“The cash coffers are overflowing at Apple these days. While Silicon Valley is abuzz over the fact that social-networking startup Facebook is now worth $15 billion on paper, Cupertino-based Apple has at least that much money — $15.4 billion to be exact — in real, spendable cash,” Bryan Gardiner reports for Wired.
Gardiner asks, “With more money on hand than it’s ever had, the question is: What exactly will Apple do with that pile?”
“Apple could use its wad of cash to ensure that iPhone-component makers are keeping up with demand. This is seen as critical for Apple at the moment, especially considering that it’s set to launch the phone in Europe next month. Another potential investment could come in the form of building out the new property Apple purchased last year in Cupertino. Indeed, Jobs has said that the 50-acre parcel of land is to be the home of a new campus housing up to 3,500 of Apple’s employees,” Gardiner reports.
“Less likely is the possibility that Apple might join a Google-led consortium of companies bidding in the upcoming 700-MHz spectrum auction. With the bar set at $4.6 billion just to qualify for the open access ‘C’ block, analysts predict Google will likely want some monetary support from companies that could benefit from a new swath of open spectrum. That includes hardware manufacturers like Apple, whose iPhone and iPod touch might, in future versions, work with an open wireless network,” Gardiner reports.
More in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Paul” for the heads up.]
We need the competition in the software area. Buying Adobe would be great, but buying now dead “FreeHand” from Adobe and Apple will redevelop it to be able to compete against Illustrator. This way, us 2D designer/users will have choices and forces Adobe to get the development of software faster and better. Remember forks, when Apple had the Intel Mac out already and sales did not fly because Adobe did not come out with new Intel native CS package?
Adobe. Buy Adobe, please. That would be so sweet!
R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!R&D;!!!!!!!!