'The End Of The Level Playing Field' (avc.com)

Venture Capitalist Fred Wilson writes in a blog post: When the Internet came along in the early 90s, we saw something completely different. Here was a level playing field where anyone could launch a business without permission from anyone. We had a great run over the last 25 years but I fear it's coming to an end, brought on by the growing consolidation of market power in the big consumer facing tech companies like Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, etc, by the constricted distribution mechanisms on mobile devices, and by new leadership at the FCC that is going to tear down the notion that mobile carriers can't play the same game cable companies played. It is certainly true that consumers, particularly low-income consumers, like getting free or subsidized data plans. There is no doubt about that. But when the subsidies are coming from the big tech companies, who can easily pay them, to buy competitive advantage over that nimble startup that is scaring them, well we know how that movie ends.

Comments

It's never been level

[Anonymous Coward]

You can make money up to a certain point, but if the big companies notice you and can't buy you out, they will destroy you with legal proceedings. The broken patent laws are enough to put anyone out of business, pretty much everyone is breaking some unknown law.

Local problem?

[Anonymous Coward]

and by new leadership at the FCC that is going to tear down the notion that mobile carriers can't play the same game cable companies played

Isn't that mostly a local problem in the single country where the FCC has authority?

this happens in most mature markets

[Idisagree]

its almost like you could describe it as a cycle of sorts, funny that....

see here for more info - www.inc.com/encyclopedia/industry-life-cycle.html