Apple “12 months ago approched IBM in an attempt to get access to the cell processor now found in the new PS3. This was knocked back because of Sony’s investment and part ownership of the processor development program,” David Richards reports for Smarthouse.
Richards reports, “This week in Sydney the Vice President of Technology for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, Paul Holman and I discussed the possibility of Apple entering the games market. ‘It is possible and we are aware that they have been looking at several opportunities,’ he said. ‘They would need a very good processor like the cell which right now is delivering a lot of power to the PS 3 which developers have discovered has given them a lot of headroom to further develop new gaming capabilities,’ he added.
“Another Sony Computer Entertainment executive said, ‘We have known for some time of Apple’s interest in the games market however it will be tough for them up against Sony and Microsoft and of late Nintendo. We believe that they will come into the games market late in 2007 but not with a pure gaming console. We are told that they are looking at a pretty powerful media centre with a big gaming capability,'” Richards reports.
Richards reports, “What I am told is that Apple is working on developing a media centre that will allso allow games to be played from the Apple Media Centre console however the problem for Apple is identifying and getting access to the right processor which allows developers to quickly re code existing programs for the potential new Apple media centre. They are also very reluctant to enter the market with a pure gaming console. What they believe is that by introducing gaming as an extension of a media centre will attract a wider audience than gamers.”
Full article here.
The rumor mill starts to spin once again. ‘Tis the season…
Related articles:
Apple + TiVo = Mac Media Capsule? – December 06, 2006
RUMOR: Apple may enter video game market – December 05, 2006
This has been attempted before with the 3DO project. If true, here’s to hoping that Apple is more successful.
Rumor: Apple dialysis machine.
The MOST important thing in the Gaming industry is CONTENT. without content you have crap. unless apple is going to create its own Game studio, they will just have ports from all the other systems & PC. I am already an Xbox and Xbox Live user, and plan on getting a Wii as soon as I get my hands on one. I dont see how anyone will make more room in my living room for something else that both those consoles dont deliver already.
im all for competition, I just dont think apple can compete in this market as a similar product. It will have to be totaly different.
Was this article translated? Some very strange and bad typos in it- almost enough to consider it highly bogus.
@R: ROTFLMAO!
All it needs now is for some analyst to note its failure to appear tomorrow, and for the shares to tumble.
What I really think Apple is up to with the hiring of personell with game development experience is to better tailor aspects of OS X for game developers for Macs. Or maybe Mac gaming rigs that are Mac PCs designed with gaming in mind. But that’s more likely than a console. If Apple really is looking into it, then it will probably come along as a new feature to the iTV, if it’s successful.
Shouldn’t this positive rumor offset the negative rumor about the iPhone?
“Rumor: Apple dialysis machine.”
Heheh. thanks.
To beat the entrenched competition (Sony, MS, Nintendo)you need to be better, cheaper or redefine the market.
Apple is not better (less games, games don’t have normal OS interfaces anyway, PS3 & XBox are already photo-realistic), Apple is unlikely to be cheaper than Nintendo, so they will have to redefine the market e.g. why have a console-only when you can have an iTV/Mac Capsule which can talk with the iPhone, video iChat, play movies, CDs, TV, Photos, games, surf, wireless router, HD-ready, etc.
Do you think there will be a link between the iPhone and the iTV e.g. for free internet calls, downloading ringtones and video conferencing?
blah blah blah
the real power is in the GPU
Apple could just do some game stuff for fun, it does not have to be Xbox or PS comparable. Nentendo Wii are selling just because it is fun.
If Apple had some fun low cost games that were imaginitive people would buy them, expecially as the Mac market expands.
The Tech Sector Analyst Community knows that Apple is already
behind in its plans to release its Mac Based Media Center Gaming
machine to its niche customer base.
The delay in the Video iPod plus the CONFIRMED DELAY in the
planned release of its iPhone — and now this further delay in
coming to market with a Mac Based Media Center Gaming machine
is all too much for investors, analysts, and Apple’s Board to accept.
The end of Apple’s expensive stock price valuations is near.
SELL
http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/12/07/the-15-most-overvalued-companies-in-america/
An analyst friend of mine explains it all very professionally in that link.
Read it and sell.
Maybe, sell first, and then read it.
Save yourselves from personal financial ruion.
If Apple hasn’t figured out the gaming aspect to its digital home strategy by now it will be to late. If this article is to be true then one would have to assume Apple hasn’t done jack as it relates to gaming.
I think apple should come out with a virtual sex device. It could use the vibrator in the new virtual phone. Of course the graphics would have to be top notch.
Tech Sector, I know who you are…
>Apple “12 months ago approched IBM >
Did Apple also approach IBM?
I wuz et co.llidge
What I’d like to see, though it won’t happen, is for Apple to partner with Nintendo and provide OS X along with Front Row and Bonjour on an expanded version of the Wii.
want scoop on new apple devices? look into walla walla
dumb-asses!
“…behind in its plans to release its Mac Based Media Center Gaming…”
“…CONFIRMED DELAY in the planned release of its iPhone…”
WTF? I only hope this is tongue-in-cheek. If Apple hasn’t set a date for release or even confirmed the existence of these things, how can they be delayed? Stop pushing your lame-assed blog on MDN – oh, excuse me, your friend’s lame-assed blog, and worry about your own “financial ruion”.
“12 months ago [Apple] approached IBM in an attempt to get access to the cell processor now found in the new PS3. This was knocked back because of Sony’s investment and part ownership of the processor development program.”
Actually, I’ve heard it the other way. Essentially, IBM tried to sell Apple on using a variation on the cell processor for it’s computers if Apple would pony up some more R&D money. Apple’s reply was pretty much, “Where’s our laptop G5? Don’t give us this crap until you deliver a laptop G5.”
IBM can license cell designs to anyone they want, as can Sony.
That said, I could vaguely see Apple doing something like this in that they release a Mac mini optimized for gaming (ie, kick-ass GPU and a nice fast CPU) and the ability to act like an iTV. Thus, you get all the benefits of an iTV and you can also use it like a Mac. Once people have that capability, game developers will want to develop games for it.
Tech analyst, you’re not. Neither is that insipid article you linked to. You can’t spell ruin. You’re a troll. Apple is not in competition with Microsoft. Microsoft is attempting to compete with Apple. Apple will not have a “game” console. The phone is late because it has to be insanely great.
Sell if you want. In fact I wouldn’t try to stop you. But not based on anything an analyst says.
Apple is like that kid from Family guy: Trying so very hard to take over the world that they are forgetting, how small they in fact are…
First of all Tech Analyst …. L-A-M-E attempt to get people to read your blog.
Second the article is not reasoned analysis but little squirts of conjecture.
Your big reason for dropping Apple is the competition from Microsoft? Seriously? Because all I watch is Apple’s rise in marketshare and the extremely cool reception from even the most fawning in the tech sector for Vista. And I have not met one single person who is excited to see Vista come out. MS’s two biggest markets are Corporation and computer manufacturers. The corporations won’t adopt Vista right away because of legacy issues and because it will require a healthy investment in new hardware to run the damn thing. And most PC manufacturers have seen a decine in sales volumes because the PC market is SATURATED expecially for the low margin PCs. So we have the vicious circle, MS is hoping that new computer sales will drive Vista’s rollout and PC makers are hoping that Vista’s hardware requirements will drive PC sales. Unfortunately due to long delays, poor reviews, and lack of buzz Vista is lacking the starpower to do its part of the cycle.
This speaks to my own speculation that Vista will have a very long journey to gaining signifigant market penetration. This does not mean that I am calling out doom and gloom for MS, rather that they will have a tougher time getting this one out the door and because of this they will see a decline in marketshare. How much? I don’t know, but if I had to speculate I would say below 15% (worldwide).
Now who stands to have the most to gain from this loss. Yep, its your friends at Apple.
Apple has lots of cash, steady growth (with plenty of room to continue, and a VERY healthy bottom line.
This is why I bought at 56, when people like you were crying “the sky is falling.” And I have no plans to sell. So if you got some Apple stock to unload I’ll take it.
I’m thinking that all the new HDTV’s out there are making the tv very open to use as a computer monitor… but we expect different things from the tv, basically higher production value, constant movement and more simple layout.
All of this could be part of a Leopard plan. Think of the time machine, think of the spaces that reduce clutter, think of all the things that core animation will be able to do…
So maybe the iTV is planned to send everything media to the tv instead of the monitor. (Of course word processing and movie editing will be monitor tasks because you need to be closer and hands on and they are one on one, person on computer).
It makes sense that it would become the tv gateway for those tasks better suited for tv… watching videos, choosing music with album art and visualization, games, ichat, etc.
Rumor: Apple personal sex device: The iGal, a USB inflatable woman with forced feedback (vibration).