Apple and SONY partnership?
by linathael
Apple is getting popular for financial analysts, probably because for years, various analysts (so called…) - sometimes the same guys who are acclaiming Apple’s recent success - have been predicting on average once per month that Apple will die as soon as next week…
It is clear that iTunes, iTMS and iPod are the “blockbusters” products/services which have paved the way of current Apple’s aura. Of course now, Apple has to “translate” this popular feeling into both increasing PC market shares, but more importantly into new products in order to attract more users and make them discovering what is behind the iPod: computers, OS and another way/approach/philosophy of using computer and the real meaning of digital lifestyle. Apple’s products have often been great and innovative, but simply not properly marketed.
Last January, during Steve Job’s keynote, SONY’s CEO was present. One could argue that this was only related to the launch of Apple’s “HD” video suite… do you really think so?? or the guy was on holidays nearby and was bore to death…
I am more suspecting that the keynote was the first public tips of an ongoing discussion between Apple and SONY in order to settle new partnerships. But, if so, what could be the object or the goal of such alliance?
Well, let’s revised some obvious, and some other more “rumor-type” possibilities:
video
- Partnership regarding HD video, with a deeper collaboration already during hardware/software development, allowing Apple’s video solutions to be natively working with SONY hardware video devices.
- Partnership to co-develop HD video devices taking advantage of both knowledge and skills.
music
- Easier access for Apple to SONY record collection, potentially with a decrease of SONY margin in order to decrease the price and promote the corresponding albums on iTMS
- Apple licensing FairPlay DRM to SONY allowing customers to buy DRM-protected music tracks, iPod-compatible, from SONY online music store.
- Full collaboration with SONY by unifying online music stores into iTMS.
other possibilities
- Co-development of hardware device…such as a Home Cinema system, similar to Windows Media Centre; but with the Apple’s touch and SONY experience and of course around Cell processor.
- Collaboration around Games and/or GameStation…. and behind this hypothesis is IBM Cell processor and the future PlayStation. What I am currently thinking about is that Mac users could in a near future play PlayStation3 games on their Mac, or at least get them quickly adapted to Mac, thank to Apple/SONY APIs or unified programming language; making the Mac more games-friendly (increasing switcher rate) on one hand, and on the other hand, increasing the number of potential customers for PlayStation3 games. Why am I thinking about that? well because during the recent month, we have seen a big battle between Microsoft and SONY and their respective Xbox and PlayStation2. But more importantly the reason is linked to game development on both game stations: more and more, games are becoming Xbox- or PS2-specific. So if PS3 games can be played on Mac, then the overall number of potential customers will be increased.
I think we will get additional tips around such partnership this year, and the NAB, as well as the WWDC and Paris AppleExpo, which might definitely be the occasion for the announcement of a major partnership between both companies.
Well this is what I am thinking today…it might change tomorrow…
February 18th, 2005 at 02:31 CET
HD: I agree. After all, what good is having HD video if you can’t edit it?
Music: I think it’d be more likely that Apple will allow Sony to build iTMS-compatible music players and getting out of the music store business.
Playstation: I’m not convinced that Sony will be interested in helping developers port games to the Macintosh. Remember that Sony makes money off of games–you sell the hardware for as close to cost as possible. Games developers then give Sony a piece of every unit they sell. That’s how Sony makes money off of Playstation.
Remember that this is the same Sony that bought out “Virtual Game Station” for Mac OS 9 after losing a lawsuit with Connectix.
February 18th, 2005 at 02:41 CET
I enoyed your “take” on the potential Apple-Sony activities. It is interesting in your last speculation on gaming on the Mac. What was brought to my mind is that Microsoft’s new X-Box will also be run on a PowerPC chip version. Microsoft shipped G5 PowerMacs to their developers with a port of NT for the purpose on Apple’s boxes. It might be a lot easier to port such X-Box games to Apple’s computers as well. Thus, Apple’s hardware becomes an easy market expansion for the game developers. Graphic cards are the primary roadblock to these ports of course.
February 18th, 2005 at 03:37 CET
Regarding the comment above about games: If Sony makes money when each game is sold, but loses money on selling PS3 hardware, why is it bad if the same exact games will also run on Mac? Sony wouldn’t have to take a loss on Mac customers. Mac owners would simply be buying/renting PS3 games, thereby increasing game sales, of which Sony would get a cut.
How about a FireWire/USB2 port on PS3 allowing game saves to iPod? Just as long as it wasn’t possible to “rip” entire actual games this way, but merely use the iPod as a gigantic memory card, I think Sony would go for it (assuming they really are going to work more with Apple.)
(FWIW, I suspect that anything involving Sony & Apple working together would have more to do with video and music than it would with gaming, but I could see a gaming collaboration. I’d love to see certain iApps on PS3. Maybe an iPhoto Viewer, iTunes Player and iMovie Player?)
February 18th, 2005 at 04:21 CET
A PS3 inside of a media Mac would be just a killer idea. It would mean itunes playable on PSP and your home entertainment center. Don’t forget Sony Ericsson Cell phones and the very lucrative cell phone ringer market. This partnership also helps Sony promote their Blu-ray technology. Also Apple will be at E3. Who knows a surprise visit by Steve Jobs with one more thing being either itunes on PS3 or PS3 in a PLAYMAC mini. Throw in a dock to connect my PSP or ipod and Sony digital camera. Blammo. Maybe Apple could port iPhoto to be Sony corps camera software. Just dreaming I guess. But it is a nice dream. Apple branded Qualia TV’s. Uh oh It could be a wet dream.
mcloki
February 18th, 2005 at 13:48 CET
-> Peter:
you actually demonstrate perfectly that SONY will make money from PS3 games, and not from the hardware part, and I agree, that’s why increasing customers by “helping” Mac users to gain access to PS3 games will profit to SONY.
-> Robert: I am aware that the Xbox2 SDK is based on PMG5…but it runs an OS similar to NT. In addition, I am sure that making Xbox2 easily adapted to Mac platform is the last wish of Microsoft. but I might be wrong
-> Jonathan and mcloki: thanks for you comments, indeed implmenting itunes and iPhoto into the PS3 might be a real interest for both company! adding features to PS3 and allowing PS3 users to know mroe about apple’s softwares and hardware
obvious partnerships are for audio and video and I agree on that; but the Cell processor making SONY and Apple getting closer around IBM’s baby then one can try to look further…
December 15th, 2007 at 10:13 CET
please i have sony Vidio camara is not play on my mac. what should i do?
December 15th, 2007 at 10:16 CET
could you tell me which sofwar I us to make my vidio camara work togather with my apple computer?