"Because Apple has been lacking social, and you need the holy trinity of social, mobile and the cloud to triumph in this brave new gadget world," Cramer said.
The Netflix acquisition would complete the triumvirate.
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Cramer believes that Apple remains committed to fulfilling the vision of the late Steve Jobs – that is, they want to transform the living room, something the Apple founder had hoped to achieve.
And although the Street widely believed Apple would attempt to do that with a new gadget – a so-called improved iTV, Cramer's grown skeptical it's going to happen.
"I know Apple's been tantalizing us with the idea of a new gadget, but unless they buy a Sprint or a Clearwire, the airwaves could elude them. I simply do not believe that the cable companies are willing to comply with Apple."
Netflix, however, could be just the game-changer Apple needs.