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Google would buy Oculus to integrate it with existing product lines, either Android or wearables. Microsoft would buy it for the Xbox. Apple would buy it to mak

by cwyers 13y ago

Google would buy Oculus to integrate it with existing product lines, either Android or wearables. Microsoft would buy it for the Xbox. Apple would buy it to make it part of the iOS line. Facebook by far seems like the weirdest of the possible major buyers, because they have by far the fewest obvious complements to Oculus, but by the same token, that makes them the most likely company to be buying Oculus to expand into an entirely new space, in other words to let Oculus set their strategy rather than their strategy dictate the future of Oculus. It's a double-edged sword.

TaylorAlexander 13y ago
Yeah, Facebook is one of the few major tech companies who can buy Oculus and let them operate independently, since they don't have a stake in anything much related to gaming or VR. This means they are one of the companies least likely to screw with the Oculus vision, and I see that as a very good thing for virtual reality.
- ktsmith 13y ago
  Carmack wants to build the Metaverse. Facebook wants to own the Metaverse. I don't see this as a good thing.
  - jessaustin 13y ago
    Eh, there's nothing inherent in the metaverse concept that means it must exist in an FB-style walled garden. Even if it starts out there, if it turns out to be of benefit to humans, eventually the walls will get routed around. FB know this, and intend to recoup their investment in the medium term.
    - ENGNR 13y ago
      The social network hasn't been routed around yet. And yet there's still something hollow about having everything you do shared with everyone you know that leads people to give their most bland, crowd pleasing personality to the crowd. I was hoping for something more personal out of Oculus. Something I wouldn't have to think about sharing with my great aunts and the wider public via the NSA
vehementi 13y ago
Sorry if I'm not completely convinced by your half-sentence dismissals of those incredibly multifaceted organizations you listed.
- cwyers 13y ago
  I doubt the sincerity of your apology. But if you really desire more convincing, all of those companies have large existing business units devoted to selling consumer devices or licensing things to people selling consumer devices. Those business units have executives, budgets, reporting structures, etc. It is very unlikely any of those companies would buy Oculus to run it as an autonomous unit, like Facebook is saying they will do with Oculus for now.
  - mercutio2 13y ago
    Apple does not have business units. Apple would also never spend that much money on an acquisition, so your general point stands, but your specific statement is false.
    - sirkneeland 13y ago
      "Would never" is less accurate than "has not yet to date". Never say never. Especially with a company that likes to surprise...
    - cwyers 13y ago
      How don't they? They have people who are in charge of people and people who are responsible to others, yes? I just checked to make sure I wasn't going crazy here: "A logical element or segment of a company (such as accounting, production, marketing) representing a specific business function, and a definite place on the organizational chart, under the domain of a manager. Also called department, division, or a functional area." http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/business-unit.html#ixzz2x4qGOLhx http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/business-unit.h... It's a term that seems so totally generic that I feel like you have to work really, really hard to find an organization at scales far, far below where Apple operates to find a company that wouldn't fit that description (Valve?) But that misses the point -- the point is that Apple has SOME existing organizational structure around "selling consumer electronics," and that an Apple-purchased Occulus would likely fall into that structure. I don't think there's any evidence of a company that Apple bought and let run on its own for an extended period of time, is there?
seanalltogether 13y ago
Microsoft would buy it for the Xbox and desktop PC. They have been very good about making other peripherals for XBox work really well with Windows. I think this would have been the best outcome.
deleted 13y ago
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by cwyers 13y ago

TaylorAlexander 13y ago

Yeah, Facebook is one of the few major tech companies who can buy Oculus and let them operate independently, since they don't have a stake in anything much related to gaming or VR. This means they are one of the companies least likely to screw with the Oculus vision, and I see that as a very good thing for virtual reality.

ktsmith 13y ago
Carmack wants to build the Metaverse. Facebook wants to own the Metaverse. I don't see this as a good thing.
- jessaustin 13y ago
  Eh, there's nothing inherent in the metaverse concept that means it must exist in an FB-style walled garden. Even if it starts out there, if it turns out to be of benefit to humans, eventually the walls will get routed around. FB know this, and intend to recoup their investment in the medium term.
  - ENGNR 13y ago
    The social network hasn't been routed around yet. And yet there's still something hollow about having everything you do shared with everyone you know that leads people to give their most bland, crowd pleasing personality to the crowd. I was hoping for something more personal out of Oculus. Something I wouldn't have to think about sharing with my great aunts and the wider public via the NSA

vehementi 13y ago

Sorry if I'm not completely convinced by your half-sentence dismissals of those incredibly multifaceted organizations you listed.

cwyers 13y ago
I doubt the sincerity of your apology. But if you really desire more convincing, all of those companies have large existing business units devoted to selling consumer devices or licensing things to people selling consumer devices. Those business units have executives, budgets, reporting structures, etc. It is very unlikely any of those companies would buy Oculus to run it as an autonomous unit, like Facebook is saying they will do with Oculus for now.
- mercutio2 13y ago
  Apple does not have business units. Apple would also never spend that much money on an acquisition, so your general point stands, but your specific statement is false.
  - sirkneeland 13y ago
    "Would never" is less accurate than "has not yet to date". Never say never. Especially with a company that likes to surprise...
  - cwyers 13y ago
    How don't they? They have people who are in charge of people and people who are responsible to others, yes? I just checked to make sure I wasn't going crazy here: "A logical element or segment of a company (such as accounting, production, marketing) representing a specific business function, and a definite place on the organizational chart, under the domain of a manager. Also called department, division, or a functional area." http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/business-unit.html#ixzz2x4qGOLhx http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/business-unit.h... It's a term that seems so totally generic that I feel like you have to work really, really hard to find an organization at scales far, far below where Apple operates to find a company that wouldn't fit that description (Valve?) But that misses the point -- the point is that Apple has SOME existing organizational structure around "selling consumer electronics," and that an Apple-purchased Occulus would likely fall into that structure. I don't think there's any evidence of a company that Apple bought and let run on its own for an extended period of time, is there?

seanalltogether 13y ago

Microsoft would buy it for the Xbox and desktop PC. They have been very good about making other peripherals for XBox work really well with Windows. I think this would have been the best outcome.

deleted 13y ago

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