Apple To Buy World's Largest Record Label?

US $6 billion in cache? 13/04/03

Van -On your desktop?

News came in late on Friday confirming recent rumours that Apple Computer Inc. have made a cash bid for Universal Music Group to it's current owners and one of the years biggest corporate loss stars Vivendi. Apple certainly must be on a spending spree as their recent acquisition of Emagic clearly indicates. Universal is the worlds largest music label with CD sales accounting for around 25% of the world market. The timing, asis often the case with such deals, is crucial, with Apple planning to launch a new online music service in the next 30 days - along with a new range of iPods. Apple have always been famed for holding large cash reserves and this certainly proves that point. It's an interesting move as Universal are a large label with a roster of acts and back catalogue - Van Morisson, Elton John and Rammstein etc. Maybe Apple are looking to move into online distribution to tie in with their excellent iTunes software? You can just imagine buying your new stylish Apple iBook or iMac and having it come pre-installed with the the latest works of German monsters of rock Rammstein - more likely Elton John methinks. Perhaps they'll get acts record a set of system sounds - Bee Gees startup sounds anyone? Or Van Morisson desktop backgrounds (ugh). Jesting aside, this quite an audacious move on Apples part and may make some dents in Microsoft's plan for world domination with it's Digital Rights Management strategy. The only fly in the ointment, other than the offer being stiffed by the monopolies commission, is that Apple have an agreement in place with the Beatles former record label Apple, stopping them from entering the music market. We shall see....

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