Apple close to acquiring Chinese game maker for $148M - report
Apple is rumored to be in talks to buy a Chinese mobile Internet service provider and game developer for $148 million, with a final agreement said to be "close."
Chinese business news organization SinoCast reported Thursday that Apple is in talks with Handseeing Information Technology Co, a company that specializes in rich Internet applications. The Chinese company's primary business model is said to be online gaming on mobile devices.
The report incorrectly stated that the believed price was $150 billion, likely a typo. The Global Times pinned the price at a more realistic 1 billion yuan, or $147.62 million U.S.
It also said that other potential buyers had recently come forward, adding "uncertainty" to the deal.
If the rumor is accurate, it could be yet another sign that Apple is interested in creating its own games for devices like the iPhone and iPad in-house. Last November, AppleInsider revealed that the Cupertino, Calif., company was looking to hire a AAA-caliber game developer for its team.
To date, Apple has only released one game on the iPhone App Store -- Texas Hold'em. The $4.99 virtual card game was made available in 2008.
Games have proven to be some of the most popular third-party applications available for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. To capitalize on that, Apple will release a new application dubbed Game Center that will act as a centralized place for users to see what their friends are playing challenge them to an online match, or compare scores in specific titles. The service, similar to Microsoft's Xbox Live, will also offer gamers the ability to unlock achievements when playing compatible titles.
Apple's focus on games was also in the spotlight in April, when the company hired a new games editor for the App Store. That hire is now part of a team at Apple that handpicks and organizes titles for customers.
Chinese business news organization SinoCast reported Thursday that Apple is in talks with Handseeing Information Technology Co, a company that specializes in rich Internet applications. The Chinese company's primary business model is said to be online gaming on mobile devices.
The report incorrectly stated that the believed price was $150 billion, likely a typo. The Global Times pinned the price at a more realistic 1 billion yuan, or $147.62 million U.S.
It also said that other potential buyers had recently come forward, adding "uncertainty" to the deal.
If the rumor is accurate, it could be yet another sign that Apple is interested in creating its own games for devices like the iPhone and iPad in-house. Last November, AppleInsider revealed that the Cupertino, Calif., company was looking to hire a AAA-caliber game developer for its team.
To date, Apple has only released one game on the iPhone App Store -- Texas Hold'em. The $4.99 virtual card game was made available in 2008.
Games have proven to be some of the most popular third-party applications available for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. To capitalize on that, Apple will release a new application dubbed Game Center that will act as a centralized place for users to see what their friends are playing challenge them to an online match, or compare scores in specific titles. The service, similar to Microsoft's Xbox Live, will also offer gamers the ability to unlock achievements when playing compatible titles.
Apple's focus on games was also in the spotlight in April, when the company hired a new games editor for the App Store. That hire is now part of a team at Apple that handpicks and organizes titles for customers.
Comments
Microsoft have done a few very good games, I don't see why Apple couldn't too. But maybe trying to do everything is not a good idea in general?
iBox, app store and game center?
My bad, helps if you read the whole article.
Apple is rumored to be in talks to buy a Chinese mobile Internet service provider and game developer for $148 billion, with a final agreement said to be "close."
Chinese business news organization SinoCast reported Thursday that Apple is in talks with Handseeing Information Technology Co, a company that specializes in rich Internet applications. The Chinese company's primary business model is said to be online gaming on mobile devices.
The report incorrectly stated that the believed price was $150 billion, likely a typo. The Global Times pinned the price at a more realistic 1 billion yuan, or $147.62 million U.S.
It also said that other potential buyers had recently come forward, adding "uncertainty" to the deal.
If the rumor is accurate, it could be yet another sign that Apple is interested in creating its own games for devices like the iPhone and iPad in-house. Last November, AppleInsider revealed that the Cupertino, Calif., company was looking to hire a AAA-caliber game developer for its team.
To date, Apple has only released one game on the iPhone App Store -- Texas Hold'em. The $4.99 virtual card game was made available in 2008.
Games have proven to be some of the most popular third-party applications available for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. To capitalize on that, Apple will release a new application dubbed Game Center that will act as a centralized place for users to see what their friends are playing challenge them to an online match, or compare scores in specific titles. The service, similar to Microsoft's Xbox Live, will also offer gamers the ability to unlock achievements when playing compatible titles.
Apple's focus on games was also in the spotlight in April, when the company hired a new games editor for the App Store. That hire is now part of a team at Apple that handpicks and organizes titles for customers.
Million or Billion - get the story right!!!!!
Kinda funny considering Steve hated originally the idea of the iPhone being a gaming platform since it made it seem less like a business device
Not necessarily true. I remember the articles.
Apple is rumored to be in talks to buy a Chinese mobile Internet service provider and game developer for $148 billion, with a final agreement said to be "close."
You think Steve will have to dip into his personal savings to buy them out?
Microsoft have done a few very good games, I don't see why Apple couldn't too. But maybe trying to do everything is not a good idea in general?
I'm still wicked pissed that steve let Microsoft buy Bungie... Oh well at that time Steve had lots of other things to worry about I guess... Like keeping apple alive... But still, it still sucked AND one has to wonder what woulda happened if MS didn't have Halo...
Come on, Apple, buy Dropbox. not some stupid game company.
Ginormous data center + Dropbox = Apple SOLVES its cloud woes.
Come on, Apple, buy Dropbox. not some stupid game company.
Buy both. Problem solved.
You think Steve will have to dip into his personal savings to buy them out?
Given that 148 billion is more than half of Apple's Market Cap, I think that the rumor is untrue.
Ginormous data center + Dropbox = Apple SOLVES its cloud woes.
Come on, Apple, buy Dropbox. not some stupid game company.
A little harsh...but I agree, DropBox is one of the best Apps out there! It keeps my iPhone synced with iMac and Desktop...coupled with 1Password and I'm good to go!
Best!
Kinda funny considering Steve hated originally the idea of the iPhone being a gaming platform since it made it seem less like a business device
Not necessarily true. I remember the articles.
Yep... The way things went (near as I can remember them) is Apple was WILDLY successful with their Apple line of personal computers. Games became very rich looking when compared to the other computers of the day (commodore, TI & atari). So when Steve was working on his next desktop (Lisa née Macintosh) he wanted it to appeal to the serious business user and so began the on again off again love hate relationship with games on Apple hardware. The game developers left (mostly) after reading between the not very subtle lines. Even with the game devellopers mostly driven away Apples Macintosh was still mocked as 'toys' and never made a significant dent in the business world.. Education & Research sure as well as photo, publishing, advertising, and other visually oriented markets but general business ... They never lived down their roots as a toy computer. Long after Steve was gone Apple did make a half-assed attempt to encourage games and even built a console but it was never given the backing required to make it successful... Game developers still remember how Apple treated them, and ran away in droves when Apple tried to pitch the console.
Now as for more recent history.. Steve still wasn't a big game fan... Not until iPhone OS developers and buyers showed him it was OK to embrace and actively encourage the game ecosystem.
This might wind up being the bigger point - a foothold into China's internet system. Face it, writing games is small potatoes to Apple and outside their core. Maybe to dabble in them a bit. But to have ISP in China with rich-html experience? mmmm to me that sounds very good.
IMHO
The tables are now turned. Now American firms are buying your companies? Ha! How do you like them Apples? (Pun intended).
Then the patriotic side of me kicks in and wishes Apple had made the offer to an American game developer. Oh well. Apple's never really been in the game development biz, so maybe it's for the best.
Apple's never really been in the game development biz, so maybe it's for the best.
But we all remember the pippins success!
/saracasm