Will the Happy Ending Ever Become True? The Apple-Disney Union
For years, the Apple Disney merger was the talk of the town, but now, it is just a balloon that deflates upon considering Apple’s history in making big possessions.
Apple history is famous for its doubtful but real-life written story. Its largest acquisition till this date was Beats Electronic for $3 billion in 2014. Apple has reasons for not pursuing Disney, other than its reputation for making big acquisitions. No doubt Apple has its own presence in the entertainment industry through its Apple TV+ streaming service. Noting that Disney has a strong entertainment base, but it can’t be incorporated into Apple’s business strategies. This may be challenging for the iPhone parent. Not to forget that Apple is not showing any interest in Disney’s parks like Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
“I believe that if Steve were still alive, we would have combined our companies, or at least discussed the possibility very seriously,” Bob Iger, CEO of Disney wrote that in an excerpt from his autobiography, “The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company.”
Apple buying Disney would be a major flow on its side, Disney is valued at over $150 billion while Apple stands at $2.859 trillion. So, buying fairy tales would not be classified as a bet-the-company transaction – a term used to describe a major corporate deal that is so large or risky that it could potentially put the company’s future in jeopardy. It seems like merging the narratives of Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast, ruining the essence of both, and losing what is called nostalgia for their dedicated fan bases.
The historical bond between the two companies remains strong. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs became Disney’s largest individual shareholder after Disney acquired Pixar, then owned by Jobs, for $7.4 billion in 2006. However, to merge these industry giants may still be a balloon destined to pop in the kingdom of corporate assumption.
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