Apple and Android look to be the fast-rising stars in mobile, Facebook dominates social networking and Google is clearly the big Kahuna when it comes to search. But are these tech heavyweights immune from competition, technology advances and shifting consumer loyalties? Don’t bet on it, says the brain trust behind the Web 2.0 Summit. Datamation details what Tim O’Reilly and John Battelle had to say about the battle for control of the network economy. The article also details why O’Reilly thinks the current approach to Internet privacy is “doomed” and some promising new forms of identity control.
The Internet is universally lauded for its openness. It’s a model that has let Facebook grow to over 500 million users in a few short years and Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) build a multi-billion dollar search empire.
But two highly regarded observers of the Internet scene, see a growing battle among the bigger players to lock in their dominant positions as the Web enters its next phase of growth. It’s a battle that they say could result in upstart successes, unexpected alliances and failures.