i'll second that!

side not: but as a gamer i can't be acquired eventhough i'm an apple fan

Apple likes to sell its products at a profit from launch.

That's exactly what Sony doesn't do.

This rumor is laughable. I'd believe in a merge between companies, but Apple straight buying Sony just like that seems a little gargantuan...

I don't know why you guys think this everything will just change if apple buys sony. If anything apple will just be a parent company to sony. The playstation woun't be changed to iplaystation or wahtever. Sure maybe they will work together to make products better but like blu ray in macbooks but thats about it. Many companies have parent companies.

Ex: Navarre and Funimation. Funimation is an anime company yet navarre,a software ciompany, decided to buy funimation.

I think you're comparing Yen to USD.  In 2009, Sony had about 77 billion USD in revenue and apple had about 43 billion.  However, revenue is irrelevant if you can't turn it into profit, and Sony has been unable to do so.  Apple could sell more ipods, ipads and iphones if they started taking huge losses, for example, and that could lead to more revenue.

For all of you saying, "Apple could buy half of Sony for X based on the current value of SNE shares" you are not totally correct.  You cannot buy half of a company's shares for the current value -- you have to offer something significantly higher, such as a 30 or 40% premium on the current value. 

That's sometimes how it goes, and it's usually like that initially. But more often the parent does decide to exert it's control and in the case of Apple, I would fully expect them to do so.

That said I fully expect that Sony will not be the target if this rumor is even true.

True, but we're talking about something that at current market value costs less than $18 billion (51%), when they have over $50 billion available.

the fact is it would have to be a agreed merger to much red tape other wise and if it was true two things would happen we would see Sony stock go through the roof and apple stock going up or down depending on the markets reaction, then all trading halted to a formal take over was announced ,and it would cost them a premium to acquire a company of Sony's stature.

They should buy Nintendo.

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They could do that too. As a pure investment it would probably make more sense, but in terms of the potential to improve by taking over and utilizing what assets Sony/Nintendo have better than they currently do, there's a lot more in Sony.

Except for Facebook, which would likely refuse an offer and it would cost much more in a hostile takeover, I don't see much sense in Apple buying any of those companies.

Personally, I would like Apple to buy General Motors. They are cheap nowadays and someone have to teach them how to make a good car. Preferably, an electric one. :)