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Symbiostock has not worked so far (regular sales and loyal customers are the test) because it does not have adequate investment or group vision. The individual sites which have done okay (mostly established illustrators) would have done okay, perhaps better, on managed platforms.

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not true -- reports from those who have/had other sites like photoshelter,smugmug etc, is that their symbio sites have done better than those other sites

Sooner or later a smart entrepreneur will enter into the market and screw everything up with a bunch of mentionable investors in his back...

The opportunity exists for some entrepreneurs and investors to enter into microstock and do the opposite of screw it up, too. None of the existing companies have perfected the art of distributing stock content. Even Shutterstock does a lot of things wrong. And customers have needs that companies like Shutterstock don't fulfill (it's pure insanity to me that I can't sell a vector file with editable text, i.e. non-outlined lettering) and customers are very willing to go elsewhere to get what they need, in the format they want.

It is highly possible (and I think highly likely) that in a few years time we may see a company emerge that can do it all and do it well. The best of everything. Good search tools, a stable website, innovative ways to help buyers find what they want from artists they like and get the kinds of files they want in the formats they want, pay fair royalties, gain contributor trust and support, and ultimately show the rest of these guys how stock should be done.

We all know that every one of the companies we work with have things they can (and should) improve, but often don't. The right group of entrepreneurs, developers, marketing pros, etc., could put something together than doesn't have the flaws these other companies have.

I think we've already seen some of the signs that this can happen. I see small companies doing some incredible things, stuff that the big companies haven't done yet, or won't ever do. I don't think it's a matter of whether some startup company can beat the big guys. It's more a matter of how have the big guys managed to not be beat already at their own game when they do so many things poorly.

What do I see in three years from now?

Subs, DPC, Google Plus, even more Subs, more DPC's and more free images on Google...