On The Rock
Top Themes of the Week
The top 10 largest stocks in the world are now worth a combined $14.6T down from $14.85T last week.
Top Tech
Google
Picture this: Google finds itself in a fiery UK lawsuit, accused of “raising the cost-of-living” through antics in the search engine market. The anti-competitive lawsuit, representing every UK consumer, alleges Google's violation of competition laws, driving up prices across the nation's economy. A legal showdown that echoes loudly in the pockets of British citizens.
But wait, there's more. Google unveiled "Enhanced Ad Privacy" in Chrome, allowing websites to serenade users with personalized ads, crafted from their browsing history. Yet, this new tune strikes a chord of privacy concerns since its release. Just in time for Google's 25th birthday, where the tech giant will take a moment share with us the potential of AI shaping our future.
Amazon
Amazon is now charging $1.99 for in-garage deliveries outside the designated "Amazon Day." This change, while adding a minor note to your bill, gives customers more delivery flexibility.
Prime Big Deal Days are making a comeback in October, promising a shopping extravaganza with special deals across 19 countries.
Nielsen is retracting its decision to incorporate Amazon's first-party streaming data in its ratings for "Thursday Night Football." This change immediately impacts Thursday Night Football on Amazon's Prime Video.
Apple
The upcoming iPhone 15 launch event is scheduled for this week (9/12). Key insights include the following:
Product Cycle: Primarily focused on alterations to the casing, which is expected to be titanium, and the shift to USB-C connectors for charging
Pricing Strategy: Expectations suggest price increases across all iPhone models, extending beyond just the Pro variants
Macroeconomic: The combined effect of price hikes and limited product upgrades adds an element of uncertainty; restrictions in China also carry some risk and introduces further concerns
The stock is trading at ~29x P/E, at the higher end of its trading range. Anticipation for upside in the latter half of the year leading up to this launch event may be limited. Consequently, we could see price targets for Apple revised down.
Apple's Vision Pro headset is a rising star, sparking euphoria among developers, with HIGH customer satisfaction in early testing. The applause for this product paints a promising future for the world of augmented and virtual reality.
Apple also recently signed a deal with Arm for chip technology, stretching its partnership beyond 2040. This pact secures Apple's ongoing access to vital intellectual property, a key note in its journey of designing custom chips for iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
Meta
Meta teamed up with LG for future Quest Pro headsets. This partnership extends beyond securing OLED microdisplay supply, hinting at a grander performance in the realms of virtual and augmented reality.
Microsoft
Microsoft takes center stage, unveiling a fresh Xbox dashboard for September. It introduces a crescendo of features, allowing users to serenade their Discord friends with Xbox gameplay streaming and elevating the Xbox Series S / X consoles with variable refresh rate improvements. Gaming enthusiasts find a richer melody in their experiences. The updated Discord functionality enable users to effortlessly share gameplay with companions, elevating the social and interactive facets of gaming. Microsoft's commitment to refining the Xbox universe adds new movements to the gaming market.