Now here is something that does sound odd even by rumor standards. Apple out to buy Barnes & Noble might not make much of a sense but it obviously seems to do to several ‘unproven sources’ with BGR. Barnes & Noble can’t be considered a direct competitor of Apple nor is there any product in either of their portfolio that competes directly in the market. The one B&N product that can be considered to be able to put up some sort of a competition to the iPad (if at all it does) is the Nook Color though its makers are more comfortable considering it an e-readers while buyers of the Nook Color look more at it as a cheap tablet option. Even then, the disparity — both in capability and ultimately in the sales figures — between the two are just too wide.
However, the huge B&N bookstore might be tempting to Apple and may be reason enough to purchase the bookstore giant. But then again, why would Apple want to buy an existing bookstore and integrate the titles into their own iBookstore when signing deals with publishers can bring the same content to the Apple bookstore?
Another reason is perhaps B&N’s over 700 brick and mortar bookstores along with an additional 600 college bookstores, some of which Apple may consider converting into Apple stores. Also, the net worth of Barnes & Noble right now is just $1 billion which can be considered a short change when compared against the massive $76 billion cash pile Apple is sitting on right now. However, here again it can be a lot easier to set up Apple stores afresh then refitting an existing B&N store.
BGR’s unproven sources also claimed that Apple would be releasing iTunes 11 in September along with iOS 5 and iCloud. The source further added that it will allow users to read iBooks on computers while also supporting textbook purchases and rentals. In any case, while the last bit seems plausible, the idea of Apple acquiring Barnes & Noble does seem too audacious at the moment. We will be watching thing though, so stay tuned.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.
