Steve Jobs - The Incredible (Source: Newsweek Magazine)
A lot has happened between yesterday and Macworld 2006. I discussed Steve Job's intention in my article, "Why didn't Apple go with AMD?", 2 weeks ago, and I think the picture is getting even clearer now.
With Disney, ABC, and ESPN on its side, Apple is opened to all the information, entertainment, and sports content that it could ever want [to be sold on the iTunes Store and played on iPod players]. It's like letting a child loose in an unattended Candy Store. With INTEL on the other side, Apple has a large, reputable, and stable CPU supplier behind its Mac operations. Plus, with INTEL CPUs and Chipsets inside the latest Mac machines, Apple has a realistic shot at convincing PC users to make the Ultimate Switch [thereby increasing market share].
It became very clear to me that Steve Jobs is not just expanding his business, he is protecting his tuft. No doubt that Jobs wants to be at the top again, but the path is still long and littered with obstacles.
Digital Content, in the form of Music and Videos, will be the new 'bread and butter' for many High Tech Companies in the near future.
With the major players like YAHOO! (with its harems SBC, British Telecom, Overture, etc), Microsoft (with NBC), and Google (with CBS, owner of UPN, Paramount Television, SHOWTIME, etc) all in some partnership with Media Networks/Content Providers; the seats in the partnership Musical Chairs are quickly running out. The Disney (owner of ABC and ESPN) $7.4 billion acquisition of PIXAR helped move Apple into the 'Media & Content' space and ward off any potential attacks by the Big Players.
The chess pieces are just beginning to be set and everyone is in for an exciting game.
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This article is by: YC (Guest Blogger) from the Technocrat Soapbox |
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