Google and Amazon recently got into a childish fight that resulted in Google devices disappearing from Amazon stores, and YouTube disappearing from Echo devices.
Both of them are exercising their near monopoly power to gain leverage over the other company.
There’s been lots of talk about the childish behavior of these two companies. There’s been chuckling at such behavior.
But nobody seems to be paying attention to the callous attitude both companies are showing toward their dominant position in their respective markets.
It’s one thing when they go after each other. But there are a lot of smaller businesses they could go after. Even individuals. Then it will be a one-way battle. David will have almost no leverage against the Goliaths.
I don’t think we should brush off this behavior like it’s a playground tussle. Amazon is a huge e-commerce store dominant in the US. Google has a near monopoly on search, many people’s conduit to the entire Internet. These companies have great power, and are behaving like children.
And when they decide to go after someone smaller, it won’t be trivial, or funny, any longer.