

Should Apple buy Yahoo instead of partnering with Bing or Google? - pedalpete

Lots of talk recently about Bing becoming the default search engine on the iPhone, but that is just Apple handing control from one competitor to another.<p>If Yahoo! search is 'as good' as the other search products, doesn't Apple have the opportunity to gain a huge amount by buying Yahoo!?<p>Apple would end up with not only the search, but also the advertising, mail, and maps, along with many other media properties which could be used to  feed the media side of Apple. 
Thoughts?
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Readmore
This is an interesting idea but I don't know that it's Steve's style. I could
see him doing a deal with Bing while also buying a startup or building a team
to do search in-house.

The problem with buying Yahoo is all the other crap you would get along with
search and ads. If Apple were to buy Yahoo and then gut all the other services
they offer they would be the bad guy, but I also don't think they would want
it all on their balance sheet.

Maybe they could do a deal for a stake in Yahoo in return for a search deal
but it would probably require that Yahoo not get into bed with Microsoft like
they are planning. I don't think the Yahoo management has the gumption to make
a play like that.

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pedalpete
I agree that Apple would have to shut-down lots of Yahoo! properties which
need to be shut-down already.

As for the Microsoft/Yahoo! deal, let's assume that Apple would nix that deal.
That would kill injure two birds with one stone. Give apple control of search
in their mobile and growing desktop environments, as well as slow the progress
of Bing.

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maxharris
No, that would be a gigantic waste of money. I can't imagine why I would use
Yahoo (what does it really do again?) right now (let alone in five years!)

I signed up for a Yahoo account thirteen years ago (1997), which let me chat
on their boards, play simple games (a little while later) and use Yahoo mail
(later still). When Gmail came around, I closed my Yahoo account and I haven't
looked back since.

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korch
Yes. Yahoo's aesthetic melds better with Apple's own than with either
Microsoft or Google. Apple bought Quattro so they are obviously cooking up
something with advertising, which is another area in which Yahoo has value.

