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Electronics giant Sony rumored for potential Apple acquisition - Page 4

post #121 of 214
10/26/10 at 10:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tulkas View Post

One of the dumbest Apple rumours ever. It would make no sense at all for Apple to buy Sony. They would gain nothing. There is little Sony does that Apple does not do better or would do better if they wanted into that market.

Sony have really good engineers and build a lot of power into small form factors. They are also huge in home entertainment.

The first thing Apple would do is discontinue Blu-Ray of course but at least we'd have a powerful games console and Apple could simultaneously release games for the PS3 and Mac, competing against the XBox 360/Windows eco-system. I know which I'd rather have. Uncharted 2 on my Mac would be sweeet.

It's not likely though. A buyout of the likes of Samsung might be a more profitable venture. There's also partnerships to be made.
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post #122 of 214
10/26/10 at 10:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marvin View Post

Sony have really good engineers and build a lot of power into small form factors. They are also huge in home entertainment.

The first thing Apple would do is discontinue Blu-Ray of course but at least we'd have a powerful games console and Apple could simultaneously release games for the PS3 and Mac, competing against the XBox 360/Windows eco-system. I know which I'd rather have. Uncharted 2 on my Mac would be sweeet.

It's not likely though. A buyout of the likes of Samsung might be a more profitable venture. There's also partnerships to be made.

Yeah, Apple could learn how to lose as much money from videogames as Sony do. the PS3 has been an unmitigated disaster for Sony. And despite a massive investment, MS struggles to break-even with the 360.

Why do people think that videogames console makers make any money?

C.
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post #123 of 214
10/26/10 at 10:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mesomorphicman View Post

Could it be a Sony planted rumor for stock price enhancement?

More than likely it's the "institutional investor crowd" that would, and will be planting these rumors. They can do "block trading" and make (potentially) a lot of $$$ as we get closer to calendar year end. There are probably some fund managers that are getting nervous about their "performance" level as "final exams" come closer and will start to get very aggressive with their "manipulative tactics". This is going to be very interesting, imho.

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post #124 of 214
10/26/10 at 10:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve-J View Post

They have extensive IP. They also have lots of proprietary stuff, like Memory Sticks and Mini Disks.

Quote:
Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post

I am one of the suckers that bought heavily into their minidisc technology........ the biggest waste of electronics $$ in my life (and I waste a lot of $$ on electronics!). \

And, from what I've read, the proprietary (and bundled) memory stick technology is is one of the key factors that led them down the path to irrelevancy in their consumer products.

So, not very good examples.

i agree anan, I had several miniDiscs because they did record great audio with the optical, but albeit only at 72 minutes at a time. It was a very promising tech if they could create a mini-BD 10 YEARS ago.

i still have stacks and stacks of sony miniDiscs. Sony are not for one for maximizing storage capacities. I knew it was just an experiment on sony's part that never fully matured. Never trusted portable digital from analog conversions laptops until the g4 macs.

Its the same with the superior Beta vs. vhs.
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post #125 of 214
10/26/10 at 10:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve-J View Post

I don't buy Sony products, and I avoid proprietary stuff in general. But the IP could be used to make viable Apple products.

and don't forget the IP they have in the PSP. Apple seems to be doing well with casual gaming on its devices, and Sony has lots of casual gaming titles and tech to built on.

And their console has already licensed bluray ...

And this is worth 30.000.000.000$ ?
Not.

There is no-thing to gain for Apple, they might lose their focus, Sony would only drag them down.
And IF Apple is going for that big HDTV living room they do not need SOny either. Just buy the panels like flash.
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post #126 of 214
10/26/10 at 10:31am
Sony needs someone like Steve Jobs to put them back on track, but I highly doubt this would happen. I don't see what Apple would gain by it.
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post #127 of 214
10/26/10 at 10:56am
Doesn't Sony own substantial copyrights in music? If that is true, a purchase would make sense so Apple could open their systems without having to negotiate with a continuingly difficult set of copyright owners.
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post #128 of 214
10/26/10 at 11:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob55 View Post

Actually, Soundtrack Pro is the direct competitor to Soundbooth, not Logic.

Right. I stand corrected.
"Don't be a dick!"Wil Wheaton
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"Don't be a dick!"Wil Wheaton
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post #129 of 214
10/26/10 at 11:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by pmz View Post

The amount of people denouncing this as impossible or "never in a million years"
just goes to show how few people that participate on this site are actual financial investors.

Of course it could happen. Anything could. WTF do you know?

Well if you are an actual financial investor you clearly haven't done your homework. A lot of people here understand the Apple mindset and know that this is a deal that simply won't happen under Steve's watch.

Buying Adobe might make more sense but that isn't going to happen either. The fallout that would hit Apple for killing off the Windows business (which they would undoubtedly do), would be extremely toxic. Now that Apple are on top they need to look after their reputation and public/political standing better than ever (much to Steve's annoyance I'm sure).

As someone else commented here, Apple's targets are smaller verticals than can be integrated without indigestion.
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post #130 of 214
10/26/10 at 11:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by BB Sting View Post

It would be illegal under Japanese law for Apple to purchase Sony, unlike America, Japan considers it almost like a foreign invasion for an outside company to take control of one of theirs and even if it weren't illegal, the chances of a Japanese company selling out to an American would be extremely low, Japanese people are extremely nationalistic and xenophobic and even a tad bit racist.

Well, I'm not sure how they stop this if Sony is publicly owned, although, maybe they never sell more than a controlling share... just not sure.

But I would say Japanese people (in general) are very nationalistic, EXTREMELY xenophobic and MORE than a tad bit racist.

-IAMIQ78
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post #131 of 214
10/26/10 at 11:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by diddy View Post

Maybe, but they would also have to deal with the consequences with having such control. Not to mention the fact that Adobe is heavily invested in the Windows business.

I just don't see it happening. The companies aren't that compatible culture wise and the legal hassles wouldn't be worth it.

Adobe has no intentions on dropping Apple so there is no reason to buy Adobe unless they wanted to make an overtly anti-competitive move. If Adobe is still going to develop for the Mac than why bother buying them up?

Apple builds a number of Windows-compatible appsif they purchased Adobe (which they likely won't) there's no reason to worry that they'd drop Windows support.
Their cultural problems would actually be a pretty good reason to buy Adobeit would ensure that Apple would not be left in the lurch. Didn't Adobe drop the Mac version of Premiere for a while? In general, it seems that Adobe and Apple have a kind of on-again/off-again relationship.

The anti-competitive issue is important thoughif Apple did find themselves owning the content creation/delivery market (especially as a direct result of the purchase of Adobe), that might raise some eyebrows among industry watchdogs, not to mention the government.
"Don't be a dick!"Wil Wheaton
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post #132 of 214
10/26/10 at 11:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rupelja View Post

I believe Sony would be more trouble than its worth. Besides Apple dose not need Sony, Apple is selling its goods just fine.

Apple needs more capacity and more reasons for people to buy their products.

1) Buy production from acquiring manufactures.

2) Buy Sprint and Apple could form its own wireless network.

Take it Easy

Wouldn't Sony come with more capacity? I mean there's tons of Sony products out there, they've got to have some manufacturing. And I haven't heard about any issues like Foxconn has with them. Think of all the extra iPhone capacity, Apple needs that. What if the Vaio series was replaced with a new Macbook series? That could get Apple in a lot of new places and boost market share. Think of OS X on many of Sony's computers, think of iOS on so many of their devices. Sony's like a mediocre hardware company that could be great, but fails on the software too. Apple has great great software, and needs somewhere to put it. How about Sony? It'd get a lot more macs out there.

I think it'd be cool if Apple bought a wireless network, but that's just not likely to happen.

I could see Apple buying Sony and sprucing it up. It would seriously boost Apple's market share, and give it lots of outlets for its two OSes, plus they could clean up Playstation's OS, its menus have needed help from day 1. This could be awesome. Doubt it will happen, but would be really neat if it did.

And are we sure Apple would discontinue Blu Ray? Sure Steve obviously wants to go discless, but would he be so enthused to kill it when he owns the licensing rights he described as a "Big bag of hurt"? Eventually yes, but immediately I kind of doubt it. Having the standard isn't something you just throw away.
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post #133 of 214
10/26/10 at 11:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by vinney57 View Post

Well if you are an actual financial investor you clearly haven't done your homework. A lot of people here understand the Apple mindset and know that this is a deal that simply won't happen under Steve's watch.

Buying Adobe might make more sense but that isn't going to happen either. The fallout that would hit Apple for killing off the Windows business (which they would undoubtedly do), would be extremely toxic. Now that Apple are on top they need to look after their reputation and public/political standing better than ever (much to Steve's annoyance I'm sure).

As someone else commented here, Apple's targets are smaller verticals than can be integrated without indigestion.

Why would they kill the windows software side? Dont you think the feds would start digging into that? Also adobes buisiness would decline 50%. Thats not good business practice to buy somthing then stop doing what brings in 50% of the money in that company?!?!

Even Apple has windows software REMEMBER? Safari, itunes...
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post #134 of 214
10/26/10 at 11:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Futuristic View Post

Apple builds a number of Windows-compatible apps—if they purchased Adobe (which they likely won't) there's no reason to worry that they'd drop Windows support.
Their cultural problems would actually be a pretty good reason to buy Adobe—it would ensure that Apple would not be left in the lurch. Didn't Adobe drop the Mac version of Premiere for a while? In general, it seems that Adobe and Apple have a kind of on-again/off-again relationship.

The anti-competitive issue is important though—if Apple did find themselves owning the content creation/delivery market (especially as a direct result of the purchase of Adobe), that might raise some eyebrows among industry watchdogs, not to mention the government.

Apple's relationship with Adobe is more like off again/off again. They haven't seen eye-to-eye for a decade at least, since John Warnock retired. They are totally hostile to each other now.

I don't see any antitrust issues with Apple owning Sony, just some serious, basic logic and intelligence issues. Apple owning any studio would be complete poison for their efforts to retail content from as many creators as possible. Nobody wants to become a partner with a competitor.

Then you get to the financials of these two companies, which are the biggest problem of all.
Please don't be insane.
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Please don't be insane.
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post #135 of 214
10/26/10 at 11:40am
buy adobe instead so we can have flash on our iphones finally!!!!
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post #136 of 214
10/26/10 at 11:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by vinney57 View Post

Well if you are an actual financial investor you clearly haven't done your homework. A lot of people here understand the Apple mindset and know that this is a deal that simply won't happen under Steve's watch.

Buying Adobe might make more sense but that isn't going to happen either. The fallout that would hit Apple for killing off the Windows business (which they would undoubtedly do), would be extremely toxic. Now that Apple are on top they need to look after their reputation and public/political standing better than ever (much to Steve's annoyance I'm sure).

As someone else commented here, Apple's targets are smaller verticals than can be integrated without indigestion.

Why would they kill the windows software side? Dont you think the feds would start digging into that? Also adobes business would decline 50%. Thats not good business practice to buy somthing then stop doing what brings in 50% of the money in that company?!?!

Even Apple has windows software REMEMBER? Safari, itunes...

But Ill believe it only when I see it.
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post #137 of 214
10/26/10 at 11:46am
IF this were to happen, Apple would be interested mainly in IP, and CONTENT. Sony has the content Apple lacks be that music, games, or video. All 'problems' 'solved' in one purchase.

Just need a decent social network and a search engine and Apple will have fully future-proofed themselves.


Except, it's pretty unlikely Apple will buy Sony IMO. But the fit is not as bad as many make out here.
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post #138 of 214
10/26/10 at 12:05pm
I can see this happen. These are the only two companies from which i have alwyays admired the product's design, usability and innovation. Sony is in my opinion the clear leader of home entertainment equipment out there. This would put apple on top of home/portable entertainment!

They could launch real apple tv's. And enter the gaming market with Apple Playstation.

THey would even own mobile company Sony ericson
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post #139 of 214
10/26/10 at 12:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by xyz001 View Post

I can see this happen. These are the only two companies from which i have alwyays admired the product's design, usability and innovation. Sony is in my opinion the clear leader of home entertainment equipment out there.

Stay off the drugs.

DaHarder just got banned. Let's crack open the champagne.

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DaHarder just got banned. Let's crack open the champagne.

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post #140 of 214
10/26/10 at 12:23pm
It's not as crazy as it sounds. The 2 companies have similar design goals. Acquiring the PlayStation franchise would be a huge win for Apple.
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post #141 of 214
10/26/10 at 12:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tomweston713 View Post

buy adobe instead so we can have flash on our iphones finally!!!!

IF Apple bought Adobe, they would either phase out Flash, or completely rebuild it from the ground up.
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post #142 of 214
10/26/10 at 12:32pm
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Originally Posted by rtm135 View Post

Acquiring the PlayStation franchise would be a huge win for Apple.

Why?
In 2009 it was the biggest loss maker within the Sony group.
It'd be like buying the Titanic for the hole in the side.


C.
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post #143 of 214
10/26/10 at 12:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rtm135 View Post

It's not as crazy as it sounds. The 2 companies have similar design goals. Acquiring the PlayStation franchise would be a huge win for Apple.

Yes. It is. Google "Bandai Pippin" so that you can laugh at yourself along with the rest of us for thinking Apple would keep a gaming console around. Especially one that LOSES MONEY on EVERY unit sold.
PhilBoogie
That's Google alright. For a stupid company they sure do dumb things.
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PhilBoogie
That's Google alright. For a stupid company they sure do dumb things.
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post #144 of 214
10/26/10 at 12:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sammy Davis View Post

FT is just trying to make sense of something they don't understand and they aren't going to understand. Many many years ago, back when the FT reporters were probably little boys and girls, Steve Jobs used to tell friends and colleagues about his admiration for Sony and the Walkman. It was able to change culture and it was beautiful. It was a cult product. And Steve wanted to work with Sony and learn from Sony about the process by which they made such things that align technology with need. And he did.

When the ipod came out...it made perfect sense that this was a direction that Steve would want to push the company. Not to invent, but to innovate using mostly existing technology to make something really cool that would be culturally iconic. Again with the iPhone. And when we see not a netbook, but a forward-looking device to try to better align technology to need, the iPad makes perfect sense.


This whole thing got rolling because Steve Jobs said he wants to hold on to the $50 billion for strategic acquisitions. So you have this company that buys technologies for like a half a billion dollars...and you want to guess what they are going to use $50 billion for?

I will say...many many years ago...maybe 20 years ago, Steve Jobs used to talk about a fantasy of his where he would create the ability for people to create their own TV stations. They would not be subject to the whims of programming directors or kind of the narrow pipeline of broadcast frequency or even cable channels. He thought this would be really cool. Steve has also said going back many many years that he thinks in terms primary technologies and the application of what apple is good at (software, design, interface, user experience). What do we need to do this...what can we make well...what do we have to buy....

What are the pieces to making a successful technology that would allow you to create your own TV station? Maybe there is a piece or two there that might require amounts of money approaching $50B...where the technology is not quite there yet, but getting closer and closer....and when the time comes, the money will be needed....

I would say look there.

Now this is extremely interesting. FaceTime comes to mind, as does the mystery data center.

Is your SJ info based on published info, or on first-hand, hanging-out kind of info? Or second-hand, for that matter. Not doubting, just wondering if one could look this up.

Quote:
Originally Posted by tomweston713 View Post

buy adobe instead so we can have flash on our iphones finally!!!!

Is that you, Blackintosh/Newtron/appl? Sorry if you're not, but a real person instead.

----------

If anyone in this thread mentioned Sony's professional video camera business, and their huge experience in consumer camcorders as well, I missed it. Not that I think there's any merit to this idea of Apple trying to digest an octopus like Sony.
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post #145 of 214
10/26/10 at 12:57pm
This one is pure speculation. And stupid speculation at that.
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post #146 of 214
10/26/10 at 12:59pm
Sony's brand in the UK is huge!!!

Forget market cap value, Sony is probably on more peoples lips than Apple are, although its a closely run thing these days with success of the ibrand.

Now i'm what you might call an Apple evangelist. I own 3 macs, two Apple TVs (1st and 2nd gen), two iPhones, 3 iPod touches, two nanos, iPod shuffle. Not forgetting stuff sold on ebay over the last ten years, and what i have at work.

But even that's over shadowed by 4 Sony TVs, two Blueray players, two PS3s, microwave, Vaio laptop, two sound docks, two cameras, Dv cam, Walkman, camera phone, hi-fi and clock.

I'd say Sony have a culture in the UK, like Apple has in the US, although The cult of Apple is more universal. It's regarded as a quality brand.

So while I find this story a little far fetched I'd love to see it happen.
A reputation is not built upon the restful domain of one's comfort zone; it is made out of stalwart exposition of your core beliefs, for all challenges to disprove them as irrelevant hubris.- Berp...
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A reputation is not built upon the restful domain of one's comfort zone; it is made out of stalwart exposition of your core beliefs, for all challenges to disprove them as irrelevant hubris.- Berp...
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post #147 of 214
10/26/10 at 1:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ireland View Post

Stay off the drugs.

I seriously mean this. Sony is the only electronics firm i have ever bought tv's, pocket cameras and dv cam's from. And there is a reason for that. Sony's products have always had a strong sense of design and culture in them. They invented the walkman remember? The trinitron tvs, bluray, and playstation. These are really highly regarded brands on par with Apple's. You dont find that from any other electronics producer.

They have had their failures, but they innovate all the time.
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post #148 of 214
10/26/10 at 1:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by acslater017 View Post

However, Apple's philosophy has always been (under Jobs, anyway) to focus on a few products and do them well. I think the whole thing would be waaayy too messy. If Apple really took over, they'd probably slash half of Sony's product lines. Maybe they'd simply license some IP, do some software/hardware integration as described above. But I still highly doubt it, considering how secretive and centrally-controlled Apple is.

Speaking of which, don't miss this edit of the "Back to the Mac" event in 104 seconds, linked-to by Gruber today. Can you imagine Sony execs doing this when they bring out the next big thing?

Maybe they do in Japan? I'd be pleasantly surprised . . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5iZy...layer_embedded
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post #149 of 214
10/26/10 at 1:28pm
Apple is not going to Sony... Apple is going to RIM (blackberry). Makes much more sense.
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post #150 of 214
10/26/10 at 1:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by c0h1b4 View Post

Apple is not going to Sony... Apple is going to RIM (blackberry). Makes much more sense.

Is there a word you censored out of this post?

And if you did. Is it a rude one?

C.
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post #151 of 214
10/26/10 at 2:03pm
Not going to happen, this is just a case of stock manipulation.

Apple are more likely to buy something that they don't already do, or something they have just started on.

But in the spirit of wishful thinking I'd like to see them buy Quark and get serious in the DTP software market, even if just to give Adobe another thing to worry about.
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post #152 of 214
10/26/10 at 2:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mael View Post

Not going to happen, this is just a case of stock manipulation.

So you are accusing someone of committing a crime? If so, who?
Please don't be insane.
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Please don't be insane.
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post #153 of 214
10/26/10 at 2:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carniphage View Post

Yeah, Apple could learn how to lose as much money from videogames as Sony do. the PS3 has been an unmitigated disaster for Sony. And despite a massive investment, MS struggles to break-even with the 360.

Why do people think that videogames console makers make any money?

C.

Consoles aren't about making money, they are loss-leading products to make money elsewhere. You're right that Sony has made some staggering losses (about $5 billion on the PS3) but Apple would make sure that didn't happen.

A Mac Mini right now is about half the graphics performance of an XBox 360 and $700 vs $250 but more powerful than a Wii. Apple will have around 30-40 million Macs in homes that are capable of better than Wii gaming - this audience rivals PS3 and XBox ownership. This can stream to a TV device with Airplay and an inexpensive ATV.

Games would be distributed by download which prevents resale losses. The biggest win is not really the consoles themselves but the games licenses. Sony have some great games partners and exclusive titles.

On the subject of exclusives, another things about a Sony deal is that I believe they also have the publishing rights to the Beatles music.
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post #154 of 214
10/26/10 at 2:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by IQ78 View Post

But I would say Japanese people (in general) are very nationalistic, EXTREMELY xenophobic and MORE than a tad bit racist.

Anyone else appreciating the irony of that post?
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post #155 of 214
10/26/10 at 2:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by habi View Post

Why would they kill the windows software side? Dont you think the feds would start digging into that? Also adobes business would decline 50%. Thats not good business practice to buy somthing then stop doing what brings in 50% of the money in that company?!?!

Even Apple has windows software REMEMBER? Safari, itunes...

Ho boy....

There is a fundamental difference between software which is the raison d'etre for buying a machine and utility software for which you already have a machine. Safari and iTunes are strategic parts of the Apple ecosystem - part of the core project (and they use webkit)

Why would be Apple be interested in supporting millions of lines of legacy code in the diverse PC universe ? How would that promote the Apple ecosystem? No it doesn't make sense - which is why it won't happen.

GOT IT?
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post #156 of 214
10/26/10 at 2:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marvin View Post

Consoles aren't about making money, they are loss-leading products to make money elsewhere. You're right that Sony has made some staggering losses (about $5 billion on the PS3) but Apple would make sure that didn't happen.

This is my home territory.

Consoles *are* about making money, it's just that the console-boxed-goods business model has collapsed. And now only Nintendo have a clue how remain profitable.

(I am not talking about *selling* consoles, which has always been a loss-leader, I am talking about profiting from the selling access to the platform)

Sony don't know how to do it. MS is fluctuating from loss to profit every other week.
I am pretty certain that Apple has no idea how to profit from game production, other than what they are already doing.

C.
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post #157 of 214
10/26/10 at 2:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tomweston713 View Post

buy adobe instead so we can have flash on our iphones finally!!!!

Yes, because the iPhone 5 and iPad 2 need decreased battery life and performance.
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post #158 of 214
10/26/10 at 3:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Futuristic View Post

IF Apple bought Adobe, they would either phase out Flash, or completely rebuild it from the ground up.

Both. They would rebuild all dev tools to produce HTML5 instead of proprietary flash bits.
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post #159 of 214
10/26/10 at 3:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jason98 View Post

Both. They would rebuild all dev tools to produce HTML5 instead of proprietary flash bits.

A tool like this perhaps:

http://tv.adobe.com/watch/adc-presents/preview-of-the-edge-prototype-tool-for-html5-/

C.
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post #160 of 214
10/26/10 at 3:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carniphage View Post

A tool like this perhaps:

http://tv.adobe.com/watch/adc-presents/preview-of-the-edge-prototype-tool-for-html5-/

C.

Sorry, can't read it. Says flash is required
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