Apple-Sony: "Who knows, maybe someday computers and music too."
OK, this is Temporary Insanity. Did anyone else catch what Jobs said when the rambling Sony guy was with him? Here's the full quote:
That seemed like an odd thing to say. Maybe he was just happy to finally get the guy off stage.
Quote:
You know, we do work very closely with Sony on digital still cameras and these new camcorders, which is really great. And who knows maybe some day computers and music too.
You know, we do work very closely with Sony on digital still cameras and these new camcorders, which is really great. And who knows maybe some day computers and music too.
That seemed like an odd thing to say. Maybe he was just happy to finally get the guy off stage.
Comments
I'm with you. I sat bolt upright when I read the comment. Yeah, it could've been a throw away line, but these things are pretty scripted. I don't know what Apple would do w/ Sony, but their brand images are both strong across the same spectrum of consumers.
I don't know if it would make business sense for Apple and Sony to play together, but if they rolled Quicktime 7 and iTunes with the Playstation, they'd create a fascinating beast.
Sony meanwhile is running into the tripwires that Apple has already jumped over: the recording companies. Sony Electronics and Sony Records had an infamously bad row. Plus Sony's habit of trying to push its own proprietary standards even when the rest of the industry has moved on (hellooo ATRAC?).
And then there's Connect. What else can I say about that. No, Sony the supergiant has lost a lot of its shine and that is what Jobs was nudging at. In computers and music, Sony has wedded itself to Windows-only formats one way or another and it hasn't gone well.
The fact that Sony started to support MP3s is noteworthy. Has there been a management change or did they just wake up?
BTW Does Sony Pictures have an established animation studio? Just wondering...
Screed
Originally posted by BuonRotto
He was just taking a (quasi-friendly) jab at Sony. He meant that they (Sony) make nice camcorders, and some day they might make nice computers and music devices too. That's how I took it anyway.
I know he was doing that at other times, but if you look at the full quote, and if you watch it (about halfway through) in the video, he really is talking about Apple and Sony working together. There may have been nothing to it, but that is what he said.
Originally posted by BRussell
I know he was doing that at other times, but if you look at the full quote, and if you watch it (about halfway through) in the video, he really is talking about Apple and Sony working together. There may have been nothing to it, but that is what he said.
That is what I heard. Come on, Jobs does not bring the CEO of Sony on stage to insult him, even mildly-even if he keeps talking and won't get off the stage! That whole event didn't have to happen. iMovie HD could have been introduced without any mention of Sony. That was a purposeful show of collaboration and I think they are looking for ways to extend the collaboration rather than clash.
Originally posted by sCreeD
...BTW Does Sony Pictures have an established animation studio? Just wondering...
Screed
Screed... WHOAAA! Did you just hit on something? Why would this Sony exec. be on stage to blather on and on about products that are not really Mac specific and barely come close to a true consumer price ($3000 plus for that HD camcorder!)
What about a Sony Pictures/PIXAR deal? THAT might be the thing!!
However Sony has gotten out of control. They are too big for themselves. They have divisions taking other divisions to court about issues rather then all working together. On one hand you have Sony Record companies working with the RIAA to find ways to stop illegal downloading of music on the otehr hand you have their electroincs division selling machines that can play MP3's and rip CD's. Same goes for Sony Pictures, Columbia Tristar and MGM (all Sony movie studios) producing movies and working with the MPAA. Then you have Sony Electroincs and computer divisions counteracting that. The only thing that every division seems to agree on is the memory stick since it shows up everywhere no matter how awful it is.
Sony is unbalanced and separated from itself. Apple is doing so well because every team and division is working together seemlessly to make sure they don't overlap or conflict with each other.
My thought is that the real reason to invite Sony's President to take part in the keynote was an intention to have him announce an Apple-Sony cooperation in the music business...
Something went a little wrong in the negotiations prior to the show and they didn't sign anything - thus turning the whole thing into something way less (also explaining why the Japanese gentleman wasn't more prepared speech wise).
The little remark from Steve could then be explained as being part disappointment, part hopefullness...
In digital photography and video, they seem to be forming a closer business relationship.
A Pixar deal is a blinking neon possibility, but what the frell does that have to do with Apple products?
ApplePi correctly expands on what I said. When stating that Apple is creating ties with Sony, we have to ask the question, "Which Sony?"
For reference:
- Sony Computer Entertainment - PlayStation
- Sony Music
- Sony Pictures - movies & television
- Sony Electronics - including PCs, home entertainment, cameras, camcorders, mobile phones, audio devices, etc.
- Sony Business Solutions - including professional video & imaging, semiconductor & LCD production, etc.
ScreedFurthermore, Sony and Apple have collaborated in the PC business during the '90s. PowerBook 100 was, hardware-wise a joint venture of Sony and Apple. Apple was having trouble fitting their desktop processors into a lighter-than-Macintosh-Portable notebook and Sony was called in to help.
Nevertheless, as has been stated above, I don't think Jobs would be such an idiot as to call the CEO of one of the biggest companies in the world in front of a huge crown and a lot of TV cameras and insult him like that. Though Ande isn't a very eloquent English speaker, I do think that he understand English perfectly fine. So insulting him is not as simple as that.
What I think Jobs meant was that Apple and Sony could do business together on some components and maybe some software as well. Sony is a giant company and they can afford to even open new lines of production or new divisions for Mac-specific products if they see a profit in it. And lets not forget that by 'computer' people today mean gadgets for computers as well. Just look at the iPod gadgets today, hundreds of them. Why not have Mac specific gadgets as well? Digital cameras, video cameras, flash cards, jump drivers, etc. While Apple can produce a large amount of gadgets for their own computers, they can't produce everything and it certainly isn't a good practice anyway.
But, one more important thing comes to mind; anti-Windows collaboration. If Apple gets one of the big names in the electronics/computer market to work with it and advance the Mac platform, it would gain access to many third-parties due to Sony's agreements with them, it would get a big gun with a lot of money in their deep pockets, and it would get a very good hardware producing company. And although they may have problems with their divisions, Sony is not just a hardware company; they also have their Picture, Music, and whatnot divisions that are quite large. So there is this whole Media thing that could be pulled.
Anyway, sorry about the long post.
Originally posted by Gene Clean
So just because Sony has to play with the dominant OS in the world doesn't mean Sony makes bad hardware.
True. In fact, Sony has brilliant hardware engineers. When they realize that their inability to do software is hurting them, and when they realize that reliance on MS is hurting them too, they will become interesting to watch. They could easily become a great company again.
I tend to agree that Steve was being sincere. He's stated his admiration for Sony on many occasions. I said in another thread that Sony hardware combined with Apple software could be amazing. I think Steve is of a similar mind, and angling for more deals than just HP and Motorola.
But, one more important thing comes to mind; anti-Windows collaboration. If Apple gets one of the big names in the electronics/computer market to work with it and advance the Mac platform, it would gain access to many third-parties due to Sony's agreements with them, it would get a big gun with a lot of money in their deep pockets, and it would get a very good hardware producing company. And although they may have problems with their divisions, Sony is not just a hardware company; they also have their Picture, Music, and whatnot divisions that are quite large. So there is this whole Media thing that could be pulled.
ApplePi's point has to be taken, though, which is that Sony is bitterly divided internally, to the point of open warfare between divisions. Steve would have to do some very delicate negotiations, because getting Sony's CE division and their music and movie divisions on the same page is a feat that Sony's own management has failed to accomplish, spectacularly.
It might be enough, for the time being, for Apple to win the CE division over as an iTunes licensee. Sony Music is already signed on to iTMS, so he could accomplish the cooperation indirectly.
Anyway, sorry about the long post.
Nothing wrong with long posts if they're good.
I'm not saying Sony and Apple are looking at wider colloborating. But I'm sure they think about it.
Originally posted by Ompus
The only thing that makes me spend more than a few minutes on this is unspoken presence of Microsoft. The xBox, for example, wasn't a shot across the bow of Sony. Microsoft was clearly shooting for the jugular. Windows DRM? Just another attempt to extend the tax.
I'm not saying Sony and Apple are looking at wider colloborating. But I'm sure they think about it.
this post brings to mind the old adage "the enemy of my enemy is my friend"
apple and sony have collaberated on many projects and M$ is angling for sony's business.
playstation vs xbox
sony quit market vs windows mobile pda's
computers MS os hurts the good hardware design
movies? M$ wants to own this too
an apple sony strategic partnership might be in order perhaps on the movie distribution biz which is wide open
Apple currently has huge gains in the online music world. Steve is doing a great job getting record companies on board with itunes. Whats next is movies and games. Why do you think Steve was calling 2005 the year of HD. Having the sony CEO on stage to talk about their HD video camera, making such a big deal out of Quicktime 7 and h.264 which has been accepted by blu-ray and HD DVD.
But there are more players in this game then just the ones already mentioned. Comcast here in the US is another one. I've heard that sometime this year comcast expects to offer movie theater movies in the home using their "on demand" digital cable boxes. Where you can rent a movie a week after it hits the theater for $15 and watch it in your own home. Great for people who can't get out because they have kids or just because they don't like going to the theater.
Sony is buying up movie studios like the recently aquired MGM so that they can control content. Now their three studios with thousands of titles combined will release content only on blu-ray which helps sway the rest of hollywood to accept the same format.
"He who holds the content holds the power" should be the slogan for where this industry is going. In ten-twenty years certain companies will own all content and delivery of that content. Sony will be one of them.
Steve knows this and he's doing a damn good job building the technology to put it all together and courting the other powerplayers to get on Apples side. But Apple is not just courting the powerplayers they are going after the content creators of tomorrow. Garage Band and imovie HD are great examples of trying to get new and young content creators on their side. After all Apple lost the PC wars of the 80' and 90's. But this is a new century and the industry is shifting. Apple is doing what they can to get everyone playing in their sandbox.
have you seen Sony (products, logo) at Conan O'Brian's Blue-Show?
I've seen Philips, no small company?- doing lot of research (does Sony?)
we will see new and old alliances in the next five years in entertainment industry. old shool electronics with new school computers
when HP is allowed to print their logo on an iPod - why not an Apple GUI on some smart-designed Sony mp3 player (as a beginning?)
05 as the year of HD?- not really Steve! a european has some bigger problems right now then spending 3,5k? on a camcorder. and the same for a bigscreen. HD is the future. right moment, to place a food in the opening door. iMovie HD
AND:
Sony is indeed No1 adress for stuff like that?-
what's up with all the smiles?????
i think it may be time for another one of your puzzle!