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Apple Interested In Acquiring German Television Maker Loewe? [Updated: Company Denies]

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Apple is in talks to acquire German luxury television manufacturer Loewe, according to an unconfirmed report from AppleInsider. The site claims Apple has offered EUR87.3 million for the company, a 48% premium from Loewe's Friday close on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
loewe.jpg


Word of the negotiations was exclusively revealed to AppleInsider, and although the offer has yet to be accepted, a source claims that Loewe "has been advised by its financial advisor to accept the offer and a final decision is scheduled to be announced internally before 18 May 2012."
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Loewe makes sleek, minimalist televisions that would seem to fit well with Jony Ive's product designs. The company also makes speaker systems, including the AirPlay-compatible AirSpeaker, as well as a sleek app that controls the Loewe television set via an iPad.

Loewe's largest shareholder is Sharp, the same company that has been rumored to be Apple's choice to work with Foxconn to build a television set. Foxconn and Sharp announced a partnership to work together in March. AppleInsider says a decision on the acquisition will be announced internally by the end of this week.

Update: A Loewe company spokesman told German website Heise (via The Next Web) that the report has "absolutely nothing to it."

Article Link: Apple Interested In Acquiring German Television Maker Loewe? [Updated: Company Denies]
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/05/12/apple-interested-in-acquiring-german-television-maker-loewe/
Keep in mind this report is from AppleInsider...

Last time we had an unconfirmed report from them, they claimed that Gabe Newell (of VALVe) met with Tim Cook... which didn't happen.

Remember: take all rumors with a grain of salt, and those from AppleInsider with two.
 
Terrible idea. Germans are notorious for the poor quality of the products they manufacture.
 
As I've shopped for TVs I've realized the reason I'd most like an Apple TV is because of how simple it would be.

Like all their other products... No crazy number schemes for their models... Just a couple different ones, all perfectly good. No different models made for different stores. It would just make shopping for one simple and easy... And I'm game for that.

So I don't know about all the other jazz they're going to include. But I want one because I know it'll be good, and I don't have to rack my brain or spend hour researching that.
 
Puevlo said:
Terrible idea. Germans are notorious for the poor quality of the products they manufacture.
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Poor? They are the people who make QUALITY products not just electronics, cars that you see (not because they look gorgeous) they function and last longer than most american products
 
Just wondering, If Ive was the designer of the TV, and foxconn was making it with sharp, what will buying Loewe exactly do for apple?
 
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ArtOfWarfare said:
If you read Steve Jobs' bio you know that there was an iPhone built that actually used a click wheel to dial numbers and such.
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CHUBBY MAN
You think it'll be an early Spring?

PHIL
I'm predicting March 21st.

CHUBBY MAN
You know, I think that actually is the first day of spring.
 
I wonder now if Apple "finally cracking" television meant that they discovered another company that had cracked television (in the same way you could say Siri cracked natural voice recognition). I say that because Apple wouldn't buy a television manufacturer simply for their production capabilities. I doubt these televisions' components are actually made in Germany. Apple likely wants the company instead for its (at first glance) seemingly beautiful software written for the iPad to control a TV along with the television services Loewe has created. It looks a lot better than Apple's remote application built for Apple TV.
 
motwera said:
Poor? They are the people who make QUALITY products not just electronics, cars that you see (not because they look gorgeous) they function and last longer than most american products
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The Geman Cars are desirable, but the quality lacks quite a bit and then they very expensive to fix.
 
Puevlo said:
Terrible idea. Germans are notorious for the poor quality of the products they manufacture.
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Well apple wouldn't even make the tv in germany anyways. That's not why they would purchase the company. They want their experience, technology and obviously patents.
 
GeekLawyer said:
I'm still having a hard time with the concept of an actual Apple television set.

But the pieces do seem to be coming together. If these reports are to be believed.
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What is so hard about the concept of an Apple TV.

The main device right now is really your set top box..and most of the interfaces and UI design of these things are horrible. Searching for shows, what's on, etc is still not that well done.

An Apple TV would most likely have an 7" iPad for it's interface. You'd use it to navigate either via Siri or standard swipe interface set up for the TV. The TV probably would have some sort of 'removable' brain slot that you could upgrade every few years if you wanted (like from an A6 to say A8 chip). It would play iOS games and other Apps. It would have a built in camera.

All interaction though would be from your couch via the iPad like remote and Siri. You could either say "Siri, show me 'The Big Bang Theory' and it would show you current run times, re-runs, on-demand, and so on. There would most likely be new Apps just for the TV along with even possibly new games and such.

It's coming. And I think the rest of the entertainment industry is excite and also scared. Samsung's joke of a interactive TV where you have to stand in front of it and wave your hand is just ridiculous. These guys still 'don't get it'.

Siri was always meant for the APPLE TV. It is just being tested via the iPhone. I
 
Spink10 said:
I dont want a yellow TV
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Don't worry, son.

You're probably way to young to realize this, but Apple has never released a product that only came in yellow.

Historically, when Apple released a product that was only available in one color, it would have been white, black, or silver.

Oh, and televisions have color balance controls. If you want your TV to look blue like some ******* 9000K computer screen circa 1992, sure, go right ahead.
 
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goobot said:
Just wondering, If I've was the designer of the TV, and foxconn was making it with sharp, what will buying Loewe exactly do for apple?
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Knowledge.

Releasing computers and phones doesn't make Apple experts in televisions. Apple haven't made a single product that works in that area since the old Performa TV thing.

I for one wouldn't buy a television from Apple with their current level of expertise. They can't even implement full HDMI functionality on the products they make now. I wouldn't rely on them to support QAM, ATSC, CableCARD, tuning adapters, Freeview and the rest of those technologies that leading manufacturers have trouble supporting thanks to constantly changing standards and implementation.

Loewe would be a good move. Apple have a poor track record supporting technologies over time that they dont own.



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cvaldes said:
Don't worry, son.

You're probably way to young to realize this, but Apple has never released a product that only came in yellow.

Historically, when Apple released a product that was only available in one color, it would have been white, black, or silver.
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More likely beige.
 
Ive sorta held off from either buying myself a Cinema display and a new TV. If Apple is making a TV thats a larger Cinema Display that allows HDMI and Min-Display I may get it. Have a kick ass monitor + TV.
 
JonneyGee said:
Racist much?
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I think he's being sarcastic.

Most German brands (VW, Mercedes, Bosch, Miele, etc) have a reputation for being the absolute best you can get.

In fact, Jony Ive worships Braun. There would be no "Apple" style without the influence of German Functionalist design, Dieter Rams and the Ulm School.
 
I doubt I'd buy one. I expect at least ten years out of a TV not something that has to be replaced every three or four to run the latest software. Also much of the time I just want to sit and watch TV. Which is why internet TV's do not interest me as I don't want to spend twenty minutes going through a mind numbing amount of choices to find a show or movie.

There is also a lot of good stuff I'd miss because I don't recognize the name of the actors in a movie.
 
velocityg4 said:
I doubt I'd buy one. I expect at least ten years out of a TV not something that has to be replaced every three or four to run the latest software. Also much of the time I just want to sit and watch TV. Which is why internet TV's do not interest me as I don't want to spend twenty minutes going through a mind numbing amount of choices to find a show or movie.
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I feel the same about phones. I still have a Nokia 3310, because I expect to keep my phone for ten years, and just need to make phone calls. I have no need for any extra features.

However, there are a lot of people out there who want to do more with their phones. Just as there are a lot of people who want their TV to be an "entertainment hub", not just a tuner and a display.
 
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