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Apple Considering Barnes & Noble Acquisition?
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Nook Might Be The Key
A better guess to me, if the discussion piece is correct, would be that Apple and B&N are discussing the future of the NOOK and possible replacement by B&N by an iPad device as the "official" method of buying Books through B&N.. something like that. Or possibly Apple buying B&N' division outright in order to increase market share. Those seem more likely discussions to me.
A better guess to me, if the discussion piece is correct, would be that Apple and B&N are discussing the future of the NOOK and possible replacement by B&N by an iPad device as the "official" method of buying Books through B&N.. something like that. Or possibly Apple buying B&N' division outright in order to increase market share. Those seem more likely discussions to me.
No it doesn't. Apple has 240 or so stores in the US. Barnes and Noble has 700+. Do you really think Apple, no matter how much cash they are sitting on, is looking to triple their store base in one fell swoop? Stores on college campuses also make no sense, the volume isn't there and every product sold would be with an educational discount. This makes zero sense.
not that even this makes sense but it would give them 700 more apple stores but that seems like oversaturation!!
Business 201: don't buy something that's LESS profitable than you are unless you also want to be less profitable...
No, that is incorrect.
Off the top of my head I can think of about a dozen examples where that is not true, with many more if I actually cared to look it up.
I'm sorry, you're right. Apple should buy a company in a low margin business whose core competency has nothing to do with Apple's direct interests. On top of this, it's a company whose market future looks grim, so much so that one of their competitors was just forced out of the market due to bankruptcy. Finally, their e-reader marketshare also falls below what either Apple or Amazon already have. What do I know.
Maybe a patent bid for some of B&N's Nook technology, possibly the anti glare screen patents. Or could be talks about making B&N an authorized apple reseller.
Far fetched idea-
Installing terminals that allow users to bring in iPods and connect them to iTunes, allowing nano, shuffle, and classic owners to put music, movies, etc. on their iPods without having to connect their iPod to a computer. Apple does want a cable free future after all.
Far fetched idea-
Installing terminals that allow users to bring in iPods and connect them to iTunes, allowing nano, shuffle, and classic owners to put music, movies, etc. on their iPods without having to connect their iPod to a computer. Apple does want a cable free future after all.
Makes more sense to buy Borders out of bankruptcy for a few pennies. Heck, maybe Apple should buy the US gov after it defaults and as soon as Eric Cantor is finished shorting the DOW.
Happens all the time, especially in the auto industry. Bigger companies especially look out for those in bankruptcy just to buy them out for even cheaper if it's profitable.
They aren't liquidating *because* of all the things you just mentioned. The coffee shop makes them money, the magazines both make them money and support the coffee ship, kids books sell very well well (make them money), and the nook is the biggest competitor to the kindle (it makes them money).
B&N doesn't own E-Ink
because a book store chain really fits in with an electronics companies growth plan...why is this even listed as a rumour?
It would have been practical for Apple to buy Borders, since it has no relationship with Amazon, and they have nice stores that would lend themselves nicely to being Apple Stores, not to mention extra book rights that Apple could get. That being said, there isn't much point in Apple buying a physical chain, unless they are looking to quickly expand the Apple Stores.
The more likely rumor is the Apple buying Hulu... that make much more sense.
TEG
The more likely rumor is the Apple buying Hulu... that make much more sense.
TEG
Why on Earth would Apple buy a bookstore chain? The only reason would be to kill the Nook, but it's not even serious competition for Apple, so there would be no point.Steve Jobs said:
yea doubtful, on a side note i got an invite to spotify free like a week ago and i havent opened itunes once since so i probably wont really care about 11.
Happy happy puppet show time!
Barnes and Noble exec puppet: Hi kids! It's not a happy time here in BookLand. Did you see what happened to Borders? Our industry's going down in flames, kids! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Mr. CEO has decided it's time to bail his *ss out of this disaster. Don't worry, kids! All is not lost. We've planted some juicy stories about everyone's favorite tech company buying us. That should boost the stock price just enough to make sure we all get out while the gettin's good. See ya later, kids! It's the golden parachute time. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Barnes and Noble exec puppet: Hi kids! It's not a happy time here in BookLand. Did you see what happened to Borders? Our industry's going down in flames, kids! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Mr. CEO has decided it's time to bail his *ss out of this disaster. Don't worry, kids! All is not lost. We've planted some juicy stories about everyone's favorite tech company buying us. That should boost the stock price just enough to make sure we all get out while the gettin's good. See ya later, kids! It's the golden parachute time. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
...Why?
Ridiculous. Maybe Apple wants to corner media online AND in retail? Why? Seems awkward for an electronics firm more interested in TV and computers and phones. That isn't to say it wouldn't have possibilities to maintain income, but why? Books and periodicals are dying, paper-based books, on a slow pyre.
Ridiculous. Maybe Apple wants to corner media online AND in retail? Why? Seems awkward for an electronics firm more interested in TV and computers and phones. That isn't to say it wouldn't have possibilities to maintain income, but why? Books and periodicals are dying, paper-based books, on a slow pyre.
Quite possibly.
I really feel like quality of "front page" stories has decreased over the past few months on MacRumors.
If by some chance in hell more evidence came forward, then you could move it to front page. But now? That's just ridiculous
Business 201: don't buy something that's LESS profitable than you are unless you also want to be less profitable...
That certainly is NOT what they taught in my (top 10) Business School.
They'd either have to move into developing for-profit Windows software or dump the Windows lines at a loss, and I doubt they'd want to do either one of those things. Don't forget that Windows is approx. 50% of the CS product revenues and that's already baked into the current Adobe stock price. The only way APPL buys ADBE is if Adobe is going under or tries to kill off the Mac version of Photoshop (which would be the equivalent of Adobe committing Hari Kari).
Well said. At least there is still some shine on the B&N apple (no pun intended). IMO, the Borders brand is too far tarnished to salvage.
Ooh, so serious.
I've been following MR for ages, and some of the best threads/stories over the years have turned out to be the fakes and the rumors that don't come true. Just watching everyone here attack the fakes is worth the price of admission alone. If you want hard news, go elsewhere. Here, it's unsubstantiated rumors and fakes galore... and an occasional real tidbit. Try to have some fun with it.