Apple To Buy TiVo?

[MacRumors]

Reuters notes in a news story today that shares of TiVo have shot up 17% or more based on speculation that the company may be purchased by Apple Computer, Inc. Both Apple and TiVo declined to comment, but priced at only $300 million, TiVo represents an easy buy for Apple, and could increase their options in the video field.

[bdkennedy1]

OMG that would be so cool!

[Mudbug]

I did find this part of interest:

Analysts said that Apple's focus on its immensely successful iPod digital music player would probably preclude it from going after money-losing TiVo, whose growth strategy has been questioned due to the rise of cheaper DVRs being deployed by cable TV providers.

I wonder if this will work out or not... Interesting nonetheless.

[Dr. Dastardly]

This would be so awesome that I doubt it will happen!

[gogoman]

I'll hold off on buying my eyeTV for now.

[chrisbac]

This would be a great matchup. Both are focused on the user. However, I have heard this before. I'll believe it when I see it.

(Mac Mini/TiVo with HD support and CableCard? I'll buy one right now)

[Tulse]

I don't know how likely this is, or how it would fit with Apple's current approach to commercial content. The iTMS is a very good friend of content creators/owners, with its DRM. TiVo, on the other hand, has ired some TV content producers with its commercial skipping and shareability. If Apple did buy TiVo, they would have to walk a very fine line between giving consumers more control over television while not irritating the content providers.

[bdkennedy1]

Originally Posted by Mudbug

I did find this part of interest:

I wonder if this will work out or not... Interesting nonetheless.

First off, Apple's totally not stupid. Second, cable companies don't offer a downloadable movie service similar to iTunes This just smacks of an Apple settop box.

[iJaz]

Would be cool, if I lived in the US.
Since we don't even have ITMS here in Sweden I doubt it would affect me personally.
Anyway, I don't see the point in such a take over.

[Gerg]

Figures, I just bought an EyeTV and EyeHome from elGato! Oh well, that's the way it goes, I guess.

If true, it would be a good strategic move for Apple, and gives us some insight as to what the (near) future may hold for us.

Now if I could just find a REALLY BIG hard drive to store all of my recorded movies & TV shows!

[Doctor Q]

Apple and music go together. Apple and video go together. Apple and consumers go together. So this isn't an unreasonable avenue for a possible Apple investment.

I read a business article about TiVo last week, and it said their business is helped by their many loyal fans, who want them to succeed and swear by their product. Sound familiar?

[mpw]

The possibilities this would allow would be greta but I bet IF it happen we would see all the features that could be provided for 'political' reasons.

[emw]

Originally Posted by Doctor Q

I read a business article about TiVo last week, and it said their business is helped by their many loyal fans, who want them to succeed and swear by their product. Sound familiar?

I would be one of those loyal fans and would love to see this happen, but I'm trying to grasp why Apple would do it. Enter into a more direct partnership that would allow TiVo to play protected AAC files, sure. Help develop TiVoToGo for Mac? Definitely.

Own the company? Not so sure, unless Apple is developing a iTVS for videos or something, which would be cool.

[ZildjianKX]

I call bullcrap. TiVo is going down the tubes fast (being pushed out)... I just don't see this happening. At least if it did, maybe TiVo would get better customer support.

[mcgarry]

EyeTV has come up in this discussion, of course, and while I don't own either right now, I understand there are some important differences. Most importantly, EyeTV lets the user save recorded television to their own computer, to do with what they will, more or less. TiVo just saves it to its own box, and it is near impossible to get it off and usable. Correct me if I'm wrong, I have little first-hand TiVo experience (my brother has it).

So If this does happen, I would be very interested to see if Apple will incorporate some EyeTV-like features .... At present, EyeTV offers more appeal to me at least, on paper.

EDIT: sorry, just learned about TivoToGo ... please ignore what needs to be ignored ...

[yellow]

Sweet, at least then I could get TiVoToGo on my Mac!

[1macker1]

How is EYE TV working for you, i'm thinking of getting 1.

Originally Posted by Gerg

Figures, I just bought an EyeTV and EyeHome from elGato! Oh well, that's the way it goes, I guess.

If true, it would be a good strategic move for Apple, and gives us some insight as to what the (near) future may hold for us.

Now if I could just find a REALLY BIG hard drive to store all of my recorded movies & TV shows!

[1macker1]

I agree, most Cable companies offer video on demand, that can pretty much do what TiVo does, for no extra cost. TiVo was a fad that's about to come to a end.

Originally Posted by ZildjianKX

I call bullcrap. TiVo is going down the tubes fast (being pushed out)... I just don't see this happening. At least if it did, maybe TiVo would get better customer support.

[tzibo]

Cool - this is much more like a proper rumour. I can quite see this (although maybe not in the next 12 months) building on the success of the iTMS model. These days with the ever increasing access speeds we have, why not have this for 30 mins shows etc?

[archer75]

I absolutely love my Tivo from Direct TV. I hope this potential buyout won't do anything to mess with my service. I could'nt live without my Tivo!

[emw]

Originally Posted by mcgarry

EyeTV has come up in this discussion, of course, and while I don't own either right now, I understand there are some important differences. Most importantly, EyeTV lets the user save recorded television to their own computer, to do with what they will, more or less. TiVo just saves it to its own box, and it is near impossible to get it off and usable. Correct me if I'm wrong, I have little first-hand TiVo experience (my brother has it).

So If this does happen, I would be very interested to see if Apple will incorporate some EyeTV-like features .... At present, EyeTV offers more appeal to me at least, on paper.

TiVoToGo allows you to pull programs off to your PC. Yes, PC. Mac support is supposedly coming, but no definitive word on when.

I don't know that other that the easy recording to your Mac (which EyeTV has to do, since it uses the Mac to store the video), I would see other advantages to EyeTV in terms of functionality.

Price? Now that's a different story. No monthly fee is a nice side to EyeTV.

[GregGomer]

I doubt it, TiVo is about the most unituitive DVR I've ever used. We personally use the old Microsoft Ultimate TV that they don't make any more, because, I know this makes no sense, but it has the best user interface of any I've seen and is fast, and just easy to use. Where as the TiVo I have to hit sometimes 10 more buttons/steps just to set up a recording. Infact most DVRs that I've used that are user friendly, comcast or ReplayTV all mimic the UltimateTV interface. Where as TiVo, I'ts just not intuitive, which just isn't apple. Plus it seems to be missing all the things we all love about Apple, cool features and integration to the digital hub world. So unless Apple was planning to release a new revised version under with a new OS and new features, but benefiting from the TiVo name... it just doesn't make sense.... And even then, they could ride the iPod name almost as well as the TiVo name, granted by buying TiVo they buy into a huge user base. But other then that... I just don't see how it benefits them. As TiVo just needs an general overhaul.

[wwillie2]

Originally Posted by mcgarry

EyeTV has come up in this discussion, of course, and while I don't own either right now, I understand there are some important differences. Most importantly, EyeTV lets the user save recorded television to their own computer, to do with what they will, more or less. TiVo just saves it to its own box, and it is near impossible to get it off and usable. Correct me if I'm wrong, I have little first-hand TiVo experience (my brother has it).

So If this does happen, I would be very interested to see if Apple will incorporate some EyeTV-like features .... At present, EyeTV offers more appeal to me at least, on paper.

Small correction. TiVoToGo does allow you to download the video onto your _PC_. They use M$'s DRM.

My opinion is that this would be a great deal. The digital future is in the living room with HD video and high end surround sound and the such. It makes natural sense that Apple would want a good way into this. Additionaly, Apple (and Sony) seem to be really high on HD. TiVo does not have HD support yet (I think). It could allow TiVo a good step forward by going HD and allow Apple to get into the digital living room.

[chameeeleon]

God, let it be true!
I would eat this up in a heartbeat - I've been resisting TiVos due to my limited channel selection (there's... never anything on at the same time, I have only two local channels and get all my shows from... let's just say "friends on the internet") but if Apple sold this as a living room hub for iTunes, iPhoto, and incorporated a TV-downloading Quicktime video store... wow.
Plus, kicking the design factor of TiVos up definitely wouldn't hurt.
How long would it take Apple to Apple-ize TiVo though?

[jadam]

If this does go through, the way I see it, Apple wants the Tivo name and recognition. They will keep the TV recording capabilities, but they will also expand it and use it as a platform to push their own iTunes like Movie/TV download store. Don't Tivos also have Firewire ports?