9 ms·

Apple reportedly in talks to acquire German HDTV maker Loewe

34 points by tobiasbischoff 14y ago

objclxt 14y ago
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_reportedly_in_talks_to_acquire_german_hdtv_maker_loewe.html http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/05/12/apple_reported... 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.
- w1ntermute 14y ago
  > 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 14y ago
    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 14y ago
      There's an old saying... never ascribe to malice what can be perfectly well explained by incompetence.
  - namityadav 14y ago
    Laziness. Just point to the homepage for all the "Desktop" links. Done! The correct behavior would need them to write some logic (even if it's just: s/mobile\.//) to point to the correct desktop URL based on the mobile site URL, and then maintain this logic in future. That's extra work!
    - bsimpson 14y ago
      The correct behavior would be to have one link that works across all platforms, and serves by default the optimal CSS/JS for your user agent.
Zirro 14y ago
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.
- stock_toaster 14y ago
  More likely a plan for the future, like when they bought P.A. Semi.
- jsz0 14y ago
  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.
tobiasbischoff 14y ago
or the they simply need loewe's patents.
- veyron 14y ago
  Any idea what type of patents are in Loewe's portfolio?
  - tobiasbischoff 14y ago
    tried to research but found only tube related stuff, they had some key patents on how tubes where made.
- objclxt 14y ago
  Not that I think AppleInsider is that reliable, but I would highly doubt it would be a patent / IP acquisition given the price being talked about is only around $100 million and the insane prices being paid for IP right now in tech. It would be far more likely to be a talent acquisition.
- antr 14y ago
  Loewe has a superb engineering team, and has been working for ages between TV technology and design. Employees are no more than 1,000, and these guys know how to market high-end, design oriented TVs. This is a talent acquisition.
zinssmeister 14y ago
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 14y ago
  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-secrets-to-apples-future http://gizmodo.com/343641/1960s-braun-products-hold-the-secr...
- lispm 14y ago
  Apple also bought Emagic in 2002 - a German company known for its 'Logic' sequencer.
- slowernet 14y ago
  One can see that the companies share some design language in Loewe's current product line: http://www.loewe.tv/int/produkte.html http://www.loewe.tv/int/produkte.html
deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
freehunter 14y ago
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 14y ago
  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 14y ago
    Apple sells premium products, they just have the sales volume and operational chops to sell them at reasonable prices.
    - pook1e 14y ago
      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 14y ago
        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.

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_reportedly_in_talks_to_acquire_german_hdtv_maker_loewe.html http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/05/12/apple_reported... 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.

w1ntermute 14y ago
> 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 14y ago
  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 14y ago
    There's an old saying... never ascribe to malice what can be perfectly well explained by incompetence.
- namityadav 14y ago
  Laziness. Just point to the homepage for all the "Desktop" links. Done! The correct behavior would need them to write some logic (even if it's just: s/mobile\.//) to point to the correct desktop URL based on the mobile site URL, and then maintain this logic in future. That's extra work!
  - bsimpson 14y ago
    The correct behavior would be to have one link that works across all platforms, and serves by default the optimal CSS/JS for your user agent.

Zirro 14y ago

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.

stock_toaster 14y ago
More likely a plan for the future, like when they bought P.A. Semi.
jsz0 14y ago
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.

tobiasbischoff 14y ago

or the they simply need loewe's patents.

veyron 14y ago
Any idea what type of patents are in Loewe's portfolio?
- tobiasbischoff 14y ago
  tried to research but found only tube related stuff, they had some key patents on how tubes where made.
objclxt 14y ago
Not that I think AppleInsider is that reliable, but I would highly doubt it would be a patent / IP acquisition given the price being talked about is only around $100 million and the insane prices being paid for IP right now in tech. It would be far more likely to be a talent acquisition.
antr 14y ago
Loewe has a superb engineering team, and has been working for ages between TV technology and design. Employees are no more than 1,000, and these guys know how to market high-end, design oriented TVs. This is a talent acquisition.

zinssmeister 14y ago

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 14y ago
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-secrets-to-apples-future http://gizmodo.com/343641/1960s-braun-products-hold-the-secr...
lispm 14y ago
Apple also bought Emagic in 2002 - a German company known for its 'Logic' sequencer.
slowernet 14y ago
One can see that the companies share some design language in Loewe's current product line: http://www.loewe.tv/int/produkte.html http://www.loewe.tv/int/produkte.html

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

freehunter 14y ago

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 14y ago
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 14y ago
  Apple sells premium products, they just have the sales volume and operational chops to sell them at reasonable prices.
  - pook1e 14y ago
    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 14y ago
      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.