Jan 2, 2019 · 22m · a16z
a16z Podcast | Searching for Mobile's Third OS
gold bands on the timeline = statements, start to end. Hover to read, click to jump. CC turns on captions
In this episode of the a16z Podcast, Cyanogen CEO Kurt McMaster and Andreessen Horowitz's Anzal discuss the necessity and strategy for establishing a third mobile operating system. They explain how an open OS platform can challenge the Apple-Google duopoly by enabling deep developer integration and capturing localized emerging markets.
How this conversation actually went
Every chapter scored 0–10 on four independent dynamics. Hover any point for the reasoning behind the score. How this is scored →
speaking balance: gold is the host, purple is the guest (3 minute bins)
Kurt forcefully rejects standard market praise for Apple, asserting their hardware is not superior and that they only win because everyone else is so bad.
Hardest push from the host ▶ 19:29 The PC bloatware analogy pushbackAnzal directly challenges Kurt's vision of deep regional BD integrations by comparing it to the frustrating pre-installed crapware on Windows laptops a decade earlier.
Biggest teaching moment ▶ 14:01 Micromax price-performance lessonKurt educates the host on the rapid commoditization of hardware, citing Micromax's $140 octa-core LTE device that delivers iPhone-level performance at a fraction of the cost.
The host holds their own ▶ 1:32 Citing Apple's 75M sales recordMichael grounds the theoretical discussion in real market performance, citing Apple's 75 million quarterly phone sales to query what consumers are actually missing.
the scores for every segment, with the reasoning behind each
| Chapter | Topic | The host as informed peer | Guest teaching | Guest disagreement | The host pushing back | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Limits of Existing Platforms and Vision for an Open OS | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | Michael challenges the need for a third OS by bringing up Apple's record quarter selling 75 million iPhones and high consumer satisfaction. Anzal adds market context regarding hardware versus software strengths in Xiaomi, Apple, Nokia, and Blackberry. Kurt argues forcefully that existing platforms act as closed shells that restrict true service innovation. | |
| Empowering Developers via Deep OS Integration | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | Kurt explains how startup developers in AI and machine learning are trapped at the application layer without OS-level access. Anzal displays technical domain knowledge by detailing how iOS settings-level integration works for Twitter OAuth versus deeper root access. The host team asks facilitating questions while Kurt elaborates on open system access. | |
| Cyanogen's Strategy and Regional App Ecosystems | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | Anzal highlights regional app ecosystems in China, India, and Russia where Google services do not dominate. Kurt describes Cyanogen's roots in open-source community modification and its goal to give developers a full canvas. The exchange is highly collaborative and aligned. | |
| Disruption in Emerging Markets and Hardware Commoditization | 4 | 6 | 5 | 2 | Kurt rejects the premise that emerging markets receive dumbed-down products, insisting they lead mobile innovation due to single-device reliance. He schools the host panel on Micromax overtaking Samsung in India with $140 octa-core LTE phones and references Christensen's disruption theory. Anzal supports the discussion by providing global smartphone shipment data. | |
| Software Differentiation and Localized Geo-Optimization | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | Michael presses Kurt for evidence on why now is the right time for a third OS given past failures by Microsoft and Nokia. Kurt bluntly asserts that Apple products only look great because competitors are so bad, predicting margin collapse within 5 to 10 years. Kurt also details local geo-stack optimization using examples like BBM in Indonesia. | |
| Why Past Competitors Failed and the Future of Invisible Computing | 6 | 5 | 4 | 7 | Anzal delivers explicit pushback by introducing a counterpoint comparing pre-integrated regional OS services to laptop PC desktop bloatware from 10 years prior. Kurt addresses the critique directly, reframing the model as invisible computing where core services fade into background defaults based on space-time context. |