Apple and HTC settle patent battle

[AlphaJohn]

We were both wrong. It was a payment from a settlement re stealing of Quicktime code

Well memory tells me it was a bailout, doesn't matter how it was disguised.

Oh wait I am not the only one that sees it as such:
http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2009/08/dayintech_0806/
http://www.pcworld.com/article/169752/1997_Steve_Jobs_Was_Wrong_and_Microsoft_Saved_Apple.html
http://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/08/opinion/the-apple-of-microsoft-s-eye.html
http://money.cnn.com/1997/08/08/technology/apple_microsoft_pkg/
http://windowssecrets.com/forums/showthread.php/148102-MS-bails-out-Apple-History-lesson

 

[AlphaJohn]

[video=youtube_share;WxOp5mBY9IY]http://youtu.be/WxOp5mBY9IY[/video]

 

[JStrike]

Well memory tells me it was a bailout, doesn't matter how it was disguised.

Oh wait I am not the only one that sees it as such:
http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2009/08/dayintech_0806/
http://www.pcworld.com/article/169752/1997_Steve_Jobs_Was_Wrong_and_Microsoft_Saved_Apple.html
http://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/08/opinion/the-apple-of-microsoft-s-eye.html
http://money.cnn.com/1997/08/08/technology/apple_microsoft_pkg/
http://windowssecrets.com/forums/showthread.php/148102-MS-bails-out-Apple-History-lesson

As the article mentioned, it is a commonly believed myth.
And given that Apple had over a billion dollars in the bank, the amount was negligible, so it didn't "save" Apple.

Also ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Canyon_Company

 

[Paul Hjul]

Go looky into http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vanguard_Group amongst others

You are confusing Microsofts holdings from the 1990's deal and Microsofts hedge shareholding as an institutional investor. The one was a big transaction which had a major impact on how Apple strapped itself into the market and which made Microsoft a ton of cash the other is a situation which has pretty much always been a feature of the companies relationships to each other. The holdings flactuate and in my recollection at least twice in the last 10 or so years there has been an report of an increase in share purchases that has been read as a signal of an intention towards a bigger acquistion that didn't materialize. You'll have to trawl through SEC filings and annual balance sheets to have the map of figure but I doubt its ever stayed below 1% for more than a quarter.

You have the same financial houses underwriting Microsoft and Apple (and many other players) and a huge amount of mutural benefit at play. The idea that Microsoft bought a huge amount of shares and thereby saved Apple is a terrible myth what is evident is that at the time Microsoft was at the top of its game and Apple needed a jolt. The transaction was part of Apple getting a new life and Microsoft reaped some big dividends but in the end it was common institutional investors who really gained on all fronts.