“Apple said it bought two closely held companies last week, mobile-application startup Siri Inc. and semiconductor designer Intrinsity. Those deals came after January’s takeover of mobile- ad network Quattro Wireless and the December buyout of online music service LaLa Inc.,” Guglielmo reports. “Terms weren’t disclosed.”
Guglielmo reports, “The timing of those purchases suggests Apple may be feeling pressure from Google, which has announced eight takeovers this year as it moves into new markets including mobile devices and the software and advertising that run on them… ‘The pace has really picked up, there seems to be a strategic shift,’ said Charlie Wolf, an analyst with Needham & Co. in New York. ‘It looks like there’s an acquisition frenzy going on between Google and Apple in the sense that there’s an increasing urgency on Apple’s part to stay even if not ahead of Google in the phone space and apps space.'”
Guglielmo reports, “With more than $23.1 billion in cash, Apple has plenty of money to keep purchasing small startups… Counting long-term investments that the company can ‘liquidate in a day,’ Apple had $41.7 billion in cash at the end of the last quarter, Brian Marshall, an analyst with Broadpoint AmTech, said. In comparison, Google had about $26.5 billion, he said.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Edward W,” for the heads up.]
As steve had said, there are plenty of new products in their pipeline. I can’t wait!
I say Apple should buy a law firm since everyone seems to want to sue them.
I only have 14 dollars and 21 cents in cash 🙁
Man, that’s $67Billion between the two of them. That could make for one fun day at the mall!
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I still think that Apple is ready to establish a TiVo like service with a cloud DVR service and a Mac mini DVR as the home entertainment hub that Steve talked about 2 or 3 years ago. Could buy out TiVo and put a Mac in every new installation or upgrade that TiVo does.
An Apple hub could stream it’s recorded media off their BILLION DOLLAR SERVER FARM in NC to ever iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Mac (or PC) connected to the Internet.
Another market to be dominated by Apple!
Excuse me, but isn’t Apple already WAY ahead of Google in the phone space and apps space? Why does this article seem to suggest they’re struggling to stay even, let alone ahead? Seems pretty misleading to me.
Did you all notice during the quarterly statement that no one asked Apple about the BILLION DOLLAR SERVER FARM that was started last August. The outside of the facility looks done. Apple didn’t talk about. Apple has advertised (and I assume hired) a staff to run the server farm.
Did you here someone ask, “What is Apple going to do with the BILLION DOLLAR investment that was made in the SERVER FARM?” Or, “What percentage of the servers are installed at this time?” Or, “Is Apple already running the SERVER FARM at this time?”
Nope! This must be one of those “Don’t ask don’t tell” situations. This BILLION DOLLAR investment is going to increase Apple’s existing server system about 400% and no one thought to bring it up. Clueless idiots will be surprised again!
@Dotar Sojat, It’s pretty clear to me that Apple is way ahead.
I don’t think Google really understood the potential of mobile, or how dramatically it would change how we all use the internet (for example using small specialized apps instead of Google to consume content, and find/buy goods & services).
Dear Apple,
I want a true replacement for the MS Office suite our whole company is forced to use.
Thank you!
Apple is not ahead, there are behind. Because apple products represent an ideal and the ideal has not been achieved, apple wins mostly because of consumer trust and a young fresh image. Apple will not allow andriod to be seen as the more advanc platform doing what google cannot. As usual Steve jobs is fighting for the future while shortsighted compitition fights for stats and market share.
@JerseyTrader, do you get an investment bonus or something every time you mention BILLION DOLLAR SERVER FARM. I’m so sick of hearing you type it (all caps, please!) over and over and over.
Why don’t you send Steve an email and ask him yourself? He’s been pretty chatty lately.
Whatever investment game you’re trying to prop up by constantly spamming these remarks on here is really annoying to those of us who just want to read the news and commentary.