“Reuters reported that the speculation was fueled by a report from Barron’s that stated that cash-rich Apple could be aiming for acquisition and named Adobe, Sony and Disney as potential targets,” Bagh reports. “Apple currently has $50 billion in cash reserves and has a market capitalization of $282 billion while Sony has a market cap of $34 billion. Financially Sony is within Apple’s reach.”
MacDailyNews Take: Pretty much anything is within Apple reach if they want it badly enough. And these sort of rumors are to be expected after Jobs’ comments regarding Apple’s $51 billion cash pile during last Monday’s conference call.
Bagh reports, “It is surmised that Apple is primarily targeting Sony’s gaming segment which includes its PlayStation line of products. Apple lacks a significant presence in the gaming industry where Microsoft, with its Xbox line of products, and Nintendo are major players. Sony’s PlayStation console has been used by it to piggy-back its other products like Blu-Ray player as it has adopted HD technology on its gaming console. The gaming platform can fit into Apple’s model as it can leverage the product to augment game offerings on its iPhone and iPad devices. Also Sony’s TV line of products can be used by Apple to complement its Apple TV.”
MacDailyNews Take: Apple lacks a significant presence in the console gaming industry. The handheld gaming industry is another story entirely: Apple’s iOS devices surpass Sony PSP, close in on Nintendo DS, in U.S. gaming – September 15, 2010
Bagh reports, “Another area which could be appealing to Apple is Sony’s semiconductor business as Apple attempts to closely integrate its hardware with the software. Sony has developed a new CELL processor with Toshiba and IBM which enhances multi-media performance and vector calculation devices… However, Sony is a diversified company with interests in electronics, gaming, media and financial services. Thus an overall Sony portfolio would not fit into Apple’s strategy. Also Sony is a key Google partner; it recently released Google-TV powered HDTV models. Though Sony comes with multiple appendages that Apple will have to deal with, whether Apple has the sufficient managerial strength to absorb and turnaround a beleaguered corporate [entity] like Sony is suspect.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Sounds like somebody’s pumping some SNE.
Will not happen. Apple runs such a tight, lean ship. It doesn’t need this mess of a company.
Will not happen. Apple runs such a tight, lean ship. It doesn’t need this mess of a company.
Will not happen, and not worth it!
Sony is a mess.
Will not happen, and not worth it!
Sony is a mess.
Come on… Apple ……TV? Sounds like a no brainer right?
Sony’s so bloody huge, its just mind-boggling to think of what this Japanese Apple would look like :S
Come on… Apple ……TV? Sounds like a no brainer right?
Sony’s so bloody huge, its just mind-boggling to think of what this Japanese Apple would look like :S
Yes, Sony is messed up on an executive level. But there are a lot of great thinkers over there, and they still make some cool products. The PS3 is hands down the best console out there.
I’d love for Apple to pick them up and create a truly unified entertainment experience!
A Sony/Apple PS4 in a few years would really constitute a thumb in MSFT’s eye. And who wouldn’t want to see Monkey Boy with an eye patch?
Yes, Sony is messed up on an executive level. But there are a lot of great thinkers over there, and they still make some cool products. The PS3 is hands down the best console out there.
I’d love for Apple to pick them up and create a truly unified entertainment experience!
A Sony/Apple PS4 in a few years would really constitute a thumb in MSFT’s eye. And who wouldn’t want to see Monkey Boy with an eye patch?
What a bunch on non-sense. If apple wanted a game console it would just design and build it.
From Apple’s perspective, Sony is just a bunch of problems. There is nothing to be gained but overhead expenses.
If Steve thought people should spend their lives sitting in their rooms shooting and stabbing each other in cyberspace he would have facilitated it long ago.
What a bunch on non-sense. If apple wanted a game console it would just design and build it.
From Apple’s perspective, Sony is just a bunch of problems. There is nothing to be gained but overhead expenses.
If Steve thought people should spend their lives sitting in their rooms shooting and stabbing each other in cyberspace he would have facilitated it long ago.
Why would Apple do this? Ludicrous idea.
Apple is better off doing what they do best and have others have bidding wars hoping to supply Apple.
Why would Apple do this? Ludicrous idea.
Apple is better off doing what they do best and have others have bidding wars hoping to supply Apple.
The only thing Sony has that Apple might want is a huge media library.
The only thing Sony has that Apple might want is a huge media library.
Adobe.
And don’t give me “anti-trust”. Apple has a piddly 10% market share.
Adobe.
And don’t give me “anti-trust”. Apple has a piddly 10% market share.
Sony’s CEO said they have over 5,000 SKUs.
ALL of apple’s products can fit on a dinner table.
Integrating 2 companies is HARD, killer hard.
This will NOT happen.
Sony’s CEO said they have over 5,000 SKUs.
ALL of apple’s products can fit on a dinner table.
Integrating 2 companies is HARD, killer hard.
This will NOT happen.
APPLE CANNOT BUY SONY!!!!
The Maximum a foreign firm can buy in an Japanese firm is 30%, this is the Maximum the Japanese government has set
APPLE CANNOT BUY SONY!!!!
The Maximum a foreign firm can buy in an Japanese firm is 30%, this is the Maximum the Japanese government has set
I was one of the many without foresight had been asking for this acquisition of SONY by Apple for almost 4-5 years now. Looking back, it would have been messy and Apple’s laser focus would have been distracted.
I wish this wouldn’t take place. I can’t see Apple needing dying resources like optical media, semi baked handsets, or even the gaming platform that doesn’t fit into the iOS future. The media content (movies, music etc.) side of SONY also requires saving and Apple can’t afford to learn and then tread on an unfamiliar territory of content creation. Too much risk and no guarantees of a large payoff.
Apple could use the SONY TV, but why not just go into an agreement with them, like they had in the early days with the Macintosh TV®.
I was one of the many without foresight had been asking for this acquisition of SONY by Apple for almost 4-5 years now. Looking back, it would have been messy and Apple’s laser focus would have been distracted.
I wish this wouldn’t take place. I can’t see Apple needing dying resources like optical media, semi baked handsets, or even the gaming platform that doesn’t fit into the iOS future. The media content (movies, music etc.) side of SONY also requires saving and Apple can’t afford to learn and then tread on an unfamiliar territory of content creation. Too much risk and no guarantees of a large payoff.
Apple could use the SONY TV, but why not just go into an agreement with them, like they had in the early days with the Macintosh TV®.
Buying Sony is as stupid as buying Adobe. Look for Apple to either someone we’ve never heard of or a communication company. Maybe they’ll buy Sprint.
Buying Sony is as stupid as buying Adobe. Look for Apple to either someone we’ve never heard of or a communication company. Maybe they’ll buy Sprint.
Just a thought here. Sony has media holdings? right? Apple can do as good as or better with the hardware / software side, but it might want the media rights to allow better adoption of its Apple side.
Just a thought,
en