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The Unicorn Boom Is Over, and Startups Are Getting Desperate

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Re: The Unicorn Boom Is Over, and Startups Are Getting Desperate

#41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Smartphones didn't come from a VC-backed startup. This isn't entirely correct: both Palm and Apple (the creators of the smart phone) were originally venture-backed.

Apple did NOT create the smartphone. When the iPhone released in 2007 it was a feature phone- no app store and famously missing featured like copy and paste. Besides Palm who you have mentioned there was Symbian and Windows Mobile which each had third party after market apps available.

Indeed Apple did not invent the concept of the smartphone. But by all accounts the first iPhone was absolutely considered a smartphone, based on its superior hardware, advanced operating system, and fully-functional web browser.

You seem to be equating "smartphone" with "has third party apps", but that isn't the defining characteristic of "smartphone" based on any common usage.

Besides, when the iOS App Store was launched ~1 year later, the original iPhone was able to use it.

Re: The Unicorn Boom Is Over, and Startups Are Getting Desperate

#42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My recollection is the Leaf and Volt were selling in numbers while the Tesla Roadster was a less practical, low volume novelty.

The Leaf and Volt were compliance cars. The Tesla Roadster was “make it work” in “make it work, make it right, make it fast.” Note Nissan and GM’s EV offerings today, considering how long they had since then. (early TSLA investor after a ride in the Roadster)

Nonsense. “Compliance car” is used for vehicles produced in low numbers for one regulatory market (CA). That does not describe either.

Compliance car also implies it was the government, not Tesla, dragging them along.

No idea what you’re referring to. Nissan and GM still sell EV’s.

Tesla for all its contributions did not force other automakers into the market.

Re: The Unicorn Boom Is Over, and Startups Are Getting Desperate

#43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Leaf and Volt were compliance cars. The Tesla Roadster was “make it work” in “make it work, make it right, make it fast.” Note Nissan and GM’s EV offerings today, considering how long they had since then. (early TSLA investor after a ride in the Roadster)

Nonsense. “Compliance car” is used for vehicles produced in low numbers for one regulatory market (CA). That does not describe either. Compliance car also implies it was the government, not Tesla, dragging them along. No idea what you’re referring to. Nissan and GM still sell EV’s. Tesla for all its contributions did not force other automakers into the market.

[deleted]

Re: The Unicorn Boom Is Over, and Startups Are Getting Desperate

#44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple did NOT create the smartphone. When the iPhone released in 2007 it was a feature phone- no app store and famously missing featured like copy and paste. Besides Palm who you have mentioned there was Symbian and Windows Mobile which each had third party after market apps available.

Indeed Apple did not invent the concept of the smartphone. But by all accounts the first iPhone was absolutely considered a smartphone, based on its superior hardware, advanced operating system, and fully-functional web browser. You seem to be equating "smartphone" with "has third party apps", but that isn't the defining characteristic of "smartphone" based on any common usage. Besides, when the iOS App Store was lau…

I had a Nokia n95 at the time. It also had superior hardware and a fully functional web browser. Yes the iPhone was attractive at the time but not initially a smartphone and certainly not the first

Re: The Unicorn Boom Is Over, and Startups Are Getting Desperate

#45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Indeed Apple did not invent the concept of the smartphone. But by all accounts the first iPhone was absolutely considered a smartphone, based on its superior hardware, advanced operating system, and fully-functional web browser. You seem to be equating "smartphone" with "has third party apps", but that isn't the defining characteristic of "smartphone" based on any common usage. Besides, when the iOS App Store was lau…

I had a Nokia n95 at the time. It also had superior hardware and a fully functional web browser. Yes the iPhone was attractive at the time but not initially a smartphone and certainly not the first

I did not say iPhone was the first, I said the opposite. And again, your definition which equates "smartphone" with "has an app store" simply differs from widespread usage of the term.

Both the n95 and original iPhone were widely considered to be smartphones at the time! Examples:

https://www.engadget.com/2006-09-26-nokias-n95-smartphone-go...

https://www.macrumors.com/2008/02/05/iphone-with-28-of-u-s-s...

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