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While the screen version looks clunky, competition is really amping between these three. Major pushes by Google You Tube and Amazon Music promoting their music streaming next quarter. Part of their strategy now seems to be let's hook 'em on our own ecosystem to loosen the grip on the iPhone. I won't be surprised to see Amazon try and reintroduce a phone in the next few years.

Meanwhile, for the few that might have missed this latest test of Siri against rival agents in today's NY Times:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/08/17/technology/alexa-siri-conversation.html

FWIW excerpt from earlier BAML report on Google, says ruling might be a small help to Apple's Safari, but...: "Bloomberg is reporting that Google CEO Sundar Pichai was to have a conference call with EUCC Margrethe Vestager on Tuesday (July 17), which suggests a ruling on the Android case may be imminent. Key issues in the Android case include: 1) Google Search and Chrome pre- install requirements; 2) anti-fragmentation requirements on Android; and 3) Google Search exclusivity incentives. Based on the shopping precedent (€2.4bn fine), we think a sizable fine is possible (Google has $98bn cash), but we believe any required business practice changes and impact to Google App traction will likely be more impactful to the stock. We don’t think search is at risk; Google apps established Key questions we have on the pending ruling: 1) impact to Google search; 2) impact on Google app (YouTube, Gmail, Maps) users and usage; and 3) disruption to Android ecosystem. We think risk to search is limited, as there isn’t a good alternative in Europe, and device makers (and users) will likely favor Google search. Bing and Apple’s Siri may have a small opening to buy some share, but we think Google’s results advantage is even bigger in Europe. Google already offers manufacturers financial incentives for pre- installing search and monetizes much better than competitors, limiting the need for even higher TAC (traffic acquisition cost), and users would likely push back on an alternative. De-bundling Chrome (and potentially other Google apps) from Android phones may create challenges for the Google app ecosystem, which could mean higher TAC, but we think YouTube, Gmail, Maps and other services will continue to see strong consumer demand. Chrome usage may have more risk given viable alternatives that could be installed, but we wonder if Google could make a similar case on Safari being the default on iPhones. We are less concerned about Android fragmentation as we see little incentive for device makers to push Android forks that don’t work as well with Android apps in the app store. Regulatory risk largely priced in; maintain Buy At 22x 2019E P/E (ex-other bets losses and cash), we believe the stock is discounting an ongoing regulatory headwind. While the stock could see a modest impact from a large Android fine (e.g., a $5bn fine would represent just $7/share of market cap and a 1x impact to 3Q EPS), we don’t think the Street will discount it as a material ongoing headwind to Alphabet’s earnings potential."

Happy to see the variety emphasized. AppleWatch has gotten me out of a gym rut and into more varied exercises. I use rings as my most common watch face. Maybe in future Apple will have wider range of star achievements, which I’m surprised to say I like, to the point of having a “trophy room” complication. Be fun for users and promote long term stickiness. I’m talking about things like marathon trophy, special National Park hikes, dance marathons, etc. No end of potential, you can even bring AR into it.

By 2025, India will be among top five countries in terms of Apple sales-- and likely the fastest growing of the group. This unusual shakeup shows how important the English-speaking colossus is to Tim Cook. Comments here so far focus on phones, but shouldn't neglect wearables, larger screens, and media. Yes India has smart and savvy consumers and as market matures will appreciate life cycle costs of what they buy. I don't think Siri understands Hinglish [Hindu-English hybrid] yet, unlike Amazon's devices, but that too will come.

Siri can leapfrog Apple over rivals like Amazon and Google. Apple holds a few aces in hand. Right now, as default, Siri monitors you and location as you use apps, including third-party e-commerce apps like Nike and Addidas. I’ve seen no reportage on this. It’s speculation, based mostly on a review of all the various apps activated under my Settings>Siri & Search and a read of the accompanying text by Apple. Why does Siri want to know how I use Addidas or Nike apps? This can be part of a brilliant strategy, via App Store, to eventually bypass Amazon shopping, where Apple facilitates frictionless direct purchases of sportswear, athletic shoes, and much more. (Already Apple has more credit card numbers and shipping addresses than Amazon, and probably Google too.) No analyst reports I’ve seen have yet to mention this. But in my view it’s only a matter of time-- maybe iOS 14? iOS15?--until Siri through apps can turn into a personalized multipurpose shopping assistant, overseeing whatever apps are important to you. It seems to me a concrete elegant way (as Workflow/Shortcuts in iOS 12), for Apple to tackle the giant field of e-commerce by breaking it into achievable pieces. Be great for users, devs, and Apple. Maybe AI can flesh it out in longer more cogent piece.