

Apple reportedly in talks to acquire German HDTV maker Loewe  - tobiasbischoff
http://iphone.appleinsider.com/articles/12/05/12/apple_reportedly_in_talks_to_acquire_german_hdtv_maker_loewe.html

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objclxt
For some reason the submitter used the mobile website link, which if you're on
a desktop redirects to the homepage. Here is a link that should actually work:

[http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/05/12/apple_reported...](http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/05/12/apple_reportedly_in_talks_to_acquire_german_hdtv_maker_loewe.html)

Blame Apple Insider for breaking one of the basic rules of making a mobile
version of your site: if you share the links they should work on _any_
platform.

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w1ntermute
> For some reason the submitter used the mobile website link, which if you're
> on a desktop redirects to the homepage.

A little off-topic, but is anyone else irritated by the fact that many
websites redirect you to their homepage when you access the desktop version of
the site from a mobile device, and vice versa? I don't understand why you
would ever implement this sort of behavior.

~~~
hkmurakami
Pageviews, Pageviews, Pageviews.

If I were to put my "suit-hat" on, I'd think like this:

"Most of the population that encounter this inconvenience will think _'oh, I
navigated to the wrong version of the page, my mistake. Now, time to find the
proper page'._ They aren't going to realize that we could have implemented the
logic to properly route the reader to the corresponding page on the other
version, mobile or desktop. Furthermore, while I can't quantify how many
people get pissed off and become resentful of the site for implementing this
kind of behavior, _I can_ quantify how many more pageviews we get from putting
up this inconvenience (via logs). I can translate this increased pageview to
increased ad revenue (simple multiplication). That means increased (at least
superficial) profits! _I better get a promotion next quarter!_ "

(I admit to employing excessive hyperbole, but I wouldn't be surprised if
people actually thought like this)

~~~
swombat
There's an old saying... never ascribe to malice what can be perfectly well
explained by incompetence.

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zinssmeister
I grew up with a Loewe TV in our household. Loewe products are of a very high
quality and easy on the eyes. exactly what Apple would look for, to get
started with their TV business.

Side note: Apple has always had a love for German companies. Frog Design made
the hardware cases back in the 80s and some of the iPhone parts are from a
company in Germany.

~~~
Roritharr
Don't forget the many design examples Braun has set for apple four decades
before their hardware became design pieces.

[http://gizmodo.com/343641/1960s-braun-products-hold-the-
secr...](http://gizmodo.com/343641/1960s-braun-products-hold-the-secrets-to-
apples-future)

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Zirro
This is interesting, because it probably means an "iTV" is further away than
previously speculated (this summer, end of 2012). Unless Apple decides to rush
it, which usually results in a bad product, transforming an acquired company's
product into your own takes a while.

~~~
jsz0
Very possible. I don't think there's any huge rush to get the iTV out the
door. It could also be they plan to get started with 'off-the-shelf'
components but hope to do some custom parts for later models or perhaps
they've been working with Apple the entire time.

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freehunter
What would be nice is if Apple pushed the boundaries of HDTV. One thing that's
hard to deny, Apple has always been willing to push old technologies out the
window without an apology. With the new iPad screen pushing beyond 1080p HD
even on a 10" screen, it'd be nice to see a massive screen with a massive
resolution to match. An 85" 4K TV screen with the content and delivery system
Apple would be able to force might just make me buy whatever Apple required me
to have.

~~~
hkmurakami
But we should keep in mind that while Apple products _are_ on the pricey side,
they are firmly within the reach of the common man. Apple products seem to be
deliberately positioned below the utmost premium of the price scale for each
of their products (ex: you can find laptops with higher performance and a
higher sticker price). Their strategy is definitely not "bigger, better,
pricier, is better".

If we believe in the "common man stretching his arms" ethos, then the 85" TV
screen is definitely out of the question. How many people can even fit a 85"
TV into their living rooms? (count me in as one of them)

~~~
philwelch
Apple sells premium products, they just have the sales volume and operational
chops to sell them at reasonable prices.

~~~
pook1e
I think you missed the point. Look at Apple's MacBook line, for example. While
it's true Apple makes great products, there are plenty of laptops out there
with higher resolution displays, better processors, more RAM, and better video
cards.

Like someone else said - Apple makes the BMW of products, not the Bugatti
Veyron.

~~~
philwelch
It's obvious that Apple doesn't compete on specs. Features like the iPad
retina display though, or the laser-drilled sleep indicator on the MacBook
Pro, or the unibody enclosures would be dramatically more expensive if they
were even available, were it not for Apple's ability to secure them at large
scale. There's no massive advantage or design taste in having marginally more
RAM, so that's not where Apple's attention is spent.

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tobiasbischoff
or the they simply need loewe's patents.

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veyron
Any idea what type of patents are in Loewe's portfolio?

~~~
tobiasbischoff
tried to research but found only tube related stuff, they had some key patents
on how tubes where made.

