> Flipboard’s bet is that it can build the best reading and discovery tools, without forcing users to only operate inside its platform.
Fascinating, but what is this confidence based on?
Flipboard's existing large user base could enable it to invest more to keep ahead of the competition, at least for a few years.
Maybe some critical Flipboard features (e.g. other than reading and discovery tools) could not be replicated by a competitor.
Something else?
@mike @evan @theverge I really hope you can build that amazing UX and well done for taking the bet!
You made another fascinating statement:
> Basically, we’re in the process of replacing our whole social back-end with ActivityPub
Makes me wonder if your social back-end is potentially general enough to be modularised and reused by others.
@underlap @evan @theverge Our backend was originally built in the era of open social APIs. Flipboard 1.0 let you discover all your social media in one place via those APIs letting you see posts from Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Unfortunately all those APIs were gradually turned off or rendered impractical. We then built our own social layer focused on curation. Today we began to tear down the walls around our own walled garden to become a first class citizen of the fediverse.
@dottorblaster @underlap @evan @theverge Thank you!