As other people have hit on, There is a significant front-cost involved in going into the hardware business. A company has to be able to take an initial loss in hopes that it will profit in the long run. i.e. Microsoft. Sony was able to come into the market because they were already contracted for the CD-ROM drives by Nintendo, then Nintendo scrapped the playstation and Sony got the rights to it. Apple seems like a likely candidate to enter because of the fact that 1.) they already work with Hardware and protocols + Development, so they would be much more intuitive than Microsoft. but, remember Chipsets don't come cheap. I'm not sure about Nintendo but word around the industry is that these companys (Sony and Microsoft) lose money on the Hardware (not including pending lawsuits afterwards) and hope to gain it back through liscences and software sales. So you have that to consider. Plus which considering the absurd price of a SH-i*Pod I imagine Apple would have a price tag on their console that would make 3DO blush. If I were to say a company that would do it I would put my money on SAMSUNG. Their growth in electronics has been astounding lately and they show no signs of slowing up. If Toshiba had won the format war than I could see a partnership with Panasonic working out.
"Let justice be done though the heavens fall." - Jim Garrison
"Ask not your horse, if ye should ride into battle" - myself
