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Comment by lwhi | Hacker News Reader

All this confirms to me, is the fact that the app space is mainly a battleground for highly evolved corporate entities to fight for attention and profit.

Being unique or solving a purpose that's genuinely useful to its audience, doesn't seem to be a primary aim of businesses like Snapchat.

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- Snapchat didn't exist until 7 years ago, so not sure they qualify as a highly evolved corporate entity

- Snapchat solves a unique communication problem (the desire to express yourself without it living forever). It still solves this problem today, however so do a lot of competitors.

I _think_ they mean that it's the entities that post on the platform that are "highly evolved corporate entities fighting for attention".

That's a good point, most of the social media platforms have parts that are essentially lawless advertising space.

they qualify as a highly evolved corporate entity

Why not? You’re a highly evolved biological entity and you were from the very moment you were conceived! Evolution refers to your ancestors, not to any individual.

Sure, but what does that actually mean?

Can it solve a problem for which people are willing to pay? If not, advertising is the only source of revenue, which means they have to fight for people's attention.

I know an analyst at SnapChat, it's not a well managed company at all apparently. The way it was described to me was that a manager of a very popular lemonade stand suddenly is put in charge of Pepsi. They have very talented engineers, and analysts, but the glue to connect the employees - management, is so lacking that it's a shit show

Due to a lack of overall direction and a common goal, teams are isolated in their own silos (which they're good at), but there's no cohesion. At the moment the company is reactive to competitors, not innovative and a leader in the space like what you could argue they were a few years ago

If your valuation is too high as a company you have no other choice but to aim for the mass market.

A unicorn is not supposed to fill a niche, it’s supposed to fight till death.

The only axioma that gives you the best perspective of the business world is that the primary aim of ANY business is ALWAYS the profit. Even if they have the most melting motto or have the most sentimental text bullshit on their website, they all have a purpose.

And not saying that this is wrong. After all this is how the society works.

Sounds like you've never met a brick and mortar small business owner.

Well my grand-mother has an account on Snap and she keeps complaining she cannot find the account of Donald.

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