Apple eyeing billion-dollar acquisitions, push into TV market - rumor
New rumors suggest that Apple plans to make more acquisitions -- potentially spending as much as $1 billion -- and will make a "big move" in the living room with a new TV-centric push.
Dan Frommer of Silicon Alley Insider on Monday night moderated an event with a number of chief executives in Manhattan. Out of that discussion came a number of rumors about Apple.
"Apple's shopping spree isn't over, and the company is looking at all kinds of deals, even up to $1 billion," Frommer wrote. "This is being led by Apple's newish deals guy, former Goldman banker Adrian Perica."
Apple has more than $40 billion in cash, money that Chief Executive Steve Jobs said in February that Apple must "think big" with. He said his company would take "big, bold" risks with its massive war chest.
The last year has been busy for Apple in terms of acquisitions. In January it was revealed that Apple bought Quattro Wireless, which laid the groundwork for Apple's forthcoming iAd mobile advertising platform, set to launch July 1. And late last year, Apple acquired streaming music service Lala for $85 million, an acquisition that is believed to pave the way for a cloud-based iTunes.
Most recently, in April, it was revealed that Apple had acquired Siri, which developed a personal assistant application for the iPhone. The software allows users to find local businesses and complete activities like make a dinner reservation or purchase movie tickets, all through voice commands.
Frommer also revealed that Apple's "next big move" will be in TV. The report did not say whether that means the company is planning an actual television set -- which has been which rumored for some time -- or or a redesign of the already established Apple TV set top box. In May, one rumor suggested that a cloud-centric Apple TV would be based on iOS 4, offer 1080P streaming video, run Apple's custom A4 processor, and cost just $99.
"Apple's next big move is going to be TV," Frommer wrote. "Besides the leaks of a supposed new Apple TV device, the company also renamed its iPhone OS 'iOS,' foreshadowing a future beyond mobile devices. The company's move into advertising -- mobile, so far, but no reason it can't extend into TV somehow -- is another hint."
Dan Frommer of Silicon Alley Insider on Monday night moderated an event with a number of chief executives in Manhattan. Out of that discussion came a number of rumors about Apple.
"Apple's shopping spree isn't over, and the company is looking at all kinds of deals, even up to $1 billion," Frommer wrote. "This is being led by Apple's newish deals guy, former Goldman banker Adrian Perica."
Apple has more than $40 billion in cash, money that Chief Executive Steve Jobs said in February that Apple must "think big" with. He said his company would take "big, bold" risks with its massive war chest.
The last year has been busy for Apple in terms of acquisitions. In January it was revealed that Apple bought Quattro Wireless, which laid the groundwork for Apple's forthcoming iAd mobile advertising platform, set to launch July 1. And late last year, Apple acquired streaming music service Lala for $85 million, an acquisition that is believed to pave the way for a cloud-based iTunes.
Most recently, in April, it was revealed that Apple had acquired Siri, which developed a personal assistant application for the iPhone. The software allows users to find local businesses and complete activities like make a dinner reservation or purchase movie tickets, all through voice commands.
Frommer also revealed that Apple's "next big move" will be in TV. The report did not say whether that means the company is planning an actual television set -- which has been which rumored for some time -- or or a redesign of the already established Apple TV set top box. In May, one rumor suggested that a cloud-centric Apple TV would be based on iOS 4, offer 1080P streaming video, run Apple's custom A4 processor, and cost just $99.
"Apple's next big move is going to be TV," Frommer wrote. "Besides the leaks of a supposed new Apple TV device, the company also renamed its iPhone OS 'iOS,' foreshadowing a future beyond mobile devices. The company's move into advertising -- mobile, so far, but no reason it can't extend into TV somehow -- is another hint."
Comments
But what/who in this space could be potentially interesting targets out there?
Apple will have to come up with something cool to justify their margins. but i can see some people paying twice the price as a regular TV just because it was made by Apple
I do not see Apple coming out with a TV. Nothing good can come from that.
Apple needs to deal with a low margin on a box if they intend on being serious with this space.
I sold my Apple TV with hopes that Apple comes out with a new device this fall.
If they do, the value of the original Apple TV will go in the tank.
Apple could circumvent all the stupid regional cable companies.
Imagine an Apple flat screen with Apple software inside!
Best
I sold my Apple TV with hopes that Apple comes out with a new device this fall.
If they do, the value of the original Apple TV will go in the tank.
How do you know that the old Apple TV boxes won't be able to run the new ATV OS? It's very possible this will be likely. And it would be in Apple's interest to get all those ATV boxes, old and new, running the same OS and being able to access the same content.
I do not see Apple coming out with a TV. Nothing good can come from that.
Apple needs to deal with a low margin on a box if they intend on being serious with this space.
I sold my Apple TV with hopes that Apple comes out with a new device this fall.
If they do, the value of the original Apple TV will go in the tank.
some family just bought a new $1300 LED LCD TV. it has netflix, vudu, yahoo and google built in. i even uploaded some photos to their picasa this morning and a video to youtube so they can watch it tonight. next year this TV will be under $1000.
there is no computer required, no itunes needed, my inlaws can watch a lot of movies over netflix and rent movies from vudu. other TV's and blu ray players are even including pandora. if apple doesn't do something then iTunes is going the way of the dodo.
apple TV is overpriced and under featured when you compare it to game consoles and internet enabled TV's and blu ray players
As cable companies control the pipe that many people get their Internet service through, it would be hard for Apple to attempt to compete directly with cable companies in supplying content if they weren't somehow part of the whole deal, like AT&T and the iPhone. Unless Apple is planning to buy an entire TV Network and cable company, which it easily could with that much spare cash laying around,
Ideally Apple would take over a cable or satellite company just so I wouldn't have to deal with Comcast anymore. Seriously 15 minutes for their boxes to reboot and become usable after a lost of power for a second because it has to redownload the entire guide and all settings first. There's got to be a better way than that
connect it to a UPS. that is what i do.....
Televisions have been done to death.
How do you know that the old Apple TV boxes won't be able to run the new ATV OS? It's very possible this will be likely. And it would be in Apple's interest to get all those ATV boxes, old and new, running the same OS and being able to access the same content.
The older Apple TV boxes are Intel-based. I doubt if Apple would bother building all the libraries, etc. for an essentially dead x86 Apple TV platform. They would simply move on.
I hope Apple buys a Sat TV company which would solve Jobs' "Go to Market" problem.
Those companies really have a bad deal though from a content acquisition perspective. Dish is worth $8.3B as well, making it a pretty tough pill to swallow.
A successful strategy in the living room would almost do better with a pure content play such as NBC Universal, but at $30B+, it doesn't really seem like it would do much for ROI. All of these companies are pretty low multiplier; they would have to change how people use content to "unlock value" in the businesses.
Great picture on your iPhone? Throw it up onto your TV screen. Great show on? Swipe it to your iPhone. Hey, guys, listen to this! Song plays through TV/receiver. Let me show you the map/directions...
Why not?
If Apple does create a new AppleTV box - the price to consumers will be $0.00 - They'll pay for the hardware through service subscriptions.
If the box is iPhone small, with an A4 and some flash memory - a better direction for Apple is encourage TV makers to create TVs with the hardware built-in. Or perhaps with a slot to accommodate the device. No additional remotes. No wires.
The AppleTV would just be another channel on the TV with downloadable content. apps (like AirVideo), YouTube.
C.
apple could buy or mimic hulu/netflix
<< yet why should they since they get both for free right now>>
apple could buy 49% of xbox or 100% of xbox content
apple could buy EA
APPLE could hire 2000 american college grads and add to its SW dept to update all its ignored cores biz's
apple could buy EA
or buy nothing but
fire steve jobs and split the company into 5 divisions
1 mac // ipad div
2 ipod / touch/ phone div
3 SW including filemaker pro and all macOSx updates// filemaker pro SW div
4 cloud services including itunes /app stores / server farms /including retail locations / online store
5 pacific region //educational and business sales div
6 new business / RD proto type ,Micro div to be run by steve jobs and to be run as an additional floating div moving in and out of all 5 and whatever other area's 'they need to be including other firms at will .
rant s over
i am home for the next month recovering from surgery
lucky you guys have my inane wisdom 24/7
...and they still can't come out with a new Mac Pro.
Of cause they will... in due time. Apple has said again and again that they are still a computer company, and Steve Jobs has said it in several e-mails already!