Alex Scott
Member
Never understood why EU forced Apple to put USB C.
More convenient for people? Was this the reason by any chance?
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Microsoft / Activision Deal Approval Watch |OT| (MS/ABK close)
- Status
More convenient for people? Was this the reason by any chance?
Yes, basically one cable for all devices. Also reduces garbage because you can keep your cables for a new phone.
Bernoulli
M2 slut
Apple was going to do it anyway honestly, the moved the ipads to USB C almost 4 years ago
They will still limit the speed of transfer it's been confirmed for the base iphone 15
One good thing is the sideloading but haven't seen anything in the iOS 17 beta yet
I need modded apps because i hate ads on my devices
supernova8
Banned
Something about an EU initiative to make it so that consumers can charge all of their devices with one single (USB C) cable.
Apple's counter-argument was "but what about all the e-waste created by people throwing away their lightning cables?", which sounded hilarious to me, almost "WON'T SOMEBODY PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDRENz!" esque. Only problem is that they already changed over the iPad to USB C..... maybe that e-waste wasn't so bad after all?
Either way, there has to be a legal basis for them to be blocked and there isn't. Laws would need to change.
Bernoulli
M2 slut
Worst part os that now the cable that comes with new phones is USB C from both sides
So all the chargers that people have at home are useless, and you need to buy the new chargers creating ever more waste
All of this is just to get more money by forcing people to buy chargers bricks and the companies pay less because the boxes are now way smaller
supernova8
Banned
EU sends Apple stark warning over USB-C charging on new iPhones
Bad news for Apple, good news for you
EU has said it will ban the sale of iPhones in member countries if Apple goes ahead with it so... maybe that's the next big battleground. Hard to tell if the EU really would ban iPhone sales outright as opposed to charging Apple a fine, but in the latter case the fine would have to be large enough (and recurring in nature) such that it outweighs Apple's incentive to ignore the EU in order to make money off MFi certified cable sales.
Thirty7ven
Banned
Hey just how much of a total corrupt cunt is Judge Corley looking like right now?
Look at that, the self imposed “deadline” has come and gone and nothing has happened.
How can this not blow back on her, considering she rushed her ruling based on this date?
Look at that, the self imposed “deadline” has come and gone and nothing has happened.
How can this not blow back on her, considering she rushed her ruling based on this date?
Bernoulli
M2 slut
This is taking place at the end of 2024, so iphone 15 and 16 can still be limited sadlyEU sends Apple stark warning over USB-C charging on new iPhones
Bad news for Apple, good news for youwww.techradar.com
EU has said it will ban the sale of iPhones in member countries if Apple goes ahead with it so... maybe that's the next big battleground. Hard to tell if the EU really would ban iPhone sales outright as opposed to charging Apple a fine, but in the latter case the fine would have to be large enough (and recurring in nature) such that it outweighs Apple's incentive to ignore the EU in order to make money off MFi certified cable sales.
Jesus christ, they get the subscription fee for their service and MS/whoever don't get any of that. You get no games on these services with your subcription except f2p.
Alex Scott
Member
Laws are there. It is up to the judges to uphold them.
Last edited:
It was still an important date. Most industry investors were waiting on the FTC. It was the last major hurdle seemingly and if it wasn't settled would probably have been the end. Most people saw the UK as able to be worked around somehow but if the FTC showed any strength it would have been a problem.
There's laws and then there's decades of laws interpretation. They would need something big as the US is very biz friendly on these.
And in any normal system it would have been the right thing to do to file for an injunction if there was a fear that it would happen but MS and its media outlets have so much sway that they convinced the courts the deal would fall through on the 18th and so they couldn't wait for an August hearing, giving the impression they were going to close over regulators. The courts and the government bent over backwards for them. Now their media outlets like Tom are out there saying it will take up to 6 additional weeks, moving it into August or beyond anyway. Prior to that they were out there saying the opposite.
It played out as I expected it would when the FTC lost the injunction
MS paused appeal, CMA said their stance hasn't changed but they want the delay, CMA said they're considering a proposal, and the 18th deadline was mostly bullshit.
So all things considered, why didn't they just hash out an extension and wait for the August hearing? MS are out there trying to bleed dry the limited FTC taxpayers money for no reason while playing these games of 'bait' with the courts. The courts should have pushed back but they bent over backwards.
Last edited:
Aguero9320
Member
We simply don’t know what’s going on right now, but I’m most surprised people are surprised there’s not been some big announcement in advance of, or on the stroke of midnight. I don’t see that being advantageous for either party. For two reasons.
One is that if they announced it was being “extended” it would signal to the regulators that they have more time, whereas right now they seem to have them working at near top speed to get obstacles out of the way. The pressure of that looming date really kicked things into high gear it seemed.
Second is that both gave the impression the deal was effectively over if regulators didn’t get out of the way by the 18th - wouldn’t look too good if they said ‘surprise!’ at 12.01. Would look like leverage. Better either to not say anything, or at least look like you had to sweat over it.
I hope I’m wrong, but I wouldn’t be surprised if their ‘sources close’ story planted in the WSJ was the only true indicator on the matter we get. To be fair, outside of the world of fanboys on either side, that’s probably enough for most people.
One is that if they announced it was being “extended” it would signal to the regulators that they have more time, whereas right now they seem to have them working at near top speed to get obstacles out of the way. The pressure of that looming date really kicked things into high gear it seemed.
Second is that both gave the impression the deal was effectively over if regulators didn’t get out of the way by the 18th - wouldn’t look too good if they said ‘surprise!’ at 12.01. Would look like leverage. Better either to not say anything, or at least look like you had to sweat over it.
I hope I’m wrong, but I wouldn’t be surprised if their ‘sources close’ story planted in the WSJ was the only true indicator on the matter we get. To be fair, outside of the world of fanboys on either side, that’s probably enough for most people.
ToadMan
Member
Maybe, in fact I'll go further and say probably.
But the optics of this are weird. The AT&T - DirecTV merger was similar to this and had 2 extensions, both of which were announced publicly well before any deadlines approached.
That inspires confidence that both boards agree the merger is the best way forward. And here we are with silence for this deal.
I said before, ATVI put up on July 11th, an investor press release about a Barbie crossover content on mobile. Yet here we are with an acquisition overrunning and crickets - no "we are committed to this, and so we extend", no "we're negotiating the terms of an extension with MS" even. Investors have zero official information right now.
So from here there could be a few scenarios
1) Announce tomorrow. Based on what any of us know now, this is probably most likely.
2) No announcement for a few days - to me that is ATVI negotiating / thinking seriously about whether to proceed. In this case they're looking at financials and determining what happens to the share price in the event of acquisition termination.
3) No announcement until 2nd August. That is the day ATVI interim financials are due.
Let's think about that last option - strap in for this one....
Imagine you are Bobby and you have become convinced that ATVI is being undersold to MS and is worth a lot more. More than MS wants to dip for...
You know that as soon as you announce ATVI is pulling out there will be a flurry of action and perhaps the share price goes down - that would reflect badly on the board who'd be accused by investors of not putting their interests first.
But, let's say you know that on August 2 - buoyed by D4 and a CoD MW3 announcement - the finances will look very good. What if, right around that earnings announcement, ATVI announces it will pull out of the acquisition....
Now the share price doesn't go down. In fact, the $95 offer from MS is more like a cork in a champagne bottle and the strong earnings with a removed cap suddenly lets the share price soar. Investors are happily making bank, Bobby is their hero again, ATVI are out of the handcuffs, Bobby and everyone else's shares are worth more on the open market than MS were paying anyway, and an industry sighing with relief is queing up to do deals with a newly freed ATVI.
Oh and ATVI taps up MS for it's $3bn....
Last edited:
simdog461
Member
I don’t think ABK will be the ones to end itMaybe, in fact I'll go further and say probably.
But the optics of this are weird. The AT&T - DirecTV merger was similar to this and had 2 extensions, both of which were announced publicly well before any deadlines approached.
That inspires confidence that both boards agree the merger is the best way forward. And here we are with silence for this deal.
I said before, ATVI put up on July 11th, an investor press release about a Barbie crossover content on mobile. Yet here we are with an acquisition overrunning and crickets - no "we are committed to this, and so we extend", no "we're negotiating the terms of an extension with MS" even. Investors have zero official information right now.
So from here there could be a few scenarios
1) Announce tomorrow. Based on what any of us know now, this is probably most likely.
2) No announcement for a few days - to me that is ATVI negotiating / thinking seriously about whether to proceed. In this case they're looking at financials and determining what happens to the share price in the event of acquisition termination.
3) No announcement until 2nd August. That is the day ATVI interim financials are due.
Let's think about that last option - strap in for this one....
Imagine you are Bobby and you have become convinced that ATVI is being undersold to MS and is worth a lot more. More than MS wants to dip for...
You know that as soon as you announce ATVI is pulling out there will be a flurry of action and perhaps the share price goes down - that would reflect badly on the board who'd be accused by investors of not putting their interests first.
But, let's say you know that on August 2 - buoyed by D4 and a CoD MW3 announcement - the finances will look very good. What if, right around that earnings announcement, ATVI announces it will pull out of the acquisition....
Now the share price doesn't go down. In fact, the $95 offer from MS is more like a cork in a champagne bottle and the strong earnings with a removed cap suddenly lets the share price soar. Investors are happily making bank, Bobby is their hero again, ATVI are out of the handcuffs, Bobby and everyone else's shares are worth more on the open market than MS were paying anyway, and an industry sighing with relief is queing up to do deals with a newly freed ATVI.
Oh and ATVI taps up MS for it's $3bn....
Its too much of a gamble that they’d be able to get their share price back to over $95 in any reasonable amount of time.
I honestly think the ball is in Microsoft’s court now.
It’s a bit strange that all the major people have been silent for the last 2 or 3 days on this.
systemr123
Banned
KungFucius
King Snowflake
What? This is an insane take. You think she should be viewed as corrupt because she ruled on a case that had a deadline and because nothing public was done on that deadline by the parties involved in the case she ruled on? Is your fanboyism so strong that you think this is reasonable? This is just ridiculous scapegoating. She ruled on a case in front of her the same way dozens of other organizations ruled on it after a trial that most agree was executed poorly by the FTC. Just because YOU want a certain outcome that doesn't happen, does not mean that there is some evil conspiracy responsible for YOU not getting what YOU want.
Badlucktroll
Member
If the deal implodes i think it will be because of the extension on the date its finalized, and Activision wanting more money
KungFucius
King Snowflake
this is bonkers and not how markets work. Most of the shareholders are expecting a payout, not to be stuck with ABK stock. What happens when they want to sell to get the liquid assets they are expecting? Also I am sure that 3 billion is not just there as an out when it is basically closed. It is there if they cannot close as a risk reduction if the deal could not make it through regulators. All indicators are that the deal can be worked through the final regulator. IF ABK pulls out now it looks like a bad faith move and MS would have those grounds in their case not to pay them the 3 billion. 3 billion, of course, is a small fraction of the 69 billion and will take a long time to procure if they could even win it.Maybe, in fact I'll go further and say probably.
But the optics of this are weird. The AT&T - DirecTV merger was similar to this and had 2 extensions, both of which were announced publicly well before any deadlines approached.
That inspires confidence that both boards agree the merger is the best way forward. And here we are with silence for this deal.
I said before, ATVI put up on July 11th, an investor press release about a Barbie crossover content on mobile. Yet here we are with an acquisition overrunning and crickets - no "we are committed to this, and so we extend", no "we're negotiating the terms of an extension with MS" even. Investors have zero official information right now.
So from here there could be a few scenarios
1) Announce tomorrow. Based on what any of us know now, this is probably most likely.
2) No announcement for a few days - to me that is ATVI negotiating / thinking seriously about whether to proceed. In this case they're looking at financials and determining what happens to the share price in the event of acquisition termination.
3) No announcement until 2nd August. That is the day ATVI interim financials are due.
Let's think about that last option - strap in for this one....
Imagine you are Bobby and you have become convinced that ATVI is being undersold to MS and is worth a lot more. More than MS wants to dip for...
You know that as soon as you announce ATVI is pulling out there will be a flurry of action and perhaps the share price goes down - that would reflect badly on the board who'd be accused by investors of not putting their interests first.
But, let's say you know that on August 2 - buoyed by D4 and a CoD MW3 announcement - the finances will look very good. What if, right around that earnings announcement, ATVI announces it will pull out of the acquisition....
Now the share price doesn't go down. In fact, the $95 offer from MS is more like a cork in a champagne bottle and the strong earnings with a removed cap suddenly lets the share price soar. Investors are happily making bank, Bobby is their hero again, ATVI are out of the handcuffs, Bobby and everyone else's shares are worth more on the open market than MS were paying anyway, and an industry sighing with relief is queing up to do deals with a newly freed ATVI.
Oh and ATVI taps up MS for it's $3bn....
They won't walk away without another buyer ready. So basically if there's not an issue with approval, there won't be anyone backing away. Too many investors have bought to be bought out. It's just not realistic to walk
Bernoulli
M2 slut
Not really, the company is worth more than 95$ now and it's not the same state as when it was bought
bitbydeath
Gold Member
That’s not true, the termination date has already passed. ABK are now free to walk and take the money.
Bernoulli
M2 slut
No, Activision can walk out now and get the 3B
The agreed purchase price drove the increase. If the deal goes away the price will fall
Bernoulli
M2 slut
No, the company is doing much better now
PaintTinJr
Member
Don't rule out judge Marcus Smith just making the CMA report final when their is no evidence of a contract between the two parties and he feels they are wasting the CMA, CAT and the entire world's time on something that may or may not exist.
The silence of official extension will not please him one bit going by his previous reactions, and them having gamed his schedule all for nothing. Could be another hold on to your butts moments from barristers in his presence.
Last edited:
Thirty7ven
Banned
Are you dense? Is there anything inside that thick skull of yours that will leverage your comprehension skills in order to realize that the “deadline” was self imposed by MS-ABK, and MS used the deadline as some sort of fear tactic, with the judge herself rushing the decision and using the existence of a deadline against the FTC. Do you understand this?
bitbydeath
Gold Member
Go on….
Punished Miku
Member
The deadline was real. The FTC tried to stall so that they didn't even have to actually argue the merits of the case, and instead just wait them out. It's very telling that people in here think it's so terrible the FTC got "tricked" into having to actually go before a judge and explain the merits of their case. And the bar was lower than that, since they just had to convince them they needed a PI but couldn't even do that. This all could have been completed with more time if the FTC did their job honestly.
ToadMan
Member
Shareholders can sell their stock on the open market at their convenience. They did it for decades before today, they can also do it if ATVI pulled out from the deal.
So the option of selling to MS for $95 or the open market for $105. And to sell at 95 to MS, they have to wait another X months. Right now, their money is tied up in a deal that no one can put a date on.
That is not in the acquisition contract.
The deadline has passed, ATVI have done what they said they would prior to that deadline. The contract provides them with the option to terminate and receive $3bn.
It's 4% of the purchase price. And shareholders still have their stock to sell, so in effect they gain 4% on the fair market value for doing nothing except terminating the acquisition.
In fact, Bobby as a minimum should be asking for that 4% increase on the purchase price before agreeing to extend.
Activision stock increased like 3 or 4 percent on the day we got news from the FTC. Do people seriously think that was just a coincidence?
If a company agrees to pay $95 for something if conditions are met, wouldn't people be willing to pay $94 for it if it seemed like those conditions were going to be met? This shouldn't be that hard to understand.
And yes Activision is doing well, diablo has been good, cod sales are surging. But the solid price of 95 requires no growth, no risk outside of regulators. It's the main reason.
If the stock price goes above the purchase price then they will have a interesting decision
If a company agrees to pay $95 for something if conditions are met, wouldn't people be willing to pay $94 for it if it seemed like those conditions were going to be met? This shouldn't be that hard to understand.
And yes Activision is doing well, diablo has been good, cod sales are surging. But the solid price of 95 requires no growth, no risk outside of regulators. It's the main reason.
If the stock price goes above the purchase price then they will have a interesting decision
Bernoulli
M2 slut
Thirty7ven
Banned
So what is this saying lol
I think it was an ESG drive to reduce waste and standardise it like sockets in walls. It makes sense but I agree with Apple slightly that it may reduce innovation.
Punished Miku
Member
I have no interest in walking you through basic things you already know while you play dumb about it.
HoofHearted
Member
If I’m reading correctly- he’s now approving the adjournment …
IIRC - Earlier he had noted various criteria to be provided to him to review before he would approve.
feynoob
Gold Member
I don't see that from Lina.
She is basically a puppet for the democratics.
Does this even say anything he didn't already say?
Bernoulli
M2 slut
He will approve if he receives the proof from the CMA
Topher
Gold Member
simdog461
Member
Not really
X-Wing
Member
Republican members of Congress urge FTC to drop case against Microsoft-Activision
Sign up for the GI Daily here to get the biggest news straight to your inbox Nearly two dozen members of US Congress ha…
www.gamesindustry.biz
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked