As we near another turn of the decade, various brand names (e.g. Myspace, Blackberry, etc.) have been weeded out of the game, and it has finally become clear who the top players are in the future’s media landscape: Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google. Although these four firms have differing roots and humble beginnings, their paths are starting to cross as they race to create the next big thing, and to ultimately run the media landscape of the future. In this essay, the technologies and contested boundaries between Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google will be discussed, as well as the potential outcomes that could determine the winner in the race to the top.

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