Question

now that public weather datasets were becoming available, how would TWC be able to maintain its competitive advantage with its weather-centric running app? How exclusive was the weather content? As well as location and weather, what other data could TWC incorporate into the OutSider app to make it the go-to running app and a source of premium advertising revenue?

Answer 1

Explanation:

With the ever-expanding adoption of data streaming sensors, the ability of an individual firm to monopolise a weather-related data set diminishes greatly firms to expand beyond commodity use of data.

For example, TWC's informational advantage has been slowly eroded by actions such as the National Weather Service's deployment of small weather sensors on Greyhound buses and USPS vehicles to gather micro-climate data across the country. Specifically, its use of weather data to create their proprietary RWI index reflects a step in the right direction—enabling users to instantly gauge their micro-climate and plan a run. Despite weather sets becoming more readily available to the public, TWC could continue to maintain its competitive advantage with its weather-eccentric running app by leveraging its own existing private networks and stations that are not available to the public to supplement existing public data sets and create unique insights. Similarly, TWC could look at acquiring certain weather companies and startups that might provide unique data or a new technology that can leverage user and weather data.

Going forward, focusing on the Outsider app, TWC must continue to enable customised user experiences by making use of its local weather data and historical user data to develop custom user analytics to show how their running and the weather related. In effect, TWC must move beyond just weather and look how to integrate their app with other aspects of its user's life to drive greater value to the user.  

Some additional data and features that can be added to the outsider App to make it more unique would be a ranking amongst consumer's friends and family. Being able to compete amongst fellow runners pushes some to do more runs or beat their own time.