Apple's most valuable asset is their name brand, the cult of Apple. At the moment it doesn't seem compatible an outside owner. It'd be like a Pakistani company buying up a controlling interest in Harley-Davidson, very bad for the brand image. Right now Apple is interesting because it's Apple.
If SONY bought Apple-I'd buy a Dell or Gateway. Let Japan rule TVs and VCRs-America rules computers. And Apple is as American as................Apple Pie..............................
<strong>Apple is full of ideas that could make any company 100 times better.</strong><hr></blockquote>And Apple has the largest profit margin in the industry. <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />
Surely the big cheeses at Apple must be doing *something* right to keep making money.
<strong>I can't imagine why any bigger corporation would want to buy Apple.</strong><hr></blockquote>
It has $4B in cash.
Apple is a visible brandname in the PC space.
Sony could buy Apple and turn it into a premium product line for consumer electronics or AV and have it compete with McIntosh. <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />
I wouldn't like it at all considering Sony's rep for not supporting macs (see their clie line for an egregious example). BUT, if they did, they would have to keep the Apple brand. They'd be absolutely foolish not to. It's one of the most recognizable brand names out there. It's also one of the most valuable: <a href="http://bwnt.businessweek.com/brand/2002/index.asp"; target="_blank">http://bwnt.businessweek.com/brand/2002/index.asp</a>; . Not bad considering 5% market share. They'd be foolish to dissolve it.
Well, obviously I am in the minority here, but I think it could be a great thing. If you want the Mac to ever grow beyond its niche status in a meaningful way, Apple will have to partner up with someone bigger who can really challenge MS.
Jobs has expressed admiration for Sony, and Sony does a lot of things right. If Sony bought Apple, they would have an incredible OS what could lead to some great integration in a networked home. They would also be free of MS. They could license the OS, because they are not stuck with having to make their money off of hardware.
I know in a perfect world we'd love Apple to stay independent, but for the good of the system they may have to merge. And if that's the case, then I think Sony is the best option.
The thing is Sony is sort of the anti-apple in that they try to do everything all at once. Look at their clie's. They do a bunch of little things and none of them too well. Their VAIO computers? You've got a stereo, mini-disc player, all in one entertainment center. But, again, it falls short of a separate component based system. Cameras? Over-priced for their resolution b/c they have 'extra' features (motion video) rather than bumping up the resolution. And they're into proprietary stuff like memory sticks and MagicGate (DRM up the wazoo). Apple's more about open standards and doing one thing per device/application and doing it well.
Add that to the fact that Sony also would likely LOVE to put all kinds of restrictions on the multimedia capability of the Mac and you've got some serious issues over who can do what with the stuff they own - the user who buys the cd/computer/movie or the record/movie studio? Sony's got its fingers in too many pies to be effective in the way we have come to expect.
Comments
Sony is even going to discontinue most of it's Vaio line with some exceptions. They are pretty much getting out of the PC business.
Plus, I'd see a move by Sony to buy Apple as a sign that they would try and use Mac OS X on Intel boxes along with AOL Time Warner.
Apple needs to remain it's own company and not part of some other company.
Apple should be alone, doing its business it wants, the way it want.
I much prefer to see Apple buying companies than the opposite.
<strong>I can't imagine why any bigger corporation would want to buy Apple.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Why not? Apple is full of ideas that could make any company 100 times better.
<strong>Apple is full of ideas that could make any company 100 times better.</strong><hr></blockquote>And Apple has the largest profit margin in the industry. <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />
Surely the big cheeses at Apple must be doing *something* right to keep making money.
<strong>I can't imagine why any bigger corporation would want to buy Apple.</strong><hr></blockquote>
It has $4B in cash.
Apple is a visible brandname in the PC space.
Sony could buy Apple and turn it into a premium product line for consumer electronics or AV and have it compete with McIntosh. <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />
<img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" />
<strong>I totally agree with Fran441.
Apple should be alone, doing its business it wants, the way it want.
I much prefer to see Apple buying companies than the opposite.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Sure, me too. But if there was a company, at least Sony is acceptable. Better them than say...Disney or Time Warner.
If Sony did take over Apple, I would see them retaining the valuable brand and just utilize Apple's key strength...software and OS.
Jobs has expressed admiration for Sony, and Sony does a lot of things right. If Sony bought Apple, they would have an incredible OS what could lead to some great integration in a networked home. They would also be free of MS. They could license the OS, because they are not stuck with having to make their money off of hardware.
I know in a perfect world we'd love Apple to stay independent, but for the good of the system they may have to merge. And if that's the case, then I think Sony is the best option.
Sony is also a visible brandname, they aren't hurting in that arena. And Apple's brandname dies once it gets bought out by a huge PC maker.
Add that to the fact that Sony also would likely LOVE to put all kinds of restrictions on the multimedia capability of the Mac and you've got some serious issues over who can do what with the stuff they own - the user who buys the cd/computer/movie or the record/movie studio? Sony's got its fingers in too many pies to be effective in the way we have come to expect.
[ 09-04-2002: Message edited by: torifile ]</p>
think of the unbelievably cool wintel-kickin products...
ASIMO or new SDR-4X Humanoid robots combined with Mac design and OS.
brushed aluminum or ice/chrome (Ti or i models) of gigaflop elegance
dancing, lawnmowing, drink/webserving, learning butlers...
no crashes, no security holes, just cool, truly portable computers.
C'mon... is there anybody here who wouldn't _instantly_ lust for a glowing apple-eyed Ti'droid?
imagine SJ's version of these... <a href="http://www.sony.co.jp/en/SonyInfo/dream/robotbox/"; target="_blank">RobotBox (qt5 videos/flash req)</a>
next time somebody beefs about how heavy their laptop is,
call your Macbot over and demonstrate that it can carry you home.
edit layout and link
[ 09-04-2002: Message edited by: curiousuburb ]</p>