[ehMax]

Sosumi! Wow, this sounds really interesting! 6 Billion!! I thought Apple only had 4 Billion in the bank. Maybe Steve is dipping into the personal funds with this one or hitting up buddy Bill for a loan? Maybe Al Gore has tons of cash?

This would be a really exciting move! 50¢ a song? I would be spending lots of money on this. I've been waiting for a good service like this for a long time. There are so many songs I want (Old 80's tunes I would never buy the whole album for... some U2 B-sides and other rare songs)

Coupled with a new iPod this is going to be big imho.

 

[used to be jwoodget]

Yeah baby, yeah. 50c for Mac dudes and a buck for the Dell dudes....

Rock on.

Apple has $4 billion in cash but if it were to buy Vvendi, most of the purchase would likely be in stock. I don't really see the fit though. I mean, Universal is but one record company (albeit the largest) and not all of my fave artists are on that label.

 

[MacDoc]

I head that this AM on CBC
Interesting move.

Steve is the only person in the US to become a billionaire twice on stock options in different industries ( Apple and PIxar).
I suspect he has lots of "cash" behind him.
What else is there to buy that makes money - airlines

There has been very little venture capitalist activity in the past year so something that makes sense will attract #$$ - when the guys got a track record.

 

[Tomac]

New iPods should HOPEFULLY include around $20 incentive towards the online music service.

 

[Bjornbro]

This is a good thing right? Apple's stock has hit near 5 year lows ($13.07) on the news.

 

[Dr.G.]

How much of Capitol's debt is Vivendi going to pick up, or pass on to Apple? Bjornbro is correct is questioning the economic sense of this move.

 

[SpanishJoe]

I think this is a weird rumor. I have no idea what Apple will pick up Universal for. Do they want to bleed money, too?

I heard it on the news and just dismissed it as if Baghdad Bob had announced it.

-SJ.

 

[Strongblade]

Well, the rumours of an online music service through Apple has been percolating for several weeks now. This is a logical thought on how Apple would accomplish this.

I am sceptical on this. It enumbers don't look right. Apple is not likely to risk all in one big endeavour, even on that has the potential this particular project.

As well, there also is the legal implications. Apple Records sued Apple Computer back in '89 over the company name and the eventual agreement came about that as long as Apple Computer didn't sell music, things would be okay.

Next is the undertaking. I know that the rumourmill is suggesting this is something that has been in the works for months, but I think Apple would have to sell the Music Industry on a new format for distribution of music. They detest MP3, since they see it as the key to music piracy and the reason they are supposedly losing sales. (The fact that CDs are horribly over-priced never enters their mind).

While i think it would be incredibly cool, I am not convinced this isn't just another rumour to add to the huge and popular ones of times past. The Disney buys Apple one is a classic, This one is also poised tobe a hugely popular one too.

Assuming the rumours are unfounded.

 

[Kosh]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Strongblade:

As well, there also is the legal implications. Apple Records sued Apple Computer back in '89 over the company name and the eventual agreement came about that as long as Apple Computer didn't sell music, things would be okay.

Next is the undertaking. I know that the rumourmill is suggesting this is something that has been in the works for months, but I think Apple would have to sell the Music Industry on a new format for distribution of music. They detest MP3, since they see it as the key to music piracy and the reason they are supposedly losing sales. (The fact that CDs are horribly over-priced never enters their mind).
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I too, am skeptical.

As for the Apple Music vs Apple Canada issue, didn't Apple Music make a deal with Apple or lose against Apple, because Apple introduced the "Rip, Burn, and Mix" promo which is all about music and didn't have any problems with Apple Music apparently.

As for selling the music company on a new format, I think I read a rumor that Apple is trying to sell them on AAC which contains anti-piracy options as opposed to MP3.

 

[MacDaddy]

Well well, look at this, gues who also is looking at purchasing Universal
http://www.nypost.com/business/33958.htm

M$ Of course, I mean after all, whatever Apple can do, M$ can do worse!

 

[MacDoc]

Steve has a nose for the next big thing and getting royalties worked out for music is a "must happen" situation. We may be at or near the downward skid of the "dinosaurs" as one of my friends who works at Universal calls it".

The older structure was not a tech stucture it was a marketing structure but right now it needs a tech solution.
Apple just might - look at the success of movie trailers and Quicktime.

Digital cash is coming too. Sony bought up a big chuck of "creative rights" as an offset to the hardware game.

When the syergy works - ala Playstation and it's games - creative content coupled with hardware can be awesome - Sony would be no where near as profitable with out game income.

Demand for music, quality music is there, technology is there.......a solution will emerge....my bet Steve has a good idea of what that is already.
Apple has generally done well with its investments - old boys tech network is stil going strong if a bit poorer these days.
We'll see - I'm intrigued.

 

[Kosh]

http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/2003/04/16/universal/

Well, I guess that puts an end to that rumor. Apple isn't buying Universal Records.

 

[gordguide]

Apple has not made an offer for Universal; that's not to say they won't.

The stock fall is predictable; after all they are buying the remnants of an essentially bankrupt company in an industry that is seeing falling revenue.

Sony did much the same thing; they bought a music/tv/movie company mostly because they believed that the movie industry killed BetaMax. However, they are separate divisions and it appears Sony is not nimble enough to avoid both (hardware/computers vs music/movies) working against each other. Hopefully Apple can overcome that hurdle.

Apple may well be able to re-energise the music business; the usual suspects seem mired in old-think and it shows in the bottom line. Even if the deal doesn't go through, you can bet the other 5 big music companies are even more worried that someone else is going to take the ball and run with it, finally bringing music into the 21st century instead of pretending it's 1983.

As for the Apple Records/Apple Computer agreement, it won't matter a whit if Apple keeps the Universal name/brand.