As @oflannabhra said, I think this is a case of hindsight thinking, with little predictive impact. Privacy issues can very quickly change everything. Security issues (story on NPR today about medical devices pretty much all vulnerable and ripe for random killing of people) could as well. Climate change is going to be a large driver for technology in the near future. The tech situation is very, very dynamic right now and it is way too early to say we are going to settle down with the current tech giants.
Also, giants are giants. In manufacturing, there are absolutely vast advantages to economy of scale. In tech, except for network effects, it's very easy for a very broad array of upstart companies to dominate their respective arenas at the 100bn level.
> today’s cloud and mobile companies — Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, and Google — may very well be the GM, Ford, and Chrysler of the 21st century.
Well, except google is not a cloud or mobile company. They are an advertising company.
Also, giants are giants. In manufacturing, there are absolutely vast advantages to economy of scale. In tech, except for network effects, it's very easy for a very broad array of upstart companies to dominate their respective arenas at the 100bn level.
> today’s cloud and mobile companies — Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, and Google — may very well be the GM, Ford, and Chrysler of the 21st century.
Well, except google is not a cloud or mobile company. They are an advertising company.