☀️ EVs need to recharge

Welcome to Level 4.

Things are looking a little different and cleaner around here. I went on an unexpected 1 2 3 month gap (yea, that wasn’t supposed to happen) not publishing to work on the design of this newsletter.

There is still a bit more to be done, but there is no point waiting for perfection. Looking back it would have been better to keep the momentum going, but it has given me some time to revise how I can deliver content in the vision I have.

All that said- let’s get down to this level’s objectives 👇

• ⚡️Tesla supercharger network gets unplugged

• 📹️ Spotify throws the gauntlet down for videos

• 🤖 Google brings AI agents to workspace

BUFFS’N DEBUFFS

Your balance patch for the product and tech world.

Tesla’s coveted supercharger network gets surprise attacked
Debuff / Energy

EV demand slump is taking a toll on all OEMs that are delivering and planning EV models, but Tesla is receiving repeated critical strikes.

According to Tesla’s Q1 2024 investor deck:

• total automotive revenue is -13% YoY

• services and other revenue is +25% YoY

A major contributor to their services and other revenue come from their coveted supercharger network (station count +26% YoY).

Tesla did 3 things right:

• expanded their coveted supercharger network

• made their proprietary charger plug the North American standard

• opened their supercharger network to other OEMs

These 3 factors allowed Tesla to “drive incremental revenue and profit generation” by increasing their total addressable market to non-Tesla owners (who may have to pay a premium for supercharger access).

However, the recent entire 500-person supercharging team lay-off paints a grim picture for what was once a profit generator at the company when auto manufacturing took a hard left turn.

Arguably a core reason users purchased Tesla EVs over other offerings in >2020 was because of their supercharger network. Now, the raw talent + business network is dispersed and up for grabs for other companys looking to dominate the space e.g.

• wholesale clubs,

• 3rd party charging networks,

• oil & gas companies,

• and even other OEMs (for the retail space).

Spotify throws the gauntlet down for video consumers against the likes of YouTube
Buff / Streaming

While YouTube made strides expanding into shortform videos, podcasts, and now arcade games- Spotify joins the ring to take video consumers away from YouTube.

Music videos comprise all of YouTube’s top 30 most-viewed videos on the platform with videos ranging from 3.6 to 14.3 billion views showing there is a prime market to get more screentime on their platform (and maybe open an audiobook while you’re at it).

Currently, music videos is in beta for Spotify premium users across 11 markets.

How else will Spotify make use of video content?

What else do you use YouTube for? Do any of these educational videos resonate?

• how to solve your math homework

• how to fix or build your PC

• random DIY because you’re bored

Spotify is testing a new experiment adding video-based courses to its UK library. By partnering with education companies (think Skillshare, Khan Academy) they may open a new revenue stream for course sellers (hopefully the good kind). At the very least, this will empower large companies and creators to create more, connect with their fans, and make more money.

In their experiment they are testing benefits across different subscription tiers such as:

Would you go to Spotify for music videos and courses? Have you been there for audiobooks?

Google is developing an AI connectivity layer for the GSuite
Buff / AI

Google’s product suite consisting of Gmail, Google Maps, Google Drive, etc. have a new connectivity layer that makes it easier for users to surface and organize information.

Majority of the product development and use cases that can grow from them focus on two main actions:

• finding relevant content

• organizing the information

Major product combinations that demonstrated the accessibility and usefulness of the world’s information were showed off during Google I/O 2024:

All of these product combos are interfacing through a shared Gemini layer for finding relevant context across different modalities and locations. For a recap check out their 10-min highlights.

Arguably the best takeaway (for me) was the announcement of Gemini running on-device in the next Pixel Phone lineup and watching a demo of it in practice.

The ball is in Apple’s court now (unless Siri fumbles). And hoping the new crop of AI devices level up and iterate quicker to reach product-market fit.

What feature(s) are you most excited to use and why?

LOOT DROPS

Loot drops from across the web.

• An assortment of interview questions from product executives and leaders collected by Lenny.

• The AI battlefield is a clear example of companies balancing between risk and opportunity and how missed opportunities can cost us a decade of traction.

• Veritasium dropped the best intro to the world of finances with the underlying trillion dollar equation that runs the world.

QUEST BOARD

Reward: 1000 XP

💌 Enjoyed this entry? Invite a friend to team up for the levels ahead.

✌️ Logging off for now- see you next Friday (promise). Follow my misadventures offline.