I am transitioning from AutoCAD and Revit to VectorWorks and ArchiCAD solely because I want to eventually work only on the Mac platform. I would love it if AutoCAD and Revit ran on Macs, and Apple buying Autodesk would bring that about. I doubt that Apple will though. Apple and Autodesk both have great in-house innovation (and they both buy outside expertise), but their cultures are different.

Apple is great because it focuses on doing what it does better than anyone else, and they could lose that if they try to spread their magic too thin.

Your comment that Mac CAD can’t compete with Autodesk products because architects will not step outside of their comfort zone is most unfortunate if true. The reality is this industry is filled with innovation — from Siemens’ Synchronous Technology and Parasolid, to Graphisoft’s “original BIM” in ArchiCAD to Google’s SketchUp. Innovation does not just exist within the corporate halls of Autodesk. And it is high time industry professionals wake up and smell the coffee!

Stagnation around de facto methods, tools, processes and technology is what got Detroit’s Big Three into so much trouble. Surely yes, there is excellent innovation at Autodesk — a lot of it existed in companies they acquired (think Alias for example). But if what you are saying is Mac CAD doesn’t stand a chance because architects will only embrace that which they know (AutoCAD and Autodesk) I would disagree.

They already proved they would when they embraced @Last Software’s SketchUp.

Historically, Apple does not seem to acquire much, buy back stock, or pay dividends. Listening in on their recent earnings call, they seemed to hint they plan to invest in R&D. Jobs perked up when one industry analysts suggested that he could hire all the available engineers in Silicon Valley with his excess cash. The CFO also seemed to suggest they were on a mission to reduce manufacturing costs to address pricing pressure from competitors.

One consumer device that Apple has not faired well with is Apple TV. Yet it seems to be a key hub for informational content with tons of potential. If Apple were to spend some of its cash on an acquisition, maybe a purchase of TiVo would now make sense.

http://worldcadaccess.typepad.com/blog/

I’d like to see Apple purchase autodesk, but i’m worried that they might let certain apps stagnate (Shake comes to mind… still waiting on its successor: “Phenomenon”). Also I’d hate to see current Mac based CAD developers go under, they have been good to us.

Also if Apple did purchase Autodesk they would have to diversify their product portfolio and include more economical and extreme high end machines (at lower prices too). I can’t see studios paying premiums for a Mac (ok even if the cost of ownership is lower) and they might move on to other software.

I think the former issue is most important. Apple doesn’t need Autodesk per se to grow. But they do need access to all those innovative companies and software makers that Autodesk is so keen on acquiring. If Autodesk buys Mac developers and kills the mac versions then that is real trouble for Apple. When I look at what’s happened to MotionBuilder, Maya and now some concern for RealVIZ’s apps I get a real chill down my spine.

On the other hand, a hopeful side of me says that perhaps this is Autodesk’s way of entering the Mac design-app market? In fact, they once made that suggestion — that they are now a Mac developer.

Softimage is the latest buy for Autodesk. It didn’t make a Mac version so one understandably doesn’t expect one now. On the other hand, what Autodesk does to its other Mac apps in terms of their development says mountains-full of how they view Apple and its thriving Mac platform.