Possible Apple acquisitions
I thought it was a good time to start another one of these things. Apple has 6 billion in the bank and just released tons of great products (marketshare increasing products) and the best selling iMac G5.
So, what would be good for Apple to buy, either expand into new markets or increase market share in area they already offer products and services.
So, what would be good for Apple to buy, either expand into new markets or increase market share in area they already offer products and services.
Comments
Originally posted by macserverX
I thought it was a good time to start another one of these things. Apple has 6 billion in the bank and just released tons of great products (marketshare increasing products) and the best selling iMac G5.
So, what would be good for Apple to buy, either expand into new markets or increase market share in area they already offer products and services.
MACromedia
Just think..... owning Flash... Shockwave
2. Tivo
3. Adobe
4. Vonage
Just think..... owning Flash... Shockwave
So Apple would be the owners of the most annoying web app ever.
I LOVE acquisition talk. Let's see. Apple is looking to turn the Digital Music Revolution into a 6 billion dollar venture by say 2007? To do that they need to expand.
Tivo- easy purchase (350 million}
They have 2 million users and a decent interface. Apple needs to save them from themselves. Backend advertising deals, getting in bed with Microsoft and other actions have lead some to believe that they are barking down the wrong tree. Apple could right them and get the excitement back in DVRs.
Minnetonka Audio Software-
Apple needs to move into DVD-Audio/SACD authoring. MAS offers some nice tools that Apple will need if they wish to remain in the upper echolon of production. This has been rumored before at TS http://www.thinksecret.com/news/tsnotes.html MAS has also just announced their first Mac product http://www.minnetonkaaudio.com/news/2004/bronzeOSX.html
Portal Player
The iPod. Nuff said this company might need to be purchased before some other company snaps them up and come out with something cool.
Sonos Media Server -
This product rocks. Apple better have something that does almost everything this thing does quickly.
I also think Apple should be OEM some standard consumer electronic stuff. A networked DVD player or hometheater amp using digital amplification. A nice set top box would do the trick.
Why am I "still" waiting for a decent home solution for my AAC iTMS files? This cannot continue into 2006. 300 million+ tracks deserved to be played on devices other than iPods and Motorola cell phones.
Silicon Optix -
These guys make high end video scaler/deinterlacer and other products. With Apple's renewed interest in video they should grab this company and bring some nice hardware video products to the masses. The new Realta HQV chip is a monster.
All the music stores are at the mercy of the labels. MS may make money if they can get everyone to use their encoding technology and pay a liscence fee. Beyond that there is no money in online music stores unless the labels lower prices.
They will not lower prices as far as I can tell, they have a quazi monopoly.
Eventually they will try and raise prices as has been rumored. Plus they drag feet on liscencing deals that slow the introduction of iTunes stores in Japan etc.... And I am just waiting for Sony to say no Sony music on iTunes.
So Apple needs Universal. With their catalogue they could totally change the online music distribution system.
Of course the catch is the Beatles.
A music catalogue. They should have bought Universal.
This would have created fear at the negotiating table. Apple was smart not to seriously consider buying Universal.
because everyone wants a $3000 neon green mac with a bunch of blue leds
But really, AVID, it is the only real competition to FCP and if it was swallowed up into fcp...and how cool would this be "Introduceing Apple PROTOOLS|HD|, the hardware looks great in a rack of xserves and xsreve raids."...'nuff said
Originally posted by Mr Beardsley
Buy a game house. They should do for computer games what pixar has done for animated movies. Release some totally cool, rendezvous, iSight, openGL game that is a hoot to play and totally different from all the other PC games. Would be nice to have a selection of killer games on only the mac for a change.
Sadly EA and M$ have pretty much monopolised that...
They should also buy a company that provides networking products. They need Ethernet Switches/Fiber Switches and other ancillary products. I should be able to buy Apple branded "SAN in a Box"
And just for "fun" Apple should buy Kinetta
http://www.kinetta.com/ and help revolutionize the "Film" recording industrym
Movie makers would make Apple their God.
Originally posted by salmonstk
A music catalogue. They should have bought Universal.
Not a good idea. Apple isn't a music company. I would rather seeing Apple providing free support and giving away money to record labels and other music & media companies to use Apple's media technologies (just like what M$ has done to some big corporations - providing free support and even give them money if they sign contract with M$ for using their stuff exclusively).
Originally posted by air video
They should buy Bang and Olufsen and Tivo to accelerate entry into the wireless video world (Tivo) and the high end/high design entertainment transducer (B&O) markets.
Good call. I'd like some B&O motion sensors on my mac, to open glass doors or something
Buying Tivo would be an excellent move. Apple needs video content...
TIVO is obvious. IMO apple is gearing themselves as an integrated platform for entertainment. and watching TV via a Mac machine while doing 18 other things will be the coolest thing in the next 3 years. i am confident that not only they will be able to make this happen, but also make it avaliable via a simple and intuitive GUI for the non-technical end users.
i think apple should get into the mobile world. because there is so much room for developement in the mobile world. and nokia IMO is the company that is serious about creating the best / most user-friendly and intuitive GUI for their phones. and i think this similarity will make them good match.
volkswagen.. haha.. i think mac should instill their presence in automobiles given that these days all cars have DVD players and GPS systems. and volkwagens will give them an entrance into the potential china market.
computer game is obvious. it will be cool to see pixar quality video games (RPG preferably) on a mac machine.
Originally posted by air video
They should buy Bang and Olufsen
Yes, B&O, Bose or one of the hi-fi manufacturers may be a good choice.
Another option would be a mobile phone/handset company.
But that would have to be a merger/acquisition, as they are all pretty much about twice Apple's size in terms of market cap. Starting with Motorola.
Cos, Windows runs on smartphones. Even Linux runs on smartphones. Though I'm not suggesting Mac OS X run on Motorola handsets, I do think with the iPod OS going colour, it would make an excellent "iPhone" OS. Sometime soon, phones will have the capability to double as an iPod shuffle and maybe later as even an iPod. I think the iPod will eventually morph into a mobile phone/handset.
Originally posted by M.O.S.T
MACromedia
Just think..... owning Flash... Shockwave
YES! so that FINALLY Flash will actually play back at a decent speed on the Mac!!!!
Steve enters Macromedia HQ, goes straight to the "Mac port" section....
Steve says "i've been hearing that Flash doesn't play so well on a Mac"
Developers piss themselves
15 days and 10 developers later, Flash 8 for Mac runs 20x faster than Flash 8 for PC, therefore proving once and for all that Mac rules
*no offense intended to any Macromedia employees...
but why IS Flash so slow on a Mac ??????????????