I think we are seeing the growth of the tech monopolies model. It is easier to buy up or push out competitors, or accept reciprocal churn back and forth with one or two other major vendors. Audibles app is terrible. On the scale of their revenue, it would be a minor investment to improve quality. Yet they consistently don't do that work. They don't need to. They have the digital rights over the data you need, and terms and conditions where they can make it all vanish if they want. In effect the customers need them more than they need the customers. Even if a customer leaves, they'll be back, they are already invested, and if you control a majority of the available media they can either go without or come back with their tail between their legs in the future.
It is hyper consumerism that put us into this position. People are inelastic when it comes to buying. They'll accept any treatment, any price, even ungodly overreach in terms of ownership rights, to have what they want. If you won't alter your spending patterns, then companies don't need to compete for your business. Consumer power is at an all time low. Monopolies are bad, and yet we see big tech increasingly dominating in all markets that are remotely tech related.
A stupid consumer is a gift. These companies rightly hold us in contempt now. We are just dirty little addicts that will debase ourselves for the privilege of throwing our money at them. Unfortunately, like the lemmings, we are so busy following the person in front, that we aren't even thinking about where we are going.
Churn isn't the enemy, the enemy is independent thought, and from that... we are all safe.
I think we are seeing the growth of the tech monopolies model. It is easier to buy up or push out competitors, or accept reciprocal churn back and forth with one or two other major vendors. Audibles app is terrible. On the scale of their revenue, it would be a minor investment to improve quality. Yet they consistently don't do that work. They don't need to. They have the digital rights over the data you need, and terms and conditions where they can make it all vanish if they want. In effect the customers need them more than they need the customers. Even if a customer leaves, they'll be back, they are already invested, and if you control a majority of the available media they can either go without or come back with their tail between their legs in the future.
It is hyper consumerism that put us into this position. People are inelastic when it comes to buying. They'll accept any treatment, any price, even ungodly overreach in terms of ownership rights, to have what they want. If you won't alter your spending patterns, then companies don't need to compete for your business. Consumer power is at an all time low. Monopolies are bad, and yet we see big tech increasingly dominating in all markets that are remotely tech related.
A stupid consumer is a gift. These companies rightly hold us in contempt now. We are just dirty little addicts that will debase ourselves for the privilege of throwing our money at them. Unfortunately, like the lemmings, we are so busy following the person in front, that we aren't even thinking about where we are going.
Churn isn't the enemy, the enemy is independent thought, and from that... we are all safe.