Analysts are saying Apple is sitting on what they very bluntly call an "insane pile Of cash" worth around $60bn, to grow to $80-$100bn by this time next year. But unlike Uncle Scrooge, the company cannot afford to sit on such a money pile-- not before the pressure really builds up and shareholders start calling for dividends.
It's like sitting on a rocket, waiting as the pressure kicks in for take-off. Except the trip is still being planned.
Trust us, somewhere in Apple is a group figuring out all the possible ways to spend 30 or 40 billion. That means Apple is out looking for acquisitions. That could mean a few clever start-ups... But more likely it means a strategic acquisition that creates opportunity for Apple to dominate another market. That's right, it means Apple must spend it on something worth billions; Apple has bought before and CRN in the US gives a good history of their best purchases to date: http://www.crn.com/slide-shows/channel-programs/223300122/10-apple-acquisitions-that-made-their-mark.htm
But never before have they had this size of cash. The next deal will be a whopper: That cash means Apple can buy a telco, a Hollywood studio, a TV division... or enter the Enterprise market. Some rumours even say it could be buying a huge games property.
Here are some combinations: Apple + RIM, Apple + Sony, Apple + AT&T. Either way, like a Vegas slot machine, we bet someone will hit the jackpot by 2012.
Go Chart of the Day: Apple's Insane Pile of Cash in Context