What Was That?! - India's Paint Industry is Evolving, Apple in China, AI in Finance, OpenAI updates

What Was That?! - Tata Sons's Trials & Tribulations, an Google Play Store Loses in Court

It's What Was That?! time, and our stories are getting longer and deeper, no jokes related to last week's topic, please. We discuss how Google Play Store has lost a key court case about the fees charged by its Play Store services. It's a big one, they're appealing for sure, but this is a key loss with ramifications for their global ops. Nitesh gets into some of Tata Sons' struggles as it tries to manage its vast portfolio across many, many different sectors. Links: https://www.theverge.com/news/716856/epic-v-google-win-in-appeals-courtAnd, more importantly, Kung Fu Hustle:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SN43SPZMNuohttps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ixeHttmdsZY

What Was That?! - Solar Power Is Taking Over the World, and Cupid Ltd's Condom Success Story

It's What Was That?! Time again. We did deep dives into two stories this time - one, how rapidly solar power capacity is increasing, far beyond most people's expectations, and what it means from the lens of geopolitics, economics and the environment - all areas we have no expertise in. It's a fascinating story, based on this article: https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-a-warming-planet/46-billion-years-on-the-sun-is-having-a-momentNitesh digs deep into the history and recent news about Cupid Ltd - a company that fits the one-man-against-the-odds archetype. Yup, really, it's a great story.

What Was That?! Polymarket Rebellion, Tiffany Faces a Backlash, and Intel's Fraught Decision-making

It's What Was That time again, in an episode where Nitesh and Vineet talk about betting markets in scandal over what defines a suit, and Tiffany the jewellery company collaborating with Patek Philippe and losing goodwill by irritating the folks who wanted to, y'know, give money and get a watch. By taking their money, giving them jewellery, promising them the option to buy a watch in the future, and then refusing to sell the watch. Both stories leading Vineet to conclude that maybe rich people have too much money. Oh, and we also go deep into Intel making a few really bad decisions, in hindsight, and how companies can grow to be giants and still try to innovate. Nitesh also compared Archies (y'know, the gift card guys) with Lockheed Martin (y'know, totally not the gift card guys). Fun times. Links:https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/us/intel-facing-a-blackberry-moment-as-thousands-laid-off-ceo-says-too-late-to-catch-up-with-ai-as-firm-falls-out-of-global-top-10/articleshow/122390727.cmshttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-07-17/tiffany-s-blue-dial-nautilus-watch-release-frayed-its-patek-relationshiphttps://notpricedin.substack.com/p/archetypes-and-heartacheshttps://notpricedin.substack.com/p/2-heavy-lies-the-crownhttps://www.wired.com/story/volodymyr-zelensky-suit-polymarket-rebellion/

What Was That?! - Lavasa's Revival, Foxconn Staff Recalled from India, Federer is a Billionaire

A lot of action, both on the business side and the tech side in the AI industry. Acquisition offers - both for townships, and for people. Fun fact: Meta offered *one guy* a signing bonus that's equal to what Welspun offered to pay for all of Lavasa. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/property-/-cstruction/welspun-bids-the-most-for-lavasa-corporation-lodha-developers-jindal-steel-and-power-group-in-fray-too/articleshow/122146710.cmsWelspun has put in a bid for Lavasa. Is this finally the start of the revival of the famed but ill-fated township? Let's hope.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZUG0pr5hBoSam Altman's interviews are getting more and more vague, and the promises more befuddling. Are we at peak AI bubble? Also because Meta has been hiring people at, there is no better word for this, INSANE signing bonuses. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-27/roger-federer-s-long-term-deals-make-him-a-tennis-billionaireFederer is a billionaire now, thanks to his association with On Running.https://www.newindianexpress.com/business/2025/Jul/03/foxconn-recalls-chinese-staff-from-india-apples-local-expansion-faces-setbackFoxconn recalls top staff from India, on instructions from the Chinese Government. And more!

What Was That?! - India's Paint Industry is Evolving, Apple in China, AI in Finance, OpenAI updates

We recorded two weeks in a row! Vineet and Nitesh discuss a ton of ranging from Ferrari's first SUV-is-not-an-SUV, to the complexities of India's vehicle registration system. We look into the consolidation and evolution of India's paint industry, the impact of AI on financial certifications, and the ongoing struggles of OpenAI in securing funding, and the interesting dance going on between OpenAI, Softbank and Microsoft. We also talk about a fascinating new book - Apple in China by Patrick McGee. https://appleinchina.com/https://m.economictimes.com/industry/cons-products/paints/jsw-paints-to-buy-akzo-nobel-india-for-rs-9000-cr-announcement-today/articleshow/122098689.cms