New in OS X: Get MacRumors Push Notifications on your Mac

Resubscribe Now Close

Apple Considered Purchasing a Large Stake in Twitter

Saturday July 28, 2012 1:00 am PDT by Jordan Golson
TwitterApple is either actively considering purchasing a major stake in Twitter or discussed making an investment with the social company more than a year ago and the talks have since ceased, depending on which newspaper one wishes to believe.

The New York Times reported tonight that Apple and Twitter were talking "in recent months" about a major strategic investment in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Apple has considered an investment in the hundreds of millions of dollars, one that could value Twitter at more than $10 billion, up from an $8.4 billion valuation last year, these people said. They declined to be named because the discussions were private.

There is no guarantee that the two companies, which are not in negotiations at the moment, will come to an agreement. But the earlier talks are a sign that they may form a stronger partnership amid intensifying competition from the likes of Google and Facebook.
However, within several hours of the posting of the Times piece, The Wall Street Journal posted a rebuttal of sorts, saying that the Apple/Twitter discussions took place more than a year ago and didn't go anywhere:
Apple Inc. held discussions with Twitter Inc. more than a year ago about taking a strategic investment in the short-messaging service, according to a person familiar with the talks.

People familiar with the matter said there are no current formal investment or acquisition discussions between the companies.

News of the investment talks was first reported by the New York Times.
Apple has run into difficulties in its social media efforts with the Ping social network on the chopping block according to Apple CEO Tim Cook. Walter Isaacson, Steve Jobs' biographer, said recently that social was one nut that Steve Jobs couldn't crack.

In the past year, rather than building its own social product, Apple has partnered with both Twitter and Facebook to integrate their API's into the new versions of both the iOS and OS X platforms.

[ 95 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

(View all)

Avatar
iEvolution
86 months ago
still never understood the hype with twitter unless you're one of those people that think a celebrities life is more important than your own.
Rating: 18 Votes
Avatar
nuckinfutz
86 months ago
In what Universe is Twitter worth 10 Billion dollars? It's not this one.
Rating: 18 Votes
Avatar
Puevlo
86 months ago
How about they release a new iMac instead of worrying about this nonsense.
Rating: 16 Votes
Avatar
bb426
86 months ago

still never understood the hype with twitter unless you're one of those people that think a celebrities life is more important than your own.


Ugh, what is Courier New doing here?

----------

I see a LOT more use for Apple and Facebook to get closer, rather than Apple and Twitter... I can't for the life of me even force myself to use Twitter.
Rating: 14 Votes
Avatar
BC2009
86 months ago

I don't see why this even matters. Recent news from Facebook and Zynga show that the social media model only gets you so far.


That is because social networking is a feature and not a standalone business in my opinion. Same goes for Dropbox. Eventually you hit a wall where you really can't make that much more money.
Rating: 12 Votes
Avatar
miles01110
86 months ago
I don't see why this even matters. Recent news from Facebook and Zynga show that the social media model only gets you so far.
Rating: 9 Votes
Avatar
ironsienna
86 months ago
Expect a "tweet this song" menu option in the next version of iTunes when right click on a song in your list!

Exciting.............!!

...

well..


yawn....
Rating: 9 Votes
Avatar
rmwebs
86 months ago
Oh Apple, we all know you are quite possibly the WORST company to run a social network so don't even bother trying.
Rating: 8 Votes
Avatar
Thunderhawks
86 months ago

In what Universe is Twitter worth 10 Billion dollars? It's not this one.


As an old fart I don't see any value in Facebook, Twitter or the like.

A lot of people that complain about privacy issues have all their "private" stuff out in the open.

Since I do things at my own pace, I google info when I need it and wait when it's something worth waiting for.

Maybe I should open an asocial network. "GetLost.com"

You sign in and don't blog or post anything!
Rating: 8 Votes
Avatar
Aeolius
86 months ago

An Apple Social Networking Site? Yes, please.




Rating: 7 Votes

[ Read All Comments ]