(Re-issuing to fix a small but crucial typo: WhatsApp does 42bn messages/day, not 42m)
Industry news
WhatsApp announced its first operating metrics in a year: it now has 1bn monthly active users, sending 42bn (unduplicated) messages a day, with 57 engineers. For comparison, the entire global SMS system does around 20bn messages a day. Software means you can stand on the shoulders of giants, and do it with very little capital. (I do think MAU is pretty meaningless for these kinds of service, though - you use them daily or you're not a user) Link
Unsurprisingly, Google is making a VR headset to use with smartphones - a version of the Gear VR but for a wider range of phones. My basic VR thesis is that its all about smartphones, and that will take a while. One puzzle, especially for Android with its blizzard of devices, is whether you can use any headset (such as Google's) with any phone. Link
After missing December numbers, GoPro has now slashed Q1 sales guidance. Selling commodity hardware and adding network (or software) is Hard, but I suspect that this is more about addressable market - everyone who needs one has got one. Link
You can now use an Amazon Alexa (voice-recognition box) to order an Uber. The plan old neutral web isn't coming back any time soon. Link
Google may be doubling down on building residential fibre in the USA. Link
Facebook is pushing forward with 'Facebook for Work'. Facebook is already effectively a consumer version of Lotus Notes but with modern tech, so it'll be interesting how far it can make an enterprise version. But we certainly need new connective tissue for the enterprise. Link
Microsoft continues to buy cool iOS productivity startups - the latest is SwiftKey, which makes an AI-based predictive (software) keyboard. Link
Cisco bought Jasper, a cloud IoT platform with some MVNO stuff. Moving down he value chain towards managing gear as well as making it? Link
The FT now has the highest paying readership in its history. Remember how 'pay walls' were a staggeringly stupid idea? The Times is also now breaking even. Link
Samsung made an ad-blocker app for Android. Google removed it from the Google Play store. Shenanigans. Link
Yahoo is effectively putting itself up for sale. Missed search, then missed mobile. Link
Blog posts
The team behind Amazon's plans for building a chain of shops. Link
Intex - India's third biggest phone maker. Link
The growth of Time Out. Link
The internet is the densest city you've ever set foot in. Link
The essential guide to electronics in Shenzhen. Link
Non-obvious UX issues around autonomous cars. Link
The better bathroom mirror - what was once science fiction becomes a weekend hobby project. Link
Statistics
ComScore has been substantially over-estimating its time-spend numbers for Facebook on iOS. Link
Caribou survey of where developers are and development happens around the world. Link
OpenSignal survey of US mobile network quality. Link
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