Just this morning, I have read at least three articles prophesying gloom and doom because Apple didn’t buy Harman (the basic theme is that Apple needs to grow…can no longer grow organically…so just buy anything…but BUY something). This article from ZDNet is representative:
Why Samsung’s Harman purchase will be seen as Apple blunder decades from now
But the reason, I believe, that Apple didn’t try to acquire Harman is clear from this exhibit in the article (which is from the handout in Samsung’s investor call)
- Apple has 2 brands: Apple and Beats
- Apple essentially makes just 4 products (computers, tablets, smart phones, and TV/set-top boxes…OK, if you want to separate out desktops from laptops and music players from smart phones you can go all the way up to 6), plus accessories
- running just 3 operating systems: macOS, iOS and tvOS
This kind of smorgasbord is not in Apple’s DNA.
