Of iPods and mPods
p2p news / p2pnet: That Microsoft may, or may not, be aiming to take a bite out of Apple’s iPod bidnes pre-supposes there are millions of punters out there, each one simply dying to spend literally hundreds of dollars on a new M-for-Monopoly mp3 player.
Speculation over the digital music plans of Microsoft and Apple Computer is “rampant” and if it’s to be believed, “the digital music landscape is about to change radically in the very near future,” states a Reuters/Billboard story.
Bill and the Boyz are aiming to cash in on the “holiday sales season” and, “That Microsoft may actually introduce an MP3 player at all has generated the largest amount of buzz. Such a development would mark a major shift in the company’s strategy,” says the story, continuing:
“To date, the Xbox game console is the only product Microsoft makes itself. Historically, the company’s model has been to license its technology to those creating the hardware and services, fostering an ecosystem of developers. But in the digital music market, neither the MP3 player manufacturers nor online music retailers using the company’s technology have proved capable of successfully competing with Apple’s iPod and iTunes Music Store. Introducing its own combined device and service essentially is a vote of no confidence in the very ecosystem the company has been trying to create.”
Microsoft’s success with Xbox proves it has the ability to, “develop hip [Is 'hip' still hip? - Ed] products” and that it has the willingness to back them up with extensive lifestyle marketing campaigns., says the Reuters/Billboard item.
Also See:
Reuters/Billboard – Player upgrades, new devices on music horizon, July 16, 2006
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July 17th, 2006 at 5:09 pm
There’s plenty of room in the market for a “Better iPod” that doesn’t pander to the music labels with yet another DRM scheme.
But you just know that Microsoft won’t be able to produce one.
July 17th, 2006 at 7:54 pm
hilarious pic =)
July 17th, 2006 at 8:14 pm
I get to choose Microsofts DRM instead of Apples DRM.
Sorry.
They both can go fuck themselves.