(April 1, 2011 Cupertino, CA) In a stunning move, Apple (Nasdaq:AAPL) announced today that it is buying UK-based language technology company SDL (LSE:SDL.L) for a whopping sum of US$1Billion which represents a premium of 35% above market price. Commenting on the deal, Apple’s Steve Jobs said:
Apple has been looking for an opportunity to enter the language industry. We are placing language and translation technology at the center of our focus and vision for the iPhone and iPad. We have been watching idly as Google is leveraging its language tools to gain market share for the Android at the expense of our iPhone. We are going to put a end to that and SDL was at the right place at the right time.
When asked if $1 Billion wasn’t a bit too much money, Jobs responded:
Hell, at Apple we practically print money ourselves. I didn’t see the need to haggle over such a fine company.
SDL chief Mark Lancaster:
This is a great deal for our shareholders. And I’ll be doing OK on the deal myself as well. After a few years of buying almost every company in sight, I thought it would be nice to be on the receiving end for once. Besides, I’m sick of working already and just want to play golf.
Other responses to this landmark deal, which is sure to revolutionize the localization industry:
CSA’s Don DePalma:
Golly, I had no idea this deal was going down. But I better write something about it so I can tell everyone next year that my predictions for 2011 came true.
Google’s Franz Och:
O(u)ch!
Lionbridge CEO Rory Cowan: Unfortunately the content of Cowan’s profanity-laced diatribe was unfit to publish in the GTS Blog.
