Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

Having the money and it being nothing are different.

If I need to I could come up with $10,000 for something. That doesn't mean that it's not significant and it doesn't mean that it's the right thing to do if I have an alternative.




The cost of switching to a different name isn't $0, though. Both the cost and added complexity is significant. Some considerations:

* Cost of finding and registering a different trademark that's available worldwide.

* Cost of developing new marketing materials.

* Cost of tweaking software to use new name.

* Cost of tweaking production lines to print new name on devices and packaging.

* Cost of lost sales due to customer confusion (Chinese traveling to America; Foreigners traveling to China).


I'm not saying that there are no costs, there clearly are, the most significant of which is brand dilution.

What I'm saying is that $1.6bn is clearly not nothing, not to Apple, not to anyone.




Consider applying for YC's Spring batch! Applications are open till Feb 11.

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: