Pages tagged bill_gurley:

Google Redefines Disruption: The “Less Than Free” Business Model « abovethecrowd.com
http://abovethecrowd.com/2009/10/29/google-redefines-disruption-the-%E2%80%9Cless-than-free%E2%80%9D-business-model/

I know Leo and the TWiG gang talked about this a bit on Saturday, but this would be a great story for TWiT today. Plus there's a lot of good info in this story, it's very well written.
I then asked my friend, “so why would they ever use the Google (non open source) license version.” Here was the big punch line – because Google will give you ad splits on search if you use that version! That’s right; Google will pay you to use their mobile OS. I like to call this the “less than free” business model. This is a remarkable card to play. Because of its dominance in search, Google has ad rates that blow away the competition. To compete at an equally “less than free” price point, Symbian or windows mobile would need to subsidize. Double ouch!!
less than free is better than free... whee....