Jason Calacanis CNBC SquawkAlley 04/11/19: Lyft & Uber IPOs, Disney+ streams, Alexa spills secrets

TL;DR

Jason Calacanis shares insights on the Lyft IPO, Disney's streaming service, and potential security risks of using Alexa devices.

Transcript

with us to break it all down angel investor tech entrepreneur Jason Calacanis is with us Jason welcome back good to see you again it's good to be home how are you Cara I'm good I've been wondering what Jason thinks about lyft having worked its way down from the mid-80s in just a few days what do you think what are your thoughts yeah I mean everybod... Read More

Key Insights

• 🍉 Stocks like Lyft and Uber should be viewed as long-term investments rather than vehicles for short-term gains.
• 👰‍♀️ Uber's global presence and network effects position them as the potential leader in the ride-sharing market.
• 💖 Disney Plus has the potential to surpass Netflix in subscribers due to its strong intellectual property portfolio, theme parks, and premium content approach.
• 🎥 Disney's streaming service may drive further engagement with their movies and theme parks, rather than cannibalizing their traditional movie business.
• 🔒 Concerns about privacy and security surround Alexa devices, with Calacanis suggesting that these devices may have been hacked and their data compromised.
• 🖐️ The default settings and transparency of technology products play a significant role in user privacy and data security.
• 🏪 Apple's approach of storing and processing data on local devices, with a focus on privacy, is commendable and may become the industry standard.

Questions & Answers

Q: Should investors be concerned about the recent drop in Lyft shares due to the upcoming Uber IPO?

Calacanis suggests that long-term investors should not worry about short-term fluctuations and should focus on holding stocks like Lyft and Uber for 5 to 10 years. He believes that Uber has the potential to become the dominant player in the ride-sharing industry.

Q: How does Disney's streaming service, Disney Plus, compare to competitors like Netflix?

Calacanis predicts that Disney will surpass Netflix in subscribers within the next decade, given their extensive intellectual property, theme parks, advertising, and merchandising businesses. He sees Disney's clean, premium content approach as a contrast to the user-generated content and ads found on platforms like YouTube and Facebook.

Q: Is owning an Alexa device a security risk?

Calacanis expresses concerns about the potential hacking and abuse of Alexa devices. He advises against having these devices in households, emphasizing the need for greater awareness of the privacy implications. He recommends adopting an opt-in approach for training AI and defaulting training features off.

Q: Should consumers be informed about how Alexa devices work?

Calacanis suggests that Jeff Bezos should make training data features on Alexa devices opt-in and provide clear information to users about how these devices collect and store data. He believes that defaults and transparency are crucial for users to make informed decisions about their privacy.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Calacanis believes that the short-term fluctuations of Lyft stock prices are not significant for Silicon Valley investors, as many stocks now trade in the private market before going public.

• He advises investors to hold onto stocks like Lyft and Uber for the long term rather than attempting to flip them, as the potential for growth and accomplishments over a decade outweigh short-term fluctuations.

• Calacanis highlights his belief in Uber's potential dominance in the ride-sharing market, citing the company's global presence and network effects.