective that the difference is much larger. Prior to Microsoft correctly pulling the plug on its brick and mortar stores, proponents had argued that the stores should be kept open just to showcase Xbox.
Last week, Microsoft announced its intention to buy Activision Blizzard in a $68.7 billion all-cash deal.
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Payment is processed and secured by Stripe. Apple Pay and other mobile payment options are accepted. Special bundle pricing is available for Above Avalon members.
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Receive Exclusive Essays. The cornerstone of an Inside Orchard subscription is access to Neil’s weekly essays on the latest developments in the technology industry. Weekly essays are 1,000 words and sent via email on Mondays. Essays revolve around the following topics: technology industry analysis, business model analysis, technology’s impact on societal and consumer trends. A sample essay can be viewed here.
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Measuring Tech’s Diffusion in Society
One of the main drivers behind starting Inside Orchard was analyzing how the lines that have traditionally defined technology are being erased. The “tech industry” is a term with a finite lifespan. We are heading to a point where tech will be so diffused in industry that it will be indistinguishable from society as a whole.
A question that has been raised is how to measure such diffusion. The answer can serve as a valuable tool for knowing which industries have either already experienced such diffusion or are about to undergo significant transformation. Get the timing right, and there are significant financial and product strategy rewards up for grabs.
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Payment is processed and secured by Stripe. Apple Pay and other mobile payment options are accepted. Special bundle pricing is available for Above Avalon members.
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Receive Exclusive Essays. The cornerstone of an Inside Orchard subscription is access to Neil’s weekly essays on the latest developments in the technology industry. Weekly essays are 1,000 words and sent via email on Mondays. Essays revolve around the following topics: technology industry analysis, business model analysis, technology’s impact on societal and consumer trends. A sample essay can be viewed here.
Access Exclusive Private Podcast. Listen to Inside Orchard essays via an exclusive private podcast. After becoming a paid subscriber, all previously-published podcast episodes become available in your favorite podcast player. Podcast episodes never become available to the public.
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