Adam, regarding the wisdom of buying SGI's software business, what do you think about the possibility of Apple buying Pixar? Like SGI, Pixar offers real high-end digital software. It also has strong revenues and a serious hand in content production as well. Plus, it would resolve our iCEO's dilemma about what he wants to be when he grows up.
While I think it is an interesting hypothetical, there isn't really a strong business case to merge the two. Their businesses are pretty orthogonal, that is to say they don't really overlap.
Also, Pixar has largely deprecated their commercial software products, in order to focus on building the best tools internally and using them for competitive advantage.
As for Steve, I wouldn't worry about that. In the end, it is inevitable that he will leave both Apple and Pixar. It's just a matter of time.
Apple could pick up Pixar, tie it in w/QuickTime and FinalCut, and it off again.
Is that a crazy idea?
Sure, but not as crazy as many things I have heard or read about Apple. But, hey, these type of combinations and possibilities are what make the industry interesting, right? |
