Structured analyses of products I admire
Structured analyses of products I admire — retention loops, monetization strategies, and the product decisions behind the design. Each teardown ends with a key insight.
Mobile Gaming · 2024
Deep dive into CoC's retention loops, clan mechanics, and monetization — how Supercell engineered 10+ years of daily active use.
Key Insight
“The clan system is the product. Without social obligation, CoC is just a builder game.”
Navigation · 2024
How Maps evolved from navigation to a local discovery platform — and why the review ecosystem is their true moat.
Key Insight
“Google Maps isn't a map. It's a local intent engine with navigation as the hook.”
Expense Sharing · 2024
Analyzing Splitwise's viral group dynamics, trust-based monetization, and why they resisted feature bloat for a decade.
Key Insight
“Splitwise's power is in the awkward conversation it replaces — not the math.”