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First mover advantages are weak, at best. A second mover that executes better and or has a meaningfully superior product or value proposition will win just about every time.

See: Atari (Nintendo), Friendster (FB), MySpace (FB), Motorola (Apple, Samsung, Nokia), AltaVista (Google), Nintendo (PlayStation), Apple (Windows), Microsoft (iPhone, iPad, Android), Betamax (VHS), RealMedia, Ford (GM), Walkman (iPod), 3dfx (nVidia), Yahoo, AOL (open web), Hotmail, Woolworth's (Sears), Kmart/Kresge and Sears (Wal-Mart), US Steel, Blockbuster (Netflix), Kodak & Polaroid (digital), Sun Microsystems, Xerox, Borders & BN (Amazon), Blackberry & Nokia (iPhone), VisiCalc (Excel), Lotus Notes (MS Office). All examples of first/early movers that got displaced.




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