Apple Inc (AAPL)

[langostino]

Final Cut Server - not invented here (either)

With the release of Final Cut Server, it looks like Apple is cashing in on yet another excellent strategic acquisition.

Last December Apple closed its buyout of Proximity Group, snagging Artbox, which has been re-GUIed and now rebranded as Final Cut Server.
http://www.cmswire.com/cms/ma/apple-snags-leading-digital-asset-management-firm-000948.php

Here's an example of how an asset can be worth much more in the hands of one company than another. This isn't just a great strategic software acquisition, it's a brilliant way to buy embedded customer relationships - in this case, over 150 broadcasters in 16 countries. Whatever this digital asset management software was worth in revenue to Proximity Group, it's going to be worth several times as much to Apple - as Apple will work its new relationship with those broadcasters and other Proximity clients to sell a whole lot more than just the FC Server software. I'm betting Xserve RAID box sales will double/triple or more. And so on and so forth.

Interestingly, according to ThinkSecret and others, Artbox was selling for as much as $50k. Apple's $2k unlimited license would seem aimed at opening up the broadcast market tremendously. Reminds me of when Apple decided to drop the price of WebObjects to less than 1/10 of what it had previously been at, then a short while later, made it free.