Apple to re-license mac os in 2005

[mi5moav]

As stated before there is a great chance HP could be the next/first to license mac os. As Rob Jones, stated "HP, and Apple's ipod partnership may be the start of next big thing for both pc manufacturers"

This would be great. However, the only way I see this happening is if Apple were to give HP a 2 to 3 year free license window or reduced license fee. This would at first benefit HP monetarily by adding another product matrix to it's line. Psychologically, would be a godsend for Apple. Within 5 years we could definitely have 5% plus market share. I read somewhere that if every pc manufacture where to sell mac os only computer for the next 5 years Apple's market share would still only be about 30%.

[bobw]

HP, making and selling computers running Mac OS X. I think this would kill Apple.

[jackdahi]

I agree with bobw!

[mi5moav]

Your right, only one computer company should be allowed to run/sell mac os on it's computers.

[evildan]

Apple has tried this before, it was a flop then, I don't see it happening any differently now.

[ylon]

Well, I really understand what you're all saying, however it would not kill Apple if they were to build a more strong foundation with their software and music business. They are in a real position right now to start making their money with software rather than hardware if they can pick up the sales. Apple has some great software a very reasonable prices and much of their pro line is industry standard. If they can capitalize on this, their OS package and the music line (they've already let the hardware go to a degree as was noted on first post above) I think that they will have a strong case.

It would be interesting to see Apple stores becoming a multi-pronged initiative where they also present the HP products along side of their own (ie, first starting with music players, but then perhaps expanding?).

Don't shoot down the hardware idea entirely without fully exploring its possibilities and pros for Apple. Perhaps they can outweigh the cons?

[mi5moav]

So, I guess they might as well throw in the towel and give up and live with it. I really don't think every person on earth is going to buy and Apple manufactured computer, however, there is a good chance that they may buy an HP, IBM, Sony computer with mac os. As a shareholder I would prefer Apple having 30% market share of the OSes out there and not selling a single piece of hardware then having a 5% market share and selling 100% of the Mac Os capable computers out there.

They failed since they licensed it to the wrong companies. Apple licensed it's OS to the john doe of the computer makers back then Umaxen, PowerComputing?!!? No, one had ever heard of powercomputing and umaxen made scanners. Motorola came in late and even today I wouldn't have bought a Motorola computer. If we had HP, Sony, IBM and the license agreement would have been tweaked a bit we wouldn't be having this conversation today. So, I guess everyones motto is history always repeats itself, and if you fail never try again. We'll see next year... I think HP really has Apple pushing for level 3 assurance, when and if they are a go with the gov, I think HP will be good to go.

[chevy]

I don't see why HP would sell Macs.

They may use Mac OS X technologies for some special devices (to be defined) but the Mac market is so narrow that I don't see how HP could live with only part of it.