alt Hacker NewsThe pattern is quite simple.
Build infrastructure to serve internal operations at a scale no rational external buyer would justify. Optimize it to a level that drives marginal cost below the buyer’s internal alternative. When the surplus capacity is too large to write off, open the API and sell it.
Forgot the last part: when you have eliminated all the competition and have all your customers locked in with no other options, raise the price.
We need to get back to preventing (or breaking up) monopolies.
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> Forgot the last part: when you have eliminated all the competition and have all your customers locked in with no other options, raise the price.
AND don't forget to degrade services as well
Isn't that already illegal in many countries (dumping)?
The issue is that AWS is embedded in many governments and there is no appetite to do anything about it.
If a country started proceedings against AWS they'd risk their country infrastructure going down, so it is a no go.
I wonder why this has not been considered as national security risk and frankly negligence.
break. up. Amazon.
break up Apple, Meta, MSFT, etc... while we're at it.
Or, keep it simpler - if a company passes a market cap of 1 trillion dollars, they must forgo lobbying and "government relations". if you're worth a trillion dollars or more, you don't need the government to hold your hand.
I don’t think it will ever happen. The corruption is so widespread and now openly practiced. The powers that be all have their hands in those cookie jars. Their sweet tooth is insatiable, and they will never relinquish those treats until they get severe spankings.
The 10-K makes this concrete. AWS is 17% of Amazon revenue but ~60% of operating income (FY2024). The retail arm runs on thin margins — the infrastructure arm subsidizes everything.