By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
superchunk said:
I can't really discount any of that. For one, I'm not in the industry to really know what the ROI is on a up front paid app vs ad based, but since FB operates on solely ad based plus micro transaction, I'd have to think its highly profitable... and yeah, I fully agree that Google should not have left Android as open as it has been as they do lose brand recognition to a degree. But, in your scenario above, I think the user would not look at an iPad so quickly after having a Kindle, but a new Kindle first.

Facebook is an entirely different entity. They weave advertising into every piece of the site and have made their billions from farming customer information and applying that to target ads better than anyone else in the business. That's completely different than plastering a gaudy ad that blocks part of the screen and annoys the user while they're trying to play a game or use an app. When you click on an "ad" on Facebook, a lot of the time you don't even know that someone is paying for that space and the ad is so well targeted that it genuinely appeals to the end user. That's how well Zuckerberg & Co. has integrated advertising into the platform.

Note that I said "upgrade" to an iPad. If Amazon makes a Kindle with a faster processor, more RAM, a bigger screen, etc., then a user might upgrade to a better Kindle. But they don't. The Fire, while a great device, is still not a top-shelf tablet and isn't nearly as capable as an iPad.




Or check out my new webcomic: http://selfcentent.com/