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does Apple really need the woes of Sony right now? How does this suite Apple? Apple makes better products in the mainstram market than Sony does, what's the gain? When is enough cash, enough cash? Getting greedy isn't going to help Apple.


Pi

Only if the first thing they did was gut the company down to its skeleton. Apple may be able to purchase Sony, but Sony is a way-the-hell bigger company, with countless departments and divisions. If you don't get rid of the deadwood, Apple will have no more success running Sony than its current management. (Plus there's the danger that the "purchased" company could end up running the show, like what happened when AOL "bought" Time-Warner.)

------RM

I agree ApplePi. Apple doesn't need Sony right now. They're extremely focused and doing extremely well. There is no need to mess with a winning formula.

Nah...

Apple should buy Disney

Should Apple buy Sony?

No.

...still waiting for Apple to buy Microsoft...the final revenge.

nah, way too much overlap....

Err...no.

Apple shoudn't buy Adobe, or Disney or HP or any of the other names mentioned in the past few years.

"I skate to where the puck is going, not to where it's been." --Wayne Gretzky, as quoted by Steve Jobs in January

Sony et al are where the puck has been.

MW = "enough"

No! Buy Pioneer. Elite, the best TV.

Absolutely not! Don't buy problems.

There may be small companies with good ideas that Apple could benefit from. Buying Sony make no more sense than buying Kodak or General Motors

Good one Fatty. Sony is where the puck has been. Apple and Google are the puck these days. Together they should buy broadcast frequency rights for a wireless network. That is where the puck will be.

Steve has come this far by focusing on getting a few things perfectly right. That is both an achievement in focusing on what is important but also in getting rid with what is not. Apple will benefit more from staying focused instead of getting more than a handful products in its lap they would need to "reinvent".

Ten years ago, Apple would be tempted (if they had todays' money), but now they stand better on their own two feet (four feet) and Sony would only mean too much work.

If there is anything Sony does or has that intrigues Apple, Steve will reinvent it and refine it and offer it with an Apple logo.

Despite Sony's problems, it's still a great company.

I say buy it and fix what's broken.

Sony would give Apple an entry into a lot of product fields.

I agree with all the above. Buy companies that offer new tech. The only interesting part of Sony is its media content.

Buying Sony would be stupid. Many parts of the company are doing poorly and are in areas that probably need shutting down. They are a company of the 70s and 80s and require real genius to hope to get on track again.

If Apple moves into other Sony like areas, they are better served by doing it on their own with their own wisdom. Much better than buying something that doesn't work from a failing company.

My vote is for Nintendo!

Apple should buy the makers of the Wii they would make a great complement to the overall home entertainment strategy.

From a purely business standpoint, this actually makes some sense. Forget about the so-called problems of Sony for the moment. Look at the benefits:

1) Control over a globally recognized brand that way back when was the Apple of its day in terms of innovation. True that may not be the case now but based on the name, Apple would be able to turn it around easily with current innovation.

2) As stated in the article, it instantly expands Apple's offerings in consumer electronics. Flat screen TVs and audio equipment would be an excellent addition. Sell off the clock radio divisions, but keep the most important and relevant product lines.

3) imagine this - take the VAIO line and give THOSE users to the ability to run OS X on those machines. Limit OS X to VAIOs only - no other brand - and you may be able to kick MS in the balls by taking out one of the bigger players in the PC/Windows market. Not too far fetched, huh?

4) Jonathan Ive could act as a consultant to them to reinvigorate them. Talk about innovation!

5) Finally mkt cap on the combined companies would be significant. A big step forward.

But would Apple want to go into debt for this? how would the transaction be structured? Couldn't all be cash - would have to have a debt component or stock swap.

Think about the possibilities. Think different. Maybe.

And doc,

Can't wait for that moment. Ballmer's fat ass and butt ugly tongue-hanging-from-mouth face getting canned is my biggest wish.

Interesting concept.. But totaly wrong...

Basically Sony need to clean up there act very quickly...

Sony TV are NOT the best... There audio is NOT the best... And except for the A Reader Division that is doing everything correct. They are just on these days.

Basicaly Sony's acting like Microsoft. Arrogant and thinking they control everything but dont! Sony's doing fair but add in the game division that went totaly the wrong way. Its a sinking company.

Doing this would be like Apple after Jobs left... A mess..

Bad idea. Terrible idea. Horrible idea.

Apple is growing at an incredible pace - growth is not a problem.

Apple is increasing stock price at an incredible pace.

Buying Sony would be an enormous distraction to Apple, Inc.

Apple is executing about as well as a company can - don't fix what isn't broken.

Most acquisitions are a colossal waste of money (except for Wall Street which makes lots and lots of money).

Doing some this stupid would be the beginning of the end for Apple.

Here is the deal. Sony is part of Japan, Inc.
Japan, Inc. does not sell prestige brands to American companies. It is called "Losing Face". It won't happen.

Apple doesn't need Sony for anything except maybe their music. All else can be duplicated. Even the music business can be duplicated - only better.

What a huge mistake this would be. Adding to other poster's comments, Apple would be forced to bet on Sony's technology, such as Blue Ray and its TV offerings, instead of just choosing the best technology and business suitability amongst all of the vendor's products to integrate into Apple's product line.

And who the hell needs Sony's sinking brand name? Apple's is the best.

This is one of those ideas that looks good on paper, but actually makes no sense as others have pointed out.

One thing not mentioned is the gigantic cultural and linguistic gap between the two companies. Sure Mr. Ive is a great designer, but Sony has their own designers that have worked together for twenty years or more. These are mostly Japanese guys who grew up in a Japanese culture. Can you imagine Ive or Jobs even being able to *communicate* effectively with a factory filled with thousands of Japanese-speaking workers?

Also, the one market on the whole planet where Apple products sell very *poorly* is Japan. There is no "synergy" with Sony just because North Americans who buy Apple products also like to buy Sony stuff. The average Japanese consumer doesn't really even like Apple products. Synergy has to work both ways.

I think Greg Mills is saying take out Sony while he is weak. May be he is just rubbing salt on Sony's face. If Steve Jobs able to take over sony or try, he is a genius.

Apple's worst competitor is not M$, Dell, HP, Intel but is Sony. I firmly believe Sony will got back up to the top. Sony is forming alliance with Toshiba, IBM and movies studio that has the potential to break the American's dominance in IT. Sony is leader in Hollywood. It has long history of success and innovation.

Mr Jobs sell his product on life style and look, Sony sell cutting edge technologies. Everything Apple can do, Sony can do better but not other way around. Can apple create OLED screen, BluRay and make cellchip?

Apple's biggest problem is Steve Job. Today's success is tomorrow poison. Apple is so depend on this guy, what happen if he retired. Sony don't have that problem at least.

I suppose they could buy Sony for the patents, movies and music and sell off the rest, but this seems like it could be a giant distraction.

Apple is the future.

Sony is the past.

Marge them and what do you have?

Today.

Bad idea.

Ya.... No. Apple is doing just fine on it's own making the transition from a computer to consumer electronics company. It doesn't need the hassle of resuscitating a failed console (PS3), and continuing a rather lackluster and "who cares, just pick one" format war.

Sorry, not what the stockholders want. Would never happen. Also, it's a corporate "would never happen". Like Honda or Toyota buying one of the failing US auto brands...

HOW TIMES HAVCE CHANGED.
Check this article from Wired in Sept 2003, Suggesting that Sony should save Apple.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.09/start.html?pg=2

@smoothn00dle,

"Today's success is tomorrow poison."

Tell that to Sony twenty years ago.

Bingo.

Yea, while the idea sounds good, you have real problems like the size of the company, its japanese backgrounds, and corporate thinkology which can kill a buy out.

If Sony were moving in the right direction, I would think that a colaberation would be great, but I think they are moving in the Microsoft direction. Out in left field with a left handed hitter.

en

This would be a total debacle for Apple. At this time the only thing I would like for them to acquire is Super Duper. This is one of the best applications ever for the Mac, and one I will continue to use, with or without Time Machine.

People keep tossing out these companies that Apple should buy. Most of the time, they concentrate on how great the buy-out would be for the company that gets acquired, and ignore the question of what's in it for Apple?

There's nothing that Sony has that Apple can't get for far less than fifty billion dollars.

-jcr

I totally disagree with buying Sony. But that doesn't mean Sony can't be "owned" by Apple:

Steve Jobs has immense sway at Disney, but Apple doesn't own Disney. And this model works perfectly. Apple does not bear any of Disney's woes, but can collaborate and benefit from Disney's resources in a way that only owners can. If Steve Jobs were to be the majority share-holder at Sony, Apple might have a similar advantage, with possible access to media content, distribution channels, and the only consumer electronic product that matters at Sony (HDTV sets). Apple will not need to manage Sony's miseries.

@Mocham4n: Totally agree. Nintendo is the only company I can see Apple owning with ease, and losing nothing in the process. It's a forward thinking, innovating company that is rather specialized (with only a few departments to manage) and a keen interest in finding what consumers want.

WTF?...you have to be out of your mind! Sony is such a mess. One one the main points is, that they sell to many products. The products that they do sell, such as a TV, they have twenty or so of them that most people do not know the the different between them. They just overlap on specs, and the price is to high for what you get. Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Sharp..etc has caught up with them. They need to cut back on how many products they make and lower there prices about 15-20% across the board.

Sony TVs, cameras, camcorders and PS are terrific products.

Whether they're enough for a takeover, I leave to Steve.

Sony is way too big to be taken down and gutted and Apple is still too small to acquire everything that Sony produces.

If anything, Apple could acquire Sony's computer business. Sony really doesn't need to be making computers.

Should Apple buy Sony?? ... NO!

Should Apple AND Google buy Philips?? ... YES

Philips is one of the best R&D;there is but with a poor, poor marketing.

NO..NO..NO.. Forget Sony, their only worthy asset is media. Nintendo, now that makes sense, I am so sick of gamer-fanboys slagging my platform.

Personally I think Apple needs to start a music label, without the artist raping that is the current model. Call it iTunes Direct, the infrastructure is there. Look at the acts startins to finally rebel, NIN, Radiohead, ETC, releasing their music without the labels. Bands do not need $100K today to record an album given current technology. This would be so easy for Apple to do and promote, I can see the commercials now. lets do away with all this disposable over-hyped garbage on the radio. Fans get reasonably priced music and the artists get the rewardf for their hard work instead of the pennies on the dollar they get now.

Apple merging with Sony would help strengthen the position of Blu-ray in the marketplace, it would gain access to premium content, and it would gain access to it's line of broadcast equipment. Sony has excellent broadcast gear, namely its cinealta lineup, which would help further cement Apple's market share with it's Final Cut suite, and Apple would probably drastically cut the prices on Sony's professional gear to get more market penetration. The downside is that Apple would risk further alienating itself from the other record labels.

Everything negative pointed out by the commenters above, are the very things they said about Apple of the Nineties and why Sony shouldn't buy Apple!

Oh my, how things have changed.

Sony lost their vision and in doing so, allowed so many things to fall into disrepair. Things have become so complicated and thinly spread, only someone given complete autonomy over the company's infrastructure could fix it and Jobs has better things to do with his time now. Let's face it, Jobs could phone in his solutions.

Steve Jobs' only concern right now is ensuring Apple Inc. continued success for the next 100 years and rather than getting his hands dirty with the day to day operations he should be focusing on long-term solutions and strategies, lining up his progeny, and enjoying the fruits of his labor.

Apple doesn't have to buy Sony in order to develop a symbiotic relationship with them, or to take advantage of their properties, they need only share the minds and time of key people.

Perhaps Sony should invite Steve Jobs to sit on its board of directors. That would be a start anyway.

The fallacy here is that Apple is a leader, but not always a dominator. You say Blu-ray, I say Firewire, Quicktime, and Mac OS X. Just because Apple digs it, just because it's the best, doesn't mean Apple will conquer.

I went to the Developers Conference in 2004 and visited with then iPod lead guy Jon Rubenstein. One topic he spoke about was their analysis of business opportunities.

The first of their three step evaluation was defining a market in a state of chaos (not a company, but an entire market).

The second was to determine the market had no dominant leader and those in the market compared unfavorably financially against Apple.

The third was to determine if taking control of the market would yield the required return for a reasonably period of time.

A Sony acquisition peg doesn't fit their holes.

From a technology acquisition perspective, Apple typically spends small for key technologies rather than spending big to buy an established brand. For example, Apple paid for Logic, Microsoft paid for Facebook.

From my perspective, a merger with Sony would be about both brand and technology. The brand side is contrary to Apple's historic tendencies. The technology side is likely to demand a premium due to the significance of Sony's brand value.

I remember a Jobs interview where he spoke about the discipline required to say no to 99 good ideas to focus absolutely on the great one. The iPhone shows this mindset in execution. Sony better learn to swim.

Apple buying Sony would be like someone intentionally going out and contracting an STD.

No thanks.

To SmoothNoodle:
"Apple's biggest problem is Steve Job. Today's success is tomorrow poison. Apple is so depend on this guy, what happen if he retired. Sony don't have that problem at least."
YES,THEY HAVE: it is called Akio Morita! This genius was the SteveJobs of SONY! Sony is no longer what it used to be since he passed away few years ago!

Yes Apple should buy Sony in the TV set area,because we really some apple dvd players,Apple Higth-def TVs and Apple should also begun to make some printers and scanners like in the old days.

Imagine saying this ten years ago! How times have changed indeed. As a Apple fan I'm estatic that Apple is so big and successful that Mac fans are actually contemplating on buying Sony!

Today is a good day to be a Apple lover.

Joe

While this might be an interesting idea I think there are a few significant problems.

First Sony and Apple have totally different approaches to the business they are in and the overlap in key areas is too great. Apple would be reluctant to take over a business that competed on too many fronts as the end result could only be compromise in order to keep the stock holders happy.

Second there are better targets that would expand Apples range and aid in penetrating markets where Apple is not too strong. I am thinking of Sun. They are major server and data centre backbone manufacturers, hold significant IP, are well within Apple's price range and would instantly gain Apple significant corporate client base. There may even be some synergies to a possible merger of OSX and Solaris as server operating systems. Both are Unix, both are powerful, both have features the other doesn't. To me it makes sense.

What do you guys reckon?

Cheers

NO WAY is this a good idea.

A key to Apple's strategy over the past decade has been avoiding "commodity" markets where the players live and die on price, and creating parallel or totally new "lifestyle" markets where products win on the basis of user experience (including how it fits into the user's lifestyle).

With the possible exception of the PS3, which has has its own set of problems, almost none of Sony's consumer electronics products play in these markets, much less succeed there. TVs and stereos is the LAST thing Apple wants to get into, because guess what that whole market is about? One giant price war. Let Dell or someone else bleed cash in these markets so they can pretend they're "growing" or "diversifying"; Apple doesn't need it.

Sny? No. Buying Sony BMG would be a coup for iTunes content and marketing clout, but that's not part of the Sony package AFAIK. The only thing buying Sony would do for Apple is give them a chance at the market in Japan; something Apple is desperately trying to improve. However these type of moves are always fraught with folly as the loyal brand consumer ultimately knows when their favourite company has been sold out. Would a loyal Ford fan buy one if GM bought them out?

WND word: Larger - as in larger isn't always better. Apple is better off to grow themselves and let Sony wallow.

Terrible idea. There are too many things Sony has as products that would have to be sold off to make this work, and then, what would be the point?

Number one is their PC business. Unless Apple were to retail that, and I don't see why, as it would be the same company, they would have to have OS X run on them.

The second would be the music and movie businesses. Despite what some people think, Apple can't be a reseller of all content while owning some of the bigger companies producing it. Other companies look askance at that.

There are quite a few other products that simply don't fit within Apple's purview. Do we want Apple producing alarm clocks?