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Mr Ti · Mar 31, 2004, 02:27 PM

Just like it has with Video & Audio software houses, or is Adobe in a different league?

Is Adobe worth more than the 4billion Apple is sat on?

It would solve the issues raised in the article below

http://news.com.com/2100-1012_3-5181...l?tag=nefd_pop

Then if bought sell cheaper Mac versions, bundle with Macs, or just charge a premium for non mac platforms.

It could bring back Mac domination back into the creative market, and stop any erosion of share to Windows.

Thoughts on a hostile takeover...

mitchell_pgh · Mar 31, 2004, 04:08 PM

Originally posted by Mr Ti:
Just like it has with Video & Audio software houses, or is Adobe in a different league?

Is Adobe worth more than the 4billion Apple is sat on?

It would solve the issues raised in the article below

http://news.com.com/2100-1012_3-5181...l?tag=nefd_pop

Then if bought sell cheaper Mac versions, bundle with Macs, or just charge a premium for non mac platforms.

It could bring back Mac domination back into the creative market, and stop any erosion of share to Windows.

Thoughts on a hostile takeover...

#1 Apple doesn't have the cash to buy Adobe
#2 I would love Apple to own them. (The creative "Office")
#3 Apple still dominates the creative market.

I believe that Apple could do a leveraged buyout, but Adobe just posted great numbers.

Arkham_c · Mar 31, 2004, 04:58 PM

I think Adobe's market value is around $9 billion. Apple could buy them if they wanted, but they would have to incur some debt to do it.

Maflynn · Mar 31, 2004, 05:08 PM

Originally posted by Arkham_c:
I think Adobe's market value is around $9 billion. Apple could buy them if they wanted, but they would have to incur some debt to do it.

I was thinking the same thing, Apple does have a large stash of cash but to tender a hostile offer will cost money and time. I'm not sure if that's in the best interest of both parties but it still would be cool.

Mike

runejoha · Mar 31, 2004, 05:28 PM

Why should they buy adobe? Adobe products makes Apple computers more
revlevant, at the same time it is more used as standard than MS products. To touch this "gold mine" is probably not a good idea. Adobe products have been one reason for sales of Apples computers the past years (less today than before) and a product always sells better as a independent product on the free market. Apple and Adobe are in a symbiosis. They could only have been fusioned, but there are no reasons for this as I can see the case.

Originally posted by Maflynn:
I was thinking the same thing, Apple does have a large stash of cash but to tender a hostile offer will cost money and time. I'm not sure if that's in the best interest of both parties but it still would be cool.

Mike

[APi]TheMan · Mar 31, 2004, 05:32 PM

What would be in it for Adobe? Are they that driven by money? :/

runejoha · Mar 31, 2004, 05:43 PM

Originally posted by [APi]TheMan:
What would be in it for Adobe? Are they that driven by money? :/

Well, Apple is bigger so they are the ones thta could have done something here. I doubt this is a subject in the Apple head offices.

OptimusG4 · Mar 31, 2004, 07:00 PM

Originally posted by [APi]TheMan:
What would be in it for Adobe? Are they that driven by money? :/

They DO cater more to the MS world now...

[APi]TheMan · Mar 31, 2004, 07:30 PM

Originally posted by OptimusG4:
They DO cater more to the MS world now...

Yeah, I really don't see any incentive for them to sell their souls to Apple. But then again I'm a horrible business man, and this stuff all confuses me anyways.

moonmonkey · Mar 31, 2004, 08:19 PM

If apple did it, they could slowly increase the cost of the PC aps and reduce the cost of the Mac versions. Driving creatives over to the mac platform.

That would be cool.

biscuit · Apr 1, 2004, 01:58 AM

Originally posted by moonmonkey:
If apple did it, they could slowly increase the cost of the PC aps and reduce the cost of the Mac versions. Driving creatives over to the mac platform.

That would be cool.

...and probably would be seen as anti-competitive.

biscuit

Big Mac · Apr 1, 2004, 09:45 AM

Apple would be seen as anti-competitive? That's pretty funny - such a designation has never deterred MS. In response to the OP, I've been advocating such a move for quite some time. Apple should acquire Adobe and discontinue its Windows line, producing an unmistakable demarcation - if you're a pro, you need to be on the Mac. Now maybe some Windowsites would decide just to use some Photoshop knock-off, but it would also compel many pros to move over to the Mac.

mitchell_pgh · Apr 1, 2004, 10:32 AM

I would like to see:

1) Apple to do a hostile takeover of Adobe
2) Apple should sell off some of it's components to Macromedia (or whoever)
3) Adobe would stay it's own company (but have Apple influences)

Photoshop for Windows: $800
Photoshop for Mac: $500

Pull a Microsoft...

DeathMan · Apr 1, 2004, 01:14 PM

Originally posted by Big Mac:
Apple would be seen as anti-competitive? That's pretty funny - such a designation has never deterred MS. In response to the OP, I've been advocating such a move for quite some time. Apple should acquire Adobe and discontinue its Windows line, producing an unmistakable demarcation - if you're a pro, you need to be on the Mac. Now maybe some Windowsites would decide just to use some Photoshop knock-off, but it would also compel many pros to move over to the Mac.

But then what would the windows kiddies pirate to make things like those quizno commerical animals? You think you can get that quality with paint shop pro?

::maroma:: · Apr 1, 2004, 04:05 PM

Wait a minute here. All of these suggestions of a hostile takeover, hiking up prices of Windows versions or killing Windows versions altogether is exactly why all of you (and me) despise Microsoft in the first place. Are we suggesting that Apple use these unethical business practices to gain market share? Us Mac users hold our heads high because Apple is a company that allows us to do so. Apple doesn't use Microsoft's business practices, and that is a big reason why we love Apple. Let's not get ourselves deep in the hypocrisy that Microsoft dwells in.

Besides, there is no way in hell that Apple could or would buy Adobe. Apple just got out of debt. They have a $4 billion war chest. Buying Adobe would drain that in a heartbeat, and put Apple about $5 billion in debt. Not to mention the upheaval of protest that this scenario would create from almost every corner of the market. This will never happen. This shouldn't happen.

I would much rather Apple spend it's money on making their current software and hardware that much better, and in turn cheaper. Apple has the product to win market share. They need to have more competitive pricing in order to do so. Buying Adobe would take away precious resources from Apple's current (and future) line of products.

thePurpleGiant · Apr 1, 2004, 05:42 PM

I would quite like Apple to buy Adobe. But I would not like them to buy Adobe, simply to increase the price of the Windows version. I work with Windows also, why would I want higher prices because I am using an 'Evil Platform'.

No, I would like Apple to buy Adobe to keep their application quality consistantly high (especially the Mac versions). Recently Adobe has been neglecting the Mac market, most of their apps are getting slower, and Adobe Acrobat is a joke its so slow these days. On the other hand, in my experience, it feels to me like the Windows versions of their apps are running quicker. Now that I don't like.

moonmonkey · Apr 4, 2004, 01:45 AM

Originally posted by Big Mac:
Apple should acquire Adobe and discontinue its Windows line, producing an unmistakable demarcation - if you're a pro, you need to be on the Mac. Now maybe some Windowsites would decide just to use some Photoshop knock-off, but it would also compel many pros to move over to the Mac.

Apple would never do this, PC Photoshop and the other CS aps on the PC make far to much money (much more than the Mac versions). Apple would be stupid to chuck this away. They should increase the prices of the PC version and perhaps bundle Photoshop with the G5's. They could also spend a lot more time optimizing the code for the G5.

Angus_D · Apr 4, 2004, 07:45 AM

Originally posted by moonmonkey:
Apple would never do this, PC Photoshop and the other CS aps on the PC make far to much money (much more than the Mac versions). Apple would be stupid to chuck this away. They should increase the prices of the PC version and perhaps bundle Photoshop with the G5's. They could also spend a lot more time optimizing the code for the G5.

I just thought I'd point out this is exactly what they've done with Shake. They immediately made it so that it was cheaper to buy a Mac license AND a top of the range Mac than to buy a Windows (or any other platform) license. Then they dropped Windows (and IRIX) for version 3. Currently, you can buy a Linux license for $9900 or a Mac OS X license for $4950. Render-only versions are $3900 on Linux and free on Mac OS X.

Skypat · Apr 4, 2004, 03:35 PM

I don't think "creative markets" targetted by Adobe (pre-press etc.) are still the number one priority at Cupertino.

Apple should either partner agressively with Real to compete with Windows Media or buy Real and replace it with quicktime. They could maybe double their market share.