as for Xbox, it's been a big money loser for many quarters, with a billion dollars in warranty claims. Msfts Entertainment and Devices which holds Zune, downloads and games amongst other things considers itself lucky if it doesn't lose money.
The Xbox 360 has been profitable for a long time now and the reliability problems with the console have been resolved. Microsoft have made their investment back and then some. The future is looking bright, with high subscription numbers and a long hardware cycle predicted.
Cook said he believes the Apple TV is an outstanding product, but there just isn't a large enough market to make the hardware worth a great deal of concentration from his company. The product is a "hobby," he said, because it doesn't compare to the phone, computer and MP3 player markets in terms of sales.
"Apple TV is still a hobby," he said. "We've been very clear about that."
But he also suggested the company's set-top-box device wouldn't necessarily lay dormant. It may just take time for the potential market to grow.
"Because our gut says something's there, we're continuing to invest in this," he said. "But today, it's still just a hobby."
Last October, Apple released the 3.0 software update for Apple TV, featuring a redesigned main menu that made navigating content simpler and faster. It also added support for the new iTunes LP and iTunes Extras formats.
Yep, that's all about precious motion content. By the way, why not manage those Pixar folks to be just a little bit busier, eh?
Market-tschmarket. Gimme a projector, being good enough to show in 3D, figure out the software to show the things in 3D and you have my money; simple as that.
AppleTv, the 3 1/2 year old "hobby"- how pathetic sounding is that? Why does Cook even bother trying to explain it?
It's not even a flagship/feature product. AppleTV is not even part of an important market or segment. Yet.
Aside from that, there's OS X/iPhone OS, Macs, iPods, iPhones, everything a person could want.
The AppleTV is small potatoes compared to Apple's entire lineup. What *is* pathetic is throwing away a decade of mobile development and half-assing *that* segment, which is clearly not a hobby by any means. I think you know who I'm talking about.
Well I noticed my Applee TV and main server media resources that I keep to have home networked center are rather hobby to Apple and taken not so seriously for long time.
Hence, I am currently serious about getting one of Asus AspireRevo PC's and building XMBC or Boxee center which was already proven concept (I did it personally with some old PC and Linux based software).
I guess some will even convert Apple TV to XBMC or Boxee... especially as Apple does not have many interesting offers on their movie rentals as I can see day after day... for last two years using Apple TV.
the xbox 360 has been profitable for a long time now and the reliability problems with the console have been resolved. Microsoft have made their investment back and then some. The future is looking bright, with high subscription numbers and a long hardware cycle predicted.
The Xbox 360 has been profitable for a long time now and the reliability problems with the console have been resolved. Microsoft have made their investment back and then some.
What Apple needs for Apple TV is a distribution deal that will allow iTunes to provide a better service than cable currently does. Once they have that, Apple TV becomes very attractive as is.
Absolutely. Personally I don't think we need to see 200 channels of what's on now, what's on next, and after that... the time of broadcast should no longer exist. Access any show, not just what the channel decided to put on this week.
Of course, the definition of "better service" differs for different people.
Quote:
Originally Posted by freckledbruh
Owning the Appletv basically means not having TV commercials, so can you really use tv commercials to sell it?
The AppleTV doesn't have to mean no TV ads/commercials.
At worst, Apple should be able to download you a copy of the latest "Lost" and show the precise same ads that were shown with "Lost" on your local channel. That's virtually a PVR, but with precise start and end of the show - and your local TV channel would lose nothing because you're really still a viewer of their ads.
At best, the latest "Lost" would have fewer ads but highly customised to your interests/needs. Also very localised to the shopping centres you go to etc. You could chose to "remove" the ads by paying 50c. And you could watch any episode of Lost, not just this weeks (just watch them all in order, in your own time).
So commercials could easily be a part of the AppleTV.
Quote:
Originally Posted by freckledbruh
I think the reason Apple keeps shouting "Hobby! Hobby!" is because many of its users burn their DVDs and other "grey areas". They don't want to tick off content owners.
Yes I think that's part of it, and Apple does nothing to help burning DVDs or playing pirated downloads - which might have greatly increased the appeal of AppleTV when it was first released! At some stage they have to think they're not really seeing the love returned though.
I wonder if Apple might at some point give up trying to play nicely, and offer a product to convert your DVDs to online iTunes. Or a DVR which allows people to subscribe to the latest "24" season without paying anything for it. I doubt they will...
I don't see Microsoft's Games division on that graph. It's been lumped in with a lot of loss-making ventures (such as the so-far disastrous smartphone department), obscuring its recent good performance. If you can provide figures for the Games division only then please do.
Microsoft has at least 17 million Xbox Live gold subscribers. That's a billion dollars of revenue a year alone, without factoring in profits from games and accessories. Even the console itself is now sold at a profit.
Remember, we're in a long console cycle here. The last generation of consoles provided one winner and two losers because there wasn't long enough to recoup initial R&D costs. This generation is already 4 1/2 years old and there's no new hardware on the horizon from any of the big players. That only going to help profits.
I don't see Microsoft's Games division on that graph. It's been lumped in with a lot of loss-making ventures (such as the so-far disastrous smartphone department), obscuring its recent good performance. If you can provide figures for the Games division only then please do.
How do you know where it's been lumped in? If game sales are lumped in anywhere, it would be with Xbox revenues. Microsoft, like the other game console makers, sell their hardware at break-even prices at best, in order to lock owners into the game software, so if you looked at hardware revenues alone it would very likely read as a net loss. Microsoft's sunk costs on Xbox are gigantic. From the very start of the project it was observed that it would optimistically take them many years to break even, which has turned out to be the case.
(Apple) are also going after those walking dinosaurs in the publishing industry, so I think they could crack broadcasting if they really made the effort.
Perhaps if the publishing industry likes what happens on the iPad this year, broadcasters will take a risk next year? Long shot!
Quote:
Originally Posted by solipsism
games could be a strength, if they get a proper SDK for the AppleTV, but I don't think that would make sense this year when the iPad is just getting off the ground. Let the devs focus on that platform right now.
Yes, a single area of focus is very effective for Apple - but getting apps developed for the AppleTV could be HUGE for the device
Quote:
Originally Posted by solipsism
... mentioned the AppleTV in the way he did leads me to believe that it won't be long before we see a new one.
.... if they just use an ARM CPU and iPhone OS with a new BackRow to run it. It's not like it's a bad investment for them with so much cross development.
I think the ARM CPU is a good bet. However, I'm starting to think it's possible Apple will quietly release a new AppleTV (with ARM chip and iPhone OS) that's APPEARS to be identical to the old one, for now. They'll play it down as an efficient, cheaper replacement.
Then when they're ready with a swath of new features, including app development/iPhone integration/content deals etc, they can release them all together with a bang.
Quote:
Originally Posted by solipsism
(any ideas) how they can make it the must have home theater appliance?
Content is king, I think we all agree. And Apple knows it (and knew it when it was first released too!).
I think they could make some interesting News programs for the aTV - such that it's all interactive, with us watching a brief highlights of the news and selecting which to watch more of, including links to longer articles and related pieces.
iPhone integration could be interesting. Not as a controller really - more as a partner device. For example - browse photos on your iPhone while sitting with the family, and "flick" photos onto the TV. Duke box playlists from the iPhone (or can that be done already?). Browse movie rental lists on the iPhone and flick the trailer to the AppleTV.
Apps of course. Including a web browser.
I'd like to play an aerial dogfight (F.A.S.T) with a friend, iPhone vs iPhone, while the AppleTV showed an overview of our game for others to watch (perhaps zoom in on us in any mad manouevres, or follow missiles we launch?)... it would make it a more social experience.
What I'd love to see is the Apple TV opened up to 3rd party developers. A BBC iPlayer app would be a dream come true.
If you are in the US and want to use iPlayer on the Mac there are a couple options. The first is the unofficial iPlayer Dashbaord widget for BBC Radio. That reduces the processor load tremendously since it's only grabbing the Flash audio, not the Flash. The 2nd is using a VPN in the UK so iPlayer for video thinks you are local.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RichL
The Xbox 360 has been profitable for a long time now and the reliability problems with the console have been resolved. Microsoft have made their investment back and then some. The future is looking bright, with high subscription numbers and a long hardware cycle predicted.
I'm not so sure. They're selling each on in the black now, but they were so far in the red for so long that I doubt they've gotten back in black for the project.
Cook said he believes the Apple TV is an outstanding product, but there just isn't a large enough market to make the hardware worth a great deal of concentration from his company. The product is a "hobby," he said, because it doesn't compare to the phone, computer and MP3 player markets in terms of sales.
But he also suggested the company's set-top-box device wouldn't necessarily lay dormant. It may just take time for the potential market to grow.
One focus for Apple, Cook revealed, is to keep matters simple. The Cupertino, Calif., company hasn't been interested in doing large acquisitions because of value and compatibility issues.
"We've always been about making the best product, not having the highest market share or the highest revenue," he said. "And so acquiring a company so our revenue gets larger isn't something that drives us."
The same philosophy applies to Apple's product line. Cook said the company doesn't want to overextend itself, and noted that the company's entire line of products could fit on one table. The only other high-revenue, publicly traded companies that could likely say that would be oil companies, he said.
Most companies, he said, simply aim to get bigger as they become more successful, but Apple has intentionally avoided that approach.][/url][/c]
ATV - I've been saying forever it seems that the ATV OS needs to implement Apps and all the other Apps that the iPHone and iPad will soon have. Seems like a logical next step in its development.
Apple product line and Windows Switchers. Yes, i like the idea of the all-in-one, but the wastefullness of trashing a CPU AND a monitor drives me nuts. Sure the Mac Mini is there but it's nowhere near as powerful as the iMac. Please Apple make a Mac like the Mini that is as powerfull as the iMac. I know the Cube failed but it was release in the middle of a horrible time in the country/world and people weren't buy computers in droves then. I think the Cube would have succeeded if the timing were better.
I don't see Microsoft's Games division on that graph. It's been lumped in with a lot of loss-making ventures (such as the so-far disastrous smartphone department), obscuring its recent good performance. If you can provide figures for the Games division only then please do.
Microsoft has at least 17 million Xbox Live gold subscribers. That's a billion dollars of revenue a year alone, without factoring in profits from games and accessories. Even the console itself is now sold at a profit.
Remember, we're in a long console cycle here. The last generation of consoles provided one winner and two losers because there wasn't long enough to recoup initial R&D costs. This generation is already 4 1/2 years old and there's no new hardware on the horizon from any of the big players. That only going to help profits.
Any tips on how I could improve my posts?
xbox lost msft so much money that 60 months of top scale profit would only even out the disaster
xbox has halo and cod series
that has kept xbox alive
your posts are always good
i only meant the content of a single post
ok
peace
ps xbox makes a ton of moolah for bill gates on cod series and halo series
Microsoft, like the other game console makers, sell their hardware at break-even prices at best, in order to lock owners into the game software, so if you looked at hardware revenues alone it would very likely read as a net loss.
Nintendo makes money on hardware. Microsoft just about does better than break-even on hardware. Sony still loses money. That's just on the consoles, obviously. Accessories are a very lucritive business for all three.
Quote:
Microsoft's sunk costs on Xbox are gigantic. From the very start of the project it was observed that it would optimistically take them many years to break even, which has turned out to be the case.
Yes, it took a while (3 years, IIRC) but those sunk costs have now been recovered. Without an Xbox 360+1 on the horizon, the Xbox 360 is now a very profitable business for Microsoft. One of its few successes outside of Windows+Office.
I disagree with your comment about iPhone games jumping to the AppleTV. Even when the inevitable change from using Mac OS to iPhone OS as the base there is the issue of input. The iPad is a natural fit for iPhone games since it's still a touchscreen, but for the AppleTV this would require some very clever reworking.
I so agree that games could be a strength, if they get a proper SDK for the AppleTV, but I don't think that would make sense this year when the iPad is just getting off the ground. Let the devs focus on that platform right now.
We've already seen the Wii outpace other consoles despite being considerably weaker in power but having more fun and cheaper games could make it work. Attack them in where it hurts, the game development and distribution method.
I can't help but disagree with this. As I mentioned previously, the remote app is amazing when it comes to gestures and is actually faster than the gum pack remote and any paired remote I have used with it. If Apple shared the API's used to make this app, it would NOT be hard for a game developer to create casual games for use on the Appletv. For example, Dig-Dug has the option to leave the "controller" button off completely use only finger gestures. Game developers could then have basic gestures: drag one finger to walk, drag two to run, flick up to jump, flick down to duck, etc. They then could have specialized gestures just for the game that a player can unlock like double finger swirl for death attack, etc. Yes, a person would need an iphone/ipad/ipod touch, but this could simply be added value in the ecosystem and even give Apple the option to advertise on television without threatening its relationships with content owners.
Yes, it took a while (3 years, IIRC) but those sunk costs have now been recovered. Without an Xbox 360+1 on the horizon, the Xbox 360 is now a very profitable business for Microsoft. One of its few successes outside of Windows+Office.
I'd like to see the actual financials for this, because I suspect that it's been marginally profitable at best over the life of the product. Let's put it this way, if Apple released new products that required many years to recover their costs and begin showing a profit, I think the overwhelming opinion would be that they'd failed.
Wal-Mart just bought Vudu. Between Netflix, Wal-Mart, Hulu and a host of other options, Apple may need to get more serious about AppleTV soon or they will be pushed off the cliff by the movie industry and these other companies aligning against them.
I see Vudu, Netflix, Hulu, etc., moving further into the TV space as actually helping Apple because it sets up the same business model that Apple applied to the iPod and iPhone -- go into an existing market with better hardware, a simple UI, and some cool factor, and grow market share and the market simultaneously.
The big challenge is not the IT; it's getting the licensing for a TV plan that fits what Apple would want to offer in a TV content product --
* a big selection of current shows,
* availability of current episodes the same night the episode airs on broadcast and cable,
* a reasonable viewing window for current-season episodes,
* availability of sports, news and other live content, and
* a package price that is competitive with cable and satellite.
If Vudu, Netflix, Hulu, etc., are out there pushing for the same licensing, that's great. Apple needs the momentum. Even without much of a licensing advantage over the others, Apple can compete on additional content outlets (iPhones, iPads, etc.), brand, ease of use, etc.
Personally, I think the network affiliates are the sticking point and nothing significant will happen until the Comcast-NBCU deal closes.
"Cook said the company doesn't want to overextend itself, and noted that the company's entire line of products could fit on one table. The only other high-revenue, publicly traded companies that could likely say that would be oil companies"
Comments
as for Xbox, it's been a big money loser for many quarters, with a billion dollars in warranty claims. Msfts Entertainment and Devices which holds Zune, downloads and games amongst other things considers itself lucky if it doesn't lose money.
The Xbox 360 has been profitable for a long time now and the reliability problems with the console have been resolved. Microsoft have made their investment back and then some. The future is looking bright, with high subscription numbers and a long hardware cycle predicted.
Apple TV "still a hobby"
Cook said he believes the Apple TV is an outstanding product, but there just isn't a large enough market to make the hardware worth a great deal of concentration from his company. The product is a "hobby," he said, because it doesn't compare to the phone, computer and MP3 player markets in terms of sales.
"Apple TV is still a hobby," he said. "We've been very clear about that."
But he also suggested the company's set-top-box device wouldn't necessarily lay dormant. It may just take time for the potential market to grow.
"Because our gut says something's there, we're continuing to invest in this," he said. "But today, it's still just a hobby."
Last October, Apple released the 3.0 software update for Apple TV, featuring a redesigned main menu that made navigating content simpler and faster. It also added support for the new iTunes LP and iTunes Extras formats.
Yep, that's all about precious motion content. By the way, why not manage those Pixar folks to be just a little bit busier, eh?
Market-tschmarket. Gimme a projector, being good enough to show in 3D, figure out the software to show the things in 3D and you have my money; simple as that.
AppleTv, the 3 1/2 year old "hobby"- how pathetic sounding is that? Why does Cook even bother trying to explain it?
It's not even a flagship/feature product. AppleTV is not even part of an important market or segment. Yet.
Aside from that, there's OS X/iPhone OS, Macs, iPods, iPhones, everything a person could want.
The AppleTV is small potatoes compared to Apple's entire lineup. What *is* pathetic is throwing away a decade of mobile development and half-assing *that* segment, which is clearly not a hobby by any means. I think you know who I'm talking about.
Aside from that, there's OS X/iPhone OS, Macs, iPods, iPhones, everything a person could want.
... apart from love.
Hence, I am currently serious about getting one of Asus AspireRevo PC's and building XMBC or Boxee center which was already proven concept (I did it personally with some old PC and Linux based software).
I guess some will even convert Apple TV to XBMC or Boxee... especially as Apple does not have many interesting offers on their movie rentals as I can see day after day... for last two years using Apple TV.
the xbox 360 has been profitable for a long time now and the reliability problems with the console have been resolved. Microsoft have made their investment back and then some. The future is looking bright, with high subscription numbers and a long hardware cycle predicted.
worst post this week
The Xbox 360 has been profitable for a long time now and the reliability problems with the console have been resolved. Microsoft have made their investment back and then some.
It looks like a break even at best:
What Apple needs for Apple TV is a distribution deal that will allow iTunes to provide a better service than cable currently does. Once they have that, Apple TV becomes very attractive as is.
Absolutely. Personally I don't think we need to see 200 channels of what's on now, what's on next, and after that... the time of broadcast should no longer exist. Access any show, not just what the channel decided to put on this week.
Of course, the definition of "better service" differs for different people.
Owning the Appletv basically means not having TV commercials, so can you really use tv commercials to sell it?
The AppleTV doesn't have to mean no TV ads/commercials.
At worst, Apple should be able to download you a copy of the latest "Lost" and show the precise same ads that were shown with "Lost" on your local channel. That's virtually a PVR, but with precise start and end of the show - and your local TV channel would lose nothing because you're really still a viewer of their ads.
At best, the latest "Lost" would have fewer ads but highly customised to your interests/needs. Also very localised to the shopping centres you go to etc. You could chose to "remove" the ads by paying 50c. And you could watch any episode of Lost, not just this weeks (just watch them all in order, in your own time).
So commercials could easily be a part of the AppleTV.
I think the reason Apple keeps shouting "Hobby! Hobby!" is because many of its users burn their DVDs and other "grey areas". They don't want to tick off content owners.
Yes I think that's part of it, and Apple does nothing to help burning DVDs or playing pirated downloads - which might have greatly increased the appeal of AppleTV when it was first released! At some stage they have to think they're not really seeing the love returned though.
I wonder if Apple might at some point give up trying to play nicely, and offer a product to convert your DVDs to online iTunes. Or a DVR which allows people to subscribe to the latest "24" season without paying anything for it. I doubt they will...
It looks like a break even at best:
I don't see Microsoft's Games division on that graph. It's been lumped in with a lot of loss-making ventures (such as the so-far disastrous smartphone department), obscuring its recent good performance. If you can provide figures for the Games division only then please do.
Microsoft has at least 17 million Xbox Live gold subscribers. That's a billion dollars of revenue a year alone, without factoring in profits from games and accessories. Even the console itself is now sold at a profit.
Remember, we're in a long console cycle here. The last generation of consoles provided one winner and two losers because there wasn't long enough to recoup initial R&D costs. This generation is already 4 1/2 years old and there's no new hardware on the horizon from any of the big players. That only going to help profits.
worst post this week
Any tips on how I could improve my posts?
I don't see Microsoft's Games division on that graph. It's been lumped in with a lot of loss-making ventures (such as the so-far disastrous smartphone department), obscuring its recent good performance. If you can provide figures for the Games division only then please do.
How do you know where it's been lumped in? If game sales are lumped in anywhere, it would be with Xbox revenues. Microsoft, like the other game console makers, sell their hardware at break-even prices at best, in order to lock owners into the game software, so if you looked at hardware revenues alone it would very likely read as a net loss. Microsoft's sunk costs on Xbox are gigantic. From the very start of the project it was observed that it would optimistically take them many years to break even, which has turned out to be the case.
(Apple) are also going after those walking dinosaurs in the publishing industry, so I think they could crack broadcasting if they really made the effort.
Perhaps if the publishing industry likes what happens on the iPad this year, broadcasters will take a risk next year? Long shot!
games could be a strength, if they get a proper SDK for the AppleTV, but I don't think that would make sense this year when the iPad is just getting off the ground. Let the devs focus on that platform right now.
Yes, a single area of focus is very effective for Apple - but getting apps developed for the AppleTV could be HUGE for the device
... mentioned the AppleTV in the way he did leads me to believe that it won't be long before we see a new one.
.... if they just use an ARM CPU and iPhone OS with a new BackRow to run it. It's not like it's a bad investment for them with so much cross development.
I think the ARM CPU is a good bet. However, I'm starting to think it's possible Apple will quietly release a new AppleTV (with ARM chip and iPhone OS) that's APPEARS to be identical to the old one, for now. They'll play it down as an efficient, cheaper replacement.
Then when they're ready with a swath of new features, including app development/iPhone integration/content deals etc, they can release them all together with a bang.
(any ideas) how they can make it the must have home theater appliance?
Content is king, I think we all agree. And Apple knows it (and knew it when it was first released too!).
I think they could make some interesting News programs for the aTV - such that it's all interactive, with us watching a brief highlights of the news and selecting which to watch more of, including links to longer articles and related pieces.
iPhone integration could be interesting. Not as a controller really - more as a partner device. For example - browse photos on your iPhone while sitting with the family, and "flick" photos onto the TV. Duke box playlists from the iPhone (or can that be done already?). Browse movie rental lists on the iPhone and flick the trailer to the AppleTV.
Apps of course. Including a web browser.
I'd like to play an aerial dogfight (F.A.S.T) with a friend, iPhone vs iPhone, while the AppleTV showed an overview of our game for others to watch (perhaps zoom in on us in any mad manouevres, or follow missiles we launch?)... it would make it a more social experience.
What I'd love to see is the Apple TV opened up to 3rd party developers. A BBC iPlayer app would be a dream come true.
If you are in the US and want to use iPlayer on the Mac there are a couple options. The first is the unofficial iPlayer Dashbaord widget for BBC Radio. That reduces the processor load tremendously since it's only grabbing the Flash audio, not the Flash. The 2nd is using a VPN in the UK so iPlayer for video thinks you are local.
The Xbox 360 has been profitable for a long time now and the reliability problems with the console have been resolved. Microsoft have made their investment back and then some. The future is looking bright, with high subscription numbers and a long hardware cycle predicted.
I'm not so sure. They're selling each on in the black now, but they were so far in the red for so long that I doubt they've gotten back in black for the project.
Apple TV "still a hobby"
Cook said he believes the Apple TV is an outstanding product, but there just isn't a large enough market to make the hardware worth a great deal of concentration from his company. The product is a "hobby," he said, because it doesn't compare to the phone, computer and MP3 player markets in terms of sales.
But he also suggested the company's set-top-box device wouldn't necessarily lay dormant. It may just take time for the potential market to grow.
One focus for Apple, Cook revealed, is to keep matters simple. The Cupertino, Calif., company hasn't been interested in doing large acquisitions because of value and compatibility issues.
"We've always been about making the best product, not having the highest market share or the highest revenue," he said. "And so acquiring a company so our revenue gets larger isn't something that drives us."
The same philosophy applies to Apple's product line. Cook said the company doesn't want to overextend itself, and noted that the company's entire line of products could fit on one table. The only other high-revenue, publicly traded companies that could likely say that would be oil companies, he said.
Most companies, he said, simply aim to get bigger as they become more successful, but Apple has intentionally avoided that approach.][/url][/c]
ATV - I've been saying forever it seems that the ATV OS needs to implement Apps and all the other Apps that the iPHone and iPad will soon have. Seems like a logical next step in its development.
Apple product line and Windows Switchers. Yes, i like the idea of the all-in-one, but the wastefullness of trashing a CPU AND a monitor drives me nuts. Sure the Mac Mini is there but it's nowhere near as powerful as the iMac. Please Apple make a Mac like the Mini that is as powerfull as the iMac. I know the Cube failed but it was release in the middle of a horrible time in the country/world and people weren't buy computers in droves then. I think the Cube would have succeeded if the timing were better.
I don't see Microsoft's Games division on that graph. It's been lumped in with a lot of loss-making ventures (such as the so-far disastrous smartphone department), obscuring its recent good performance. If you can provide figures for the Games division only then please do.
Microsoft has at least 17 million Xbox Live gold subscribers. That's a billion dollars of revenue a year alone, without factoring in profits from games and accessories. Even the console itself is now sold at a profit.
Remember, we're in a long console cycle here. The last generation of consoles provided one winner and two losers because there wasn't long enough to recoup initial R&D costs. This generation is already 4 1/2 years old and there's no new hardware on the horizon from any of the big players. That only going to help profits.
Any tips on how I could improve my posts?
xbox lost msft so much money that 60 months of top scale profit would only even out the disaster
xbox has halo and cod series
that has kept xbox alive
your posts are always good
i only meant the content of a single post
ok
peace
ps xbox makes a ton of moolah for bill gates on cod series and halo series
How do you know where it's been lumped in?
Microsoft's Games division is part of the larger Entertainment & Devices division. This isn't a secret.
Microsoft, like the other game console makers, sell their hardware at break-even prices at best, in order to lock owners into the game software, so if you looked at hardware revenues alone it would very likely read as a net loss.
Nintendo makes money on hardware. Microsoft just about does better than break-even on hardware. Sony still loses money. That's just on the consoles, obviously. Accessories are a very lucritive business for all three.
Microsoft's sunk costs on Xbox are gigantic. From the very start of the project it was observed that it would optimistically take them many years to break even, which has turned out to be the case.
Yes, it took a while (3 years, IIRC) but those sunk costs have now been recovered. Without an Xbox 360+1 on the horizon, the Xbox 360 is now a very profitable business for Microsoft. One of its few successes outside of Windows+Office.
I disagree with your comment about iPhone games jumping to the AppleTV. Even when the inevitable change from using Mac OS to iPhone OS as the base there is the issue of input. The iPad is a natural fit for iPhone games since it's still a touchscreen, but for the AppleTV this would require some very clever reworking.
I so agree that games could be a strength, if they get a proper SDK for the AppleTV, but I don't think that would make sense this year when the iPad is just getting off the ground. Let the devs focus on that platform right now.
We've already seen the Wii outpace other consoles despite being considerably weaker in power but having more fun and cheaper games could make it work. Attack them in where it hurts, the game development and distribution method.
I can't help but disagree with this. As I mentioned previously, the remote app is amazing when it comes to gestures and is actually faster than the gum pack remote and any paired remote I have used with it. If Apple shared the API's used to make this app, it would NOT be hard for a game developer to create casual games for use on the Appletv. For example, Dig-Dug has the option to leave the "controller" button off completely use only finger gestures. Game developers could then have basic gestures: drag one finger to walk, drag two to run, flick up to jump, flick down to duck, etc. They then could have specialized gestures just for the game that a player can unlock like double finger swirl for death attack, etc. Yes, a person would need an iphone/ipad/ipod touch, but this could simply be added value in the ecosystem and even give Apple the option to advertise on television without threatening its relationships with content owners.
Yes, it took a while (3 years, IIRC) but those sunk costs have now been recovered. Without an Xbox 360+1 on the horizon, the Xbox 360 is now a very profitable business for Microsoft. One of its few successes outside of Windows+Office.
I'd like to see the actual financials for this, because I suspect that it's been marginally profitable at best over the life of the product. Let's put it this way, if Apple released new products that required many years to recover their costs and begin showing a profit, I think the overwhelming opinion would be that they'd failed.
Wal-Mart just bought Vudu. Between Netflix, Wal-Mart, Hulu and a host of other options, Apple may need to get more serious about AppleTV soon or they will be pushed off the cliff by the movie industry and these other companies aligning against them.
I see Vudu, Netflix, Hulu, etc., moving further into the TV space as actually helping Apple because it sets up the same business model that Apple applied to the iPod and iPhone -- go into an existing market with better hardware, a simple UI, and some cool factor, and grow market share and the market simultaneously.
The big challenge is not the IT; it's getting the licensing for a TV plan that fits what Apple would want to offer in a TV content product --
* a big selection of current shows,
* availability of current episodes the same night the episode airs on broadcast and cable,
* a reasonable viewing window for current-season episodes,
* availability of sports, news and other live content, and
* a package price that is competitive with cable and satellite.
If Vudu, Netflix, Hulu, etc., are out there pushing for the same licensing, that's great. Apple needs the momentum. Even without much of a licensing advantage over the others, Apple can compete on additional content outlets (iPhones, iPads, etc.), brand, ease of use, etc.
Personally, I think the network affiliates are the sticking point and nothing significant will happen until the Comcast-NBCU deal closes.
That would be one messy table.
I'm going to make it something memorable.
Wait. D'Ohhh!!!!!