# TiVo Spikes On Rumors Of Deal With Apple On New Apple TV



## scgf (Oct 24, 2000)

Very interesting rumour here.

I have an Apple TV with a US iTunes STore account and love the way I can hire HD films and buy TV series over the internet. Who knows what it might do with TiVo technology!


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## Milhouse (Sep 15, 2001)

Isn't the new TiVo user interface built using Flash now? If so I can't imagine that particular technology will be turning up in Apple kit any time soon... 

And since Apple like to "own" the whole user experience what exactly would TiVo bring to this party, Season Passes, Wish Lists, 8-second jump back and jump-to-tick? Apple, if true to form, would just copy that technology, give it a new i-prefix then pass it off as their own invention - it's what they do all the time (and then when the IP holder calls foul, Apple settle out of court for a nominal fee by which time the damage is already done and the IP holder barely has a business left to run).

No company in their right mind would want to get into business with Apple.


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## kitschcamp (May 18, 2001)

You do know that flash works on Apple's? The only place they have an issue is on iPhone/iPad class devices, and I can understand why after reading all the fuss, and knowing what impact Flash and Adobe Air have on the battery life of my laptop. 

The AppleTV has a 'real' processor in it, and already runs OSX, and can run flash (see products such as aTVflash). flash aint an issue.

And as for 'stealing' technology - the same is true of Microsoft and to be quite honest most big businesses. 

I think a TiVo and Apple tie-up is a match made in heaven. Both understand user interfaces. And I've just seen a sign... The iPad automatically capitalizes TiVo correctly....


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

The only reason I can give any credence to this rumor is that it might at least explain why it otherwise seems TiVo doesn't have any software developers anymore.


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## Milhouse (Sep 15, 2001)

kitschcamp said:


> You do know that flash works on Apple's?


Yes but we both know Jobs would rather see Flash die than give it any further support - after all, Flash crashes his precious Mac OS and is the number one cause of complaints (apparently, although probably not true).

Honestly, I just can't see Apple investing in Flash bashed technology (thus effectively endorsing it to some extent) given the fuss the Jobs makes over it on his mobile products.

The real reason he hates Flash on his iDevices is because Flash allows free downloads and means he loses control/revenue of his tightly controlled users/sheep.

If Apple were to put a Flash-based TiVo UI on an Apple "iTiVo" don't you think it would be similarly locked down, as Flash would always be a back-door to circumventing his control in which case it would have to banned as well.

Apple + TiVo, just can't see it happening. Thankfully.


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## Milhouse (Sep 15, 2001)

kitschcamp said:


> And as for 'stealing' technology - the same is true of Microsoft and to be quite honest most big businesses.


Apple seem to show particular contempt for other companies IP, more so than Microsoft it seems although perhaps it's because Microsoft haven't been quite so bad as Apple for a number of years now.

I sincerely hope that Nokia wipe the floor with Apple over the GSM patents that Apple haven't paid for but use in every one of their iPhone/iPad devices.

And every new iDevice Apple release seems to use another companies established trademark, they just know that they will win the mind share and force the owner to sell. Shocking tactics.

If Apple wanted to produce a product that competed with TiVo on every level they would - but TiVo wouldn't see a penny until it was far too late.


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## kitschcamp (May 18, 2001)

Milhouse said:



> Apple seem to show particular contempt for other companies IP, more so than Microsoft it seems although perhaps it's because Microsoft haven't been quite so bad as Apple for a number of years now.


Lol! You are joking? One example, in the news today, they sought licensing agreement over an XML technology, didn't like the terms, so stole the technology, and when the owner tried to sue, they tried to overturn the patent. For years. Even though the courts and a jury awarded $100m and the judge called the theft blatant, they still won't accept they stole it and should pay up. And that's today. Not years ago. One example...


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## Milhouse (Sep 15, 2001)

kitschcamp said:


> Lol! You are joking? One example, in the news today, they sought licensing agreement over an XML technology, didn't like the terms, so stole the technology, and when the owner tried to sue, they tried to overturn the patent. For years. Even though the courts and a jury awarded $100m and the judge called the theft blatant, they still won't accept they stole it and should pay up. And that's today. Not years ago. One example...


That court case has been going on for some time - years, appeal after appeal. I'm not saying Microsoft are the good guys, but I'm really not sure what Microsoft has to do with criticism of Apple stealing other companies technology... you seem to be trying to justify the abhorrent behaviour of Apple by citing the behaviour of Microsoft, as if it is in some way relevant to this discussion about Apple and TiVo and how Apple treat competition. Apple would kill TiVo without a thought if they wanted to play seriously in the TiVo space.

Enjoying your iPad, much?


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## kitschcamp (May 18, 2001)

I'm not trying to justify anything. I just found your painting of Microsoft as good cop hilarious. As I said in my last posts, all big companies try it on. All. I'm no Apple apologist or fanboi. 

And the iPad, yup, love it. It's a great work tool and savior of my sanity when away from home. A device I can use solidly for nearly 20 hours is pretty damn fine.


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## Milhouse (Sep 15, 2001)

kitschcamp said:


> I'm not trying to justify anything. I just found your painting of Microsoft as good cop hilarious. As I said in my last posts, all big companies try it on. All. I'm no Apple apologist or fanboi.


Honestly, you do sound like one though - next you'll be telling me that all (ALL!) smartphones drop signal when you hold them "wrong" (ie. normally). 

Just because other companies have ridden rough shod over the competition in the past doesn't excuse Apple from being a serial offender, and since they don't "do partnerships" it's unlikely TiVo would do well out of any association with Apple, either through licensing or litigation.


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## AMc (Mar 22, 2002)

What's Tivo's market cap these days - a couple of days iPhone sales?
I thought Apple's preferred route these days was acquisition.


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## TCM2007 (Dec 25, 2006)

About a billion dollars, surprisingly.

Still small change for Apple.


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## iankb (Oct 9, 2000)

I suppose if companies are paying licence fees for use of some of the TiVo patents, then they might find it easier to buy the complete package.

If TiVo are making real money out of their patents, then I suppose that might explain their high market cap, and why they no longer feel the need to develop their own systems much further.

However, I always assumed that most companies prefer to pay fees to lawyers than to patent-holders.


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