CDOQ

Context  My phone has become an integral part of my life. It has happened not because I am talking to people on the phone all the time but because the phone has many applications (apps) that I use for various purposes. These days there is an app for everything - buying coffee, getting a ride, ordering food, paying bills, investing in stocks, health, social networking, news, etc. There are over 2 million apps in the Apple App Store. Most apps are free to use. Some apps have to pay 15-30% of their revenue to Apple and Google (two main providers of Application Platforms) if they are selling digital content like movies, games, books, etc. Apps like Uber, eBay, DoorDash, etc. do not pay anything to Apple and Google because they are selling physical goods like food, rides, consumer goods, etc. Just the apps on the Apple App Store generated $519B in 2019 revenue. If the App Store were a country, it would be number 24 on the GDP list right behind Sweden.  Two major driv...

Context  The last two decades have completely changed the technology (tech) sector. Cloud computing , smartphones, apps, and high wireless data speeds are taken for granted. These developments have created a dynamic tech ecosystem.  Figure 1: Technology Ecosystem abstraction with examples in each layer  Having worked with some very smart people to develop and market new products in all parts of the tech ecosystem - Networks and mobile phones ( SIEMENS ), Network Operators ( T-Mobile ), Semiconductors ( National Semiconductor ), Algorithms/Artificial Intelligence ( Audience ), Cloud-based Applications ( EVER , Moki ), Blockchain and Consumer Hardware ( Open Garden ) - gives me a unique perspective on how the technology ecosystem works and how it might evolve.  In this article, I share my view on what constitutes the technology ecosystem, what are the primary business drivers depending on a company's position in the ecosystem, and how the eco...