Apple met with AdMob weeks before acquisition by Google

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  • Reply 21 of 27
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by str1f3 View Post


    Hard to believe that Apple would be involved with a possible acquisition of AdMob, or bidding against Google for that matter, considering they've never stepped into that arena before.



    They have filed a patent related to ads in an operating system though.



    http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-P...RS=20090265214



    Perhaps this was where the discussions were heading...
  • Reply 22 of 27
    djsherlydjsherly Posts: 1,031member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    As they say in the article, this is by no means a definite thing on Apple's part.



    Sometimes a company will work on technology and receive patents so that others can't get it and use it agains them. They're called "defensive patents". No guarantee that's the case here either.



    It's unfortunate. The whole premise of the patent system is to protect inventions so they can profitably exploited. In my world such patents would be invalidated if there was no real prospect they were going to be used by the patentee.
  • Reply 23 of 27
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by djsherly View Post


    It's unfortunate. The whole premise of the patent system is to protect inventions so they can profitably exploited. In my world such patents would be invalidated if there was no real prospect they were going to be used by the patentee.



    2009 is a lot different than the 1780's.



    Back then, like was simple. Technology was just beginning to move up. Inventions were simple by today's standards. Almost anyone could invent something, because almost nothing had been invented.



    The only companies back then were trading companies or small manufacturing concerns that made items the way they had been made for centuries, with simple tools.



    Today, as far as important industries are concerned, almost anything needs to be invented by teams of people, millions of dollars of research, many millions more of development, and years of time to bring it to market. Most inventions are so complex that few people out of the field can even understand them.



    Unfortunately, that means that the entire process has become so complex that one seemingly minor thing can bring entire industries to their knees. Because of that, companies have to research entire areas they may not want to employ themselves, but that others may want to employ against them.



    It's unfortunate, but its part of the "modern" world of technology. There's no turning back.
  • Reply 24 of 27
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Beauty of Bath View Post


    Consider that free apps are subsidized by Apple, bandwidth, distribution, etc. Paid for (up front or by in app purchases) Apple gets paid, via AdMob/Google they are simply getting a free vehicle to burden users with advertising so Apple needs to look at how they can cover the overheads and earn a fair return rather than giving it away.



    Oh please, let's cut through the redirect. Apple clearly benefits from free apps.



    First, it builds consumer goodwill since everybody likes to get free stuff. Consumer goodwill then leads to people recommending that product to friends and family and thus becomes a form of free advertisement. And some percentage of those recommendations will lead to sales for Apple.



    Second, it builds consumer lock-in. If a user begins accustomed to using some of these free apps, they will think twice about switching phones. Thus Apple will continue to get revenue from AT&T for that phone.



    Despite what you're trying to imply, it's more of a symbiotic relationship than the parasitic relationship you want to portray it as.
  • Reply 25 of 27
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by caliminius View Post


    First, it builds consumer goodwill since everybody likes to get free stuff. Consumer goodwill then leads to people recommending that product to friends and family and thus becomes a form of free advertisement. And some percentage of those recommendations will lead to sales for Apple.



    Imagine all the goodwill Apple could get if they gave all their stuff away for free, like free iPhones, free Macs, and free OS X.
  • Reply 26 of 27
    This is for the best, Apple doesn't need this right now...



    I think Google has some Apple envy, let's face it, Google has been doing a lot more of going into Apple's turf then the other way around...
  • Reply 27 of 27
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MrCompMan View Post


    Nobody trusts Apple from a partnering or coporate standard.



    Apple burns every bridge (partnership) it has had since day 1.



    Apple can't continue to do it alone and the future of mobile and web is advertising.



    If they were even in consideration for this particular deal they would have been passed up given their track history.



    Apple can't do it alone for too long. Yes they are a leader right now but they have every industry fighting their arrogance.



    Google is no better but consumers and companies trust them. You have the beginnings of the new Microsoft with more power than they ever imagined.



    Edit.

    If Apple was considered and they passed on it they would be like Microsoft 20 years ago saying browsers and search results aren't important.



    But hey, it was a victory for Apple this week. They beat Psystar and have forever linked themselves to be a gaming phone and MP3 Player. Android just has free Google Apps (Google Voice and Google Latitude) and GPS turn by turn voice built into Android OS.



    Good luck paying Google for all the ads built into the Apps that Apple "Chooses" to Approve. Love the iFart Apps that Apple has become so known for approving. Now you even have them in paid Apps. Google gets paid either way.



    This person hit the nail right on Apple's head. Beauty of the Bath (no idea what the name means but he/she is correct).



    Gee, people used to say the same thing about Microsoft. :-) The difference is that Microsoft's management just liked crushing people for sport. If you are referring to partnerships like the Motorola ROKR, well Apple saw how well that went and decided they could do better. Your iPhone is the result of that. The Apple-Google partnership began going south when Google got into the smartphone business, which I think Apple might have a point at being a little miffed.



    I'm sure that AdMob went to anyone they thought could potentially give them a good price for their company and that list is very small. Apple is an obvious choice since they provide ad dollars for most ad-based iPhone apps. And Apple could easily write the check for them from petty cash. But selling ads is not Apple's core business, nor have they expressed any interest in getting into the business. The relationship is Google is getting weird enough as it is and Apple's developers who are already chafing about the App Store approval process might not want to deal with Apple again for the ad business. It also goes against Apple's strategy of paying a little amount of money for businesses they feel have multiples of upside.



    Google, on the other hand, wants to own every part of the ad business, especially in businesses clearly growing. It's their core business (not search) and they know it very well. AdMob also will be a major player in the Android store and Android developers don't have the same apprehension as Apple developers have to the process.
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