Bigger IBM and Apple Partnership?
Opinion from theregister.com for you information:
http://www.theregister.com/2004/12/0...e_speculation/
Quote:
Instead, an even better and more audacious speculation is that once publicly free of the PC division IBM will either buy, or form a close joint venture with Apple to sell its PCs, which coincidentally are now built around IBM's PowerPC chip.
Selling its PC Division would also pave the way for such an IBM move to be approved by the FTC. To add even more heat to already hot gossip, it turns out that Apple is not among the published list of early companies signing up for IBM's PowerPC consortia - a rather strange gap given Apple's now absolute dependency on that microprocessor range.
Well, you may ask, why would they sign up if a romance with IBM was in the air, or maybe even already consummated? And, knowing just how difficult it is to keep secrets these days, is it coincidence that some financial analysts have doubled their estimate of Apple's stock price expectation recently?
http://www.theregister.com/2004/12/0...e_speculation/
Quote:
Instead, an even better and more audacious speculation is that once publicly free of the PC division IBM will either buy, or form a close joint venture with Apple to sell its PCs, which coincidentally are now built around IBM's PowerPC chip.
Selling its PC Division would also pave the way for such an IBM move to be approved by the FTC. To add even more heat to already hot gossip, it turns out that Apple is not among the published list of early companies signing up for IBM's PowerPC consortia - a rather strange gap given Apple's now absolute dependency on that microprocessor range.
Well, you may ask, why would they sign up if a romance with IBM was in the air, or maybe even already consummated? And, knowing just how difficult it is to keep secrets these days, is it coincidence that some financial analysts have doubled their estimate of Apple's stock price expectation recently?
Comments
- IBM makes the processors
- IBM has JUST SOLD their hardware division (good bye Thunkpads!!!!! finally!)
- Apple has not joined the PowerPC consortium (eh? weird)
- Apple's stock has gone BALLISTIC ove rthe last month... could it be due to more than just the iPod?
- IBM has no love whatsoever for Microsloth
- IBM has ALL the contacts in business (full turnkey solutions for any industry, big or small, military to non promit, etc etc)
- IBM has already dabbled in UNIX/Linux for years
Could IBM actually be parterning? Apple designed/engineered hardware for a business market? With Xserves powered by Power 5s, 6s, and also by CELL?
Market wise, its total synergy...
I just dont want to be around if the two actually have to WORK together in the same buildings.
Two TOTALLY different cultures bound for a collision course.
Nonetheless, I dont think Jobs would allow for clash and I would imagine he would make sur ethat work is very very well defined.
This could be an interesting January Macworld
Imagine: the new Apple Computer from IBM
IBM's role is no bigger and no smaller then HP's role in the iPod distribution. After all, everyone is fine with the Apple iPod from HP. IBM just throws their logo on an Apple computer, resells it, and boom! Market share explosion! Not only would we have IBM on our side, we'd have IBM's marketing money on our side. Think iPod commercials to the next level. With IBM reselling these Macs and targeting businesses, there'd be an IBM ad featuring Apple's computers during every football game, every Everyone Loves Raymond, everywhere would be IBM touting these new computers running on their own super-faster-then-Intel's chips.
Think about it.
Originally posted by Gambit
No no no. You guys are thinking about this all wrong! It's not a buy-out or a merger; I'm thinking it's more like a partnership like there's with another computer company.
Imagine: the new Apple Computer from IBM
IBM's role is no bigger and no smaller then HP's role in the iPod distribution. After all, everyone is fine with the Apple iPod from HP. IBM just throws their logo on an Apple computer, resells it, and boom! Market share explosion! Not only would we have IBM on our side, we'd have IBM's marketing money on our side. Think iPod commercials to the next level. With IBM reselling these Macs and targeting businesses, there'd be an IBM ad featuring Apple's computers during every football game, every Everyone Loves Raymond, everywhere would be IBM touting these new computers running on their own super-faster-then-Intel's chips.
Think about it.
This is exactly what I was talking about above. IBM distributes Mac's to the corporate world.
Originally posted by Beige_G3
I like this idea.
This is far fetched but this is what I would like to see....
At M.W. Steve announces the following:
1. IBM takes a substantial stake in Apple 10-20% say.
2. For this money IBM gets exclusive distribution of Apple's "New" enterprise efforts. i.o.w. IBM will sell Mac's to business with the extensive and respected salesforce. They also have great support and will handle that as well.
3. IBM drops production of G5 blades but instead distributes the Xserve and Apple storage systems. It sells these with Mac OS X and Linux.
The above I think would really give Apple credibility in the business world and could really boost marked share.
Now what does Apple do with the cash???
4. Steve announces that Apple has made a deal with the other Apple. Steve's RDF has convinced Paul, Ringo, and the widows that no other company is better to protect the image of the Beatles than Apple (Steve's).
5. What clinched this deal is that the music reps at Apple music move over to Apple Computers newly aquired music division- former Universal. i.o.w. Steve announced Apple has used the IBM cash to buy Universal Music.
With the largest music catalogue now Apple has some clout in the RIAA and with the other labels. This will give them better control over pricing at iTunes and some leverage with other music services.
Could it also suggest that Freescale is out of the running for the G5PBs?
_____
I'm posting this here instead of here because this has gone way beyond future clonage hardware.
--B
Originally posted by salmonstk
This is exactly what I was talking about above. IBM distributes Mac's to the corporate world.
Oh. Sorry about that. I didn't even realize....
To make it up to you, I'm gonna let you buy me an iPod.
Now back on topic!
Originally posted by Gambit
No no no. You guys are thinking about this all wrong! It's not a buy-out or a merger; I'm thinking it's more like a partnership like there's with another computer company.
Imagine: the new Apple Computer from IBM
IBM's role is no bigger and no smaller then HP's role in the iPod distribution. After all, everyone is fine with the Apple iPod from HP. IBM just throws their logo on an Apple computer, resells it, and boom! Market share explosion! Not only would we have IBM on our side, we'd have IBM's marketing money on our side. Think iPod commercials to the next level. With IBM reselling these Macs and targeting businesses, there'd be an IBM ad featuring Apple's computers during every football game, every Everyone Loves Raymond, everywhere would be IBM touting these new computers running on their own super-faster-then-Intel's chips.
Think about it.
Hrm, I dunno. Unless IBM agrees and takes on R&D money/personel in the hardware department, I I can't image Steve letting IBM sell a powerbook unless it had an Apple logo and "Powerbook" monkier on it somewhere. But if however, IBM WAS throwing money into hardware R&D, then yes...I could see a commercial touting "The new PowerPC G5 driven Powerbook by IBM."
Although, that could be part of the deal. Apple lets IBM distribute Xserves and PowerBooks to new clients interested in PowerPC?
Originally posted by BRussell
I think the reason IBM got out of PCs is that there's no money in it. Margins and profits are just too small in the current market. If that's true, I don't know why IBM would want to jump right back into the PC market after getting out.
They don't. But Apple does have big credit for the XServe, which can be put together into the most cost effective supercomputer cluster out there. The server business is high margin, and don't think for a second that IBM wouldn't love more than anything to stamp out all traces of Intel-powered, Windows-running servers.
OS X and Apple's proven XServe fit this market well. But it will take someone like IBM to rebadge it, maybe throw in some more Linuxy a la carte stuff, and make brain-dead IT departments the world over go ga-ga over their logo.
Whay hasn't Apple taken a big hold on the small-medium server market already? Because everyone's too busy watching the pinstripes. IBM has the best set of stripes you can find.