The real question is "Could Apple buy Microsoft?" and the answer to that is invariably "no".
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Should Apple buy Microsoft?
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No.
Neither Apple nor Microsoft would have anything to gain out of such a deal.
I really do think we're seeing some of the best things come out of Apple and Microsoft lately. I wouldn't want that to end.
No.
Neither Apple nor Microsoft would have anything to gain out of such a deal.
I really do think we're seeing some of the best things come out of Apple and Microsoft lately. I wouldn't want that to end.
Apple doesn't need to buy MS, MS will likely go away in time.
True. It's an entertaining thought though.
Apple would have to work very hard to continue to support MS Windows just for security updates, etc. for say 5 years until everyone has made the switch to Mac OS X. During this time Apple would have to work with Windows developers to make Mac OS X versions of Windows programs that still are needed for government and enterprise.
Also, the government wouldn't allow this. The government didn't even like the MS monopoly to start with in the '90s.
Many people like/use Windows and may hate Apple for doing such a thing, so Apple will alienate so many and gain a bad reputation. Linux may take off as a result, and end up with even more market share than Windows has now. I think that's the main thing that keeps Apple from benefiting. Plus, it's expensive.
I don't like Windows, but without Windows, Apple won't keep innovating so much better to stay on top as the best Software and Hardware personal computer manufacturer. We need that lopsided competition.
I think that in less than 10 years, Apple Macintosh could have 50% of the market share in personal computers, and doing it through competition would be much more lucrative and effective. Just make Windows undesirable by being even more ahead than it is now with OS X. That's the good old fashion capitalism.
Bottom line, Apple doesn't need to buy Microsoft. Microsoft will die naturally in time. (Much as it seemed like Apple was dying in 1997).
True. It's an entertaining thought though.
Apple would have to work very hard to continue to support MS Windows just for security updates, etc. for say 5 years until everyone has made the switch to Mac OS X. During this time Apple would have to work with Windows developers to make Mac OS X versions of Windows programs that still are needed for government and enterprise.
Also, the government wouldn't allow this. The government didn't even like the MS monopoly to start with in the '90s.
Many people like/use Windows and may hate Apple for doing such a thing, so Apple will alienate so many and gain a bad reputation. Linux may take off as a result, and end up with even more market share than Windows has now. I think that's the main thing that keeps Apple from benefiting. Plus, it's expensive.
I don't like Windows, but without Windows, Apple won't keep innovating so much better to stay on top as the best Software and Hardware personal computer manufacturer. We need that lopsided competition.
I think that in less than 10 years, Apple Macintosh could have 50% of the market share in personal computers, and doing it through competition would be much more lucrative and effective. Just make Windows undesirable by being even more ahead than it is now with OS X. That's the good old fashion capitalism.
Bottom line, Apple doesn't need to buy Microsoft. Microsoft will die naturally in time. (Much as it seemed like Apple was dying in 1997).
Never in a million years would Microsoft agree to the sale and never in a billion years would the DOJ allow it if they somehow did.
Buying Microsoft would be a terrible business decision for Tim Cook...
Bc they don't have the money.
Which good for the end user?
Windows is a convoluted mess, their Cloud bet is failing as fast as their Mobile business, categorising Office as a "cloud" product is like "Philip Morris" categorising cigarettes as "luxury items" to appease the investors.
Not gonna happen...... Perhaps Microsoft could start looking like OS X, that would be more possible.
A lot has changed since this thread was started. MS really got a lot of traction on different market sectors and its more successful now then in 2012. Plus Windows 10 is very well received.
MS's cloud services are definitely something that is generating a lot of revenue and I'd say they're well ahead of Apple on what they can offer with the cloud.
Microsoft isn't nearly as profitable, but it seems as though its size (assets) and market value is not that far off - between 70-75% of Apple's. Buying Microsoft would be an incredibly large purchase.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/samanth...-samsung-microsoft-and-alphabet/#78a16c1389ee
http://www.forbes.com/sites/samanth...-samsung-microsoft-and-alphabet/#78a16c1389ee
You posted that "their Cloud bet is failing as fast as their Mobile business" Clearly @AidenShaw disputed that with actual numbers from MS earnings for Q2 FY17, it was the polar opposite. I don't think anyone is denying that other companies can have a larger marketshare, but its cloud segment is far from failing as fast as their mobile segment.Please...
From the linked Forbes article
That looks like something that is increasing in profits not decreasing.
Please, do you understand that this cloud business is a matter of standardization?
Why is Microsoft Office the #1 and futile to resist? Because everyone knows how to use that product, because everyone is familiar to the brand, and it's the top thing you think about when the subject is productivity suites.
O Java for Enterprise Applications.
Or Photoshop for Photo manipulation.
The same thing is happening with Cloud services, for an engineer that wants a job, it's a much better asset to know how to work with AWS, the offerings, the ins and outs, etc. than to know how about Azure.
This brings engineers to AWS, and AWS to business.
Microsoft could be doing a lot worse in that front, and their .NET technology is fantastic, but won't save the day, the others are growing fast too.
Your moving the goal posts, you stated the cloud service was failing and its not, its growing.
When I mean "it's failing" I mean "it's failing to rebalance the decrease in revenue of other sectors they have been deinvesting".
Also, they put Office 365 as a cloud business, it's ridiculous, without it, they would look ridiculous next to IBM and Google.
To be fair, the two statements are not the same, with the former leading people to believe it's not working as planned. For the latter statement, where's the data?
Are you kidding me?
2014 (last year of Ballmer) vs 2016
Revenue:
$86,833B vs $ 85,320
Operating Income:
$ 27,759 vs $ 20,182
Which is better?
Mind you that adjusting for inflation, $86,833B in 2014 is $90,659B in 2016!
That is technically incorrect. It is a public listed company anyone that could but enough shares could buy it.
It's amazing how many people are answering a totally different question: "Could Apple buy Microsoft?". The question was "should" which is much more of an opinion question and much more interesting in my mind.
Personally, I don't think they should. They have business models that are diametrically opposed. Apple sells closed systems that tightly integrate hardware and software. Microsoft sells open systems to anyone who wants to put it on their hardware. Mixing those models would destroy value in both companies.
Culturally the companies wouldn't fit together well, and the talent from each parent would be at each others throats. If Apple's buying they're likely to set the rules and the extreme level of secrecy is likely to drive out the best of the MS developers and scientists who enjoy publishing papers.
Microsoft could conceivably benefit from having ready access to a well accepted phone, but I have to say the changes they've made over the last few years leads me to think they're poised to benefit from the diversity of devices already out there.
Apple is already making inroads into higher end enterprise, but they don't seem to have much interest in back office stuff anymore. They don't need MS to support that, they're already built on Unix. What would make Apple start cutting their collective wrists if having to deal with customers at the bottom end of the enterprise food chain.
Personally, I don't think they should. They have business models that are diametrically opposed. Apple sells closed systems that tightly integrate hardware and software. Microsoft sells open systems to anyone who wants to put it on their hardware. Mixing those models would destroy value in both companies.
Culturally the companies wouldn't fit together well, and the talent from each parent would be at each others throats. If Apple's buying they're likely to set the rules and the extreme level of secrecy is likely to drive out the best of the MS developers and scientists who enjoy publishing papers.
Microsoft could conceivably benefit from having ready access to a well accepted phone, but I have to say the changes they've made over the last few years leads me to think they're poised to benefit from the diversity of devices already out there.
Apple is already making inroads into higher end enterprise, but they don't seem to have much interest in back office stuff anymore. They don't need MS to support that, they're already built on Unix. What would make Apple start cutting their collective wrists if having to deal with customers at the bottom end of the enterprise food chain.
False. The SEC and DOJ can stop mergers it doesn't approve of, so just having the money isn't enough. You MUST file with the SEC if you acquire more than 5% of outstanding shares on the market of any company. At that point you need to tell the SEC your intentions (investment or acquire). If you are going to purchase/merge the company you need to make an offer to the company and get the company's approval. You can't just buy up all the shares. The company has it's own bylaws that must be followed as well as State/federal laws. If the board does not agree, you are SOL and have to find a way to replace the board members with ones that want to sell (ie: hostile takeover). It is not as simple as buy all the shares, and you have no rights to buy any company just because you have the cash. There are also other government agencies that get a say depending on the industry (eg. FCC with communications companies). There is a lot more involved that just buying all the shares. A company can also issue new shares to dilute your shares. It is a very complicated process.