I really hope you are right... Sony is just turning things around, and is starting to churn out some really nice products, and I don't want Apple to change things

While I would be fine with this, in spite of the fact that I do get all my electronics from Sony, I could change, I couldn't live without Uncharted 3... I really really couldn't. On the other hand, if Apple don't "destroy" Sony and so let SCE continue to operate as it does, and use the iPhone gaming to get gamers into PlayStation games, it could be good for PlayStation, but I fear if Apple gaming and PlayStation became the same, then it would dilute the brand and ruin everything and would cause the 720 to thrash the PS4 as all the hardcore gamers would go to M$, and that would be enough to tip the balance for Microsoft

Maybe Apple would like to buy only part of Sony - just the gaming division. That would be a lot cheaper for Apple than buying all of Sony.

Cost is not the issue at all, they can afford all of Sony easily

it would interesting acquisition, but probably a little more work than they would like to take on... and if sony is already doing the "pay more for our shit cause we tell you to" how is apple going to improve upon it.  make people pay in body parts from now on?

that if they kept the Playstation brand

i bet its would be called iPlay.

Oh i just read it. Thats not even a rumor. Shit not even speculation thats just someone guessing at a move that apple could make

isn't the bolded what everyone does? , unless the marketing was "don't buy our shit because we tell you to!", which i've never seen anyone do before.

What company ever sales at their market cap.  The MC is considered the minimum sell price for a company but no company is going to sell at their base price.  It would take twice as much if not more for Apple to purchase a company like Sony so no Sony, IBM and Disney is out of range unless Apple really want to finance it all with their own money which would also not be very smart.  When thinking about how much a company will sell for you have to look at things like net revenue, operating income, and net income.

If you look at Apple revenue compared to IBM, its not even close even though Apple has a bigger Market Cap than IBM.  Do you really think IBM is in the ball park for Apple to purchase, if anything its the other way around.  Hell, HP and AT&T Market Cap is lower than IBM but their revenue is higher than IBM.  I highly doubt any of those companies would sell or can be purchase anywhere close to their market cap.

Even if Apple was willing to pay the exorbent cost that Sony would sell for, the negative impact has to be looked at as well.  Sony being a Japanese company, probably would not sit well with the natives to be purchased by a US company.

Sony would give them access to tons of markets. Televisions, Home Consoles, Digital Cameras, Blu-Ray players etc.  Disney would give them exclusive content access, and tons of marketing on ABC and ESPN. Facebook would lock up that super casual audience they have been catering to for years. All three add something but all three are also a risk.

The rumor is that Apple are preparing for a major acquisition. The possibility of Sony is speculation.