With rumors around that Apple is interested in Twitter or Electronic Arts, there is debate whether either purchase would make sense. Apple has plenty of cash, and the argument is strong that Apple’s stockholders aren’t investing so Apple could just accumulate cash. So Apple probably should consider some sort of acquisition, in addition to its usual internal development.
I think the best potential lies with Facebook.
Why? Because Facebook can help sell more Macs and iPhones. And that is all that Apple needs to support the acquisition, upkeep and future development.
On the other hand, Facebook has a problem: how to make money. I seriously doubt that the current Facebook ad model will ever support the company.
So, if Apple bought Facebook, here’s what they could do with it. Leave the current feature set of Facebook that works on Mac and Windows through the Web browser and mobile apps. Then start tying iLife and other Mac applications to Facebook.
For instance, link iPhoto and Facebook photos as closely as possible. They’ve already started with this, but get even closer and create new features that only work from iPhoto.
The same can be done with iMovie for video, Address Book for managing your Facebook friends, and iCal for events. Start making new Mac application that tie into parts of Facebook is ways that Windows users cannot.
So, in other words, make it so that if you really want to be a Facebook power user, you should get a Mac.
They can also create a Facebook Pro, which would really be a merging of MobileMe and Facebook. That could make the entire Facebook division profitable, and the Mac marketing just a bonus.
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The idea that Apple should go out and spend they cash reserves just because they have cash reserves is absurd and it’s that kind of thinking that keeps the American population middle class.
I strongly doubt that Apple could make any serious money off of Facebook, Twitter or any other ad based service. They aren’t an ad based company like Google and would either waste time and effort learning to do it right or fail miserably at it.
A gaming company may make more sense if Apple is looking to enter the game market as they have hinted at, but a large company like EA doesn’t make sense because of their large overhead.
The truth is that the reserves keeps Apple from going under like certain other companies have during the recession and gets them ready to strike back the second the economy picks back up. While HP and Microsoft are hiring back all the employees they fired, Apple will be already hard at work.
I would have to agree with David there. On one hand, it would be really cool for Apple to buy facebook it would not be a really good envestment at all for Apple. Their money would be better spent elseware.
It would seem senseless for Apple to downgrade it’s “polished” status into social-web based markets such as ad profits. Rather than wasting it’s reserves just becuase it has reserves (something Microsoft is unanimously famous for), Apple should aim to increase its R&D budget, and create more fine products instead of monopolizing the social websites like FB or twitter.
I think they should be able to tie iChat and the chat feature in Facebook together. And also I think they should improve the iPhone app for Facebook. It could really use some touch-ups.
Apple should buy facebook.
It needs a redesign from the ground up.
The current layout is too cluttered, hard to navigate and each new version actually makes it worse!
Apple surely could take this networking site and simplify it.
I think this is right on. With Facebook Apple could crush Yahoo, m
Microsoft, and Google. This idea is huge and think that Apple should act fast!