Filed under: iPod Family
Microsoft to release iPod killers
Microsoft's Head of Digital Media, Erik Huggers, announced yesterday his company's intention to directly compete with the iPod. "Come this fall there is going to be a number of devices that get close to competing with Apple's iPod...there is going to be a whole lineup of products that can compete with Apple in industrial design, usability, functionality and features."Of course, this won't be easy for Microsoft. Apple has one distinct advantage in this particular race: They produce both the hardware and the software. More after the jump.
[Via Spymac]
While the iPod and iTunes Music Store work together seamlessly, Microsoft has had a difficult time showing customers which Windows-friendly media devices work with which applications. A campaign called "PlaysForSure," which puts logos on compatible devices (and reminds me of Garanimals), was recently put in place to combat the confusion. However, the success of the campaign has been limited. Michael Gartenberg, an analyst at Jupiter Research in New York, writes, "We tend to call it 'PlaysForAlmostSure.' Meanwhile Apple's iPod and iTunes are dancing together like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers."
Whenever I read an article about the next iPod killer looming on the horizon, my initial reaction always is, "Bring it on!" Not because I think that the iPod will always come out on top, but because it means better products all around. When two business giants are directly competing for the same dollar bills in your wallet, that means we all get newer, better and cheaper products. I, for one, am looking forward to this year's holiday shopping season.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Alex said 4:38PM on 8-11-2005
haha... listening to some music, all of a sudden you see the BSOD on your mp3 player... i can see it now.
oh well, I think if the dell jukebox can't put a kink in apples ipod, I doubt ms will.
unless MS takes a loss and sell a 20GB color mp3 which supports iTMS files/ and wmp files, color screen, for like $150... I can see it happening.
or am i getting this wrong, is MS supplying the software and hardware, or just software?
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Ken Zon said 4:43PM on 8-11-2005
What the hell kind of comment (grammar aside) is "Come this fall there is going to be a number of devices that get close to competing with Apple's iPod."?
"get close to competing with ..." is not exactly the kind of expectation you'd think MSFT would want to set. I wonder if this guy got clearance for that comment.
In other news, Microsoft says that XBox 360 will damn near almost be as good as the PS3 and that Vista may eventually be close to matching Tiger.
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Brian said 4:48PM on 8-11-2005
This is announced the same day that all the rumor sites are announcing that the iPod interface can most likely be copied.
Conincidence?
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Alex said 4:52PM on 8-11-2005
MS is in trouble IMO
Tiger > xp (probably vista too)
PS3 > x360 (although i'm an xbox fan myself)
iPod > ms device (acording to ms's stament)
END OF MS?
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narco said 4:54PM on 8-11-2005
If these competing companies were smart, they'd all team up with Microsoft and make a "standard" jukebox/music store similar to iTunes. Right now it's so scattered, no wonder people go for the iTunes/iPod combination.
Fishes,
narco.
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Sean said 5:02PM on 8-11-2005
The hardware companies are supposedly Creative Labs, Phillips, and Samsung. Of course, they also have to have a buying service as integrated as iTMS and an interface as simple and elegant as the iPod. Not to mention Microsoft ( in my memory ) has never ever never come up with something to is "cool". Apple has their finger on the pulse of Hip, while Microsoft is busy trying to convince people that using their OS is not tantamount to unprotected anal sex.
Sean
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Prof B said 5:07PM on 8-11-2005
End of MS . . . we all wish. And how many times have we heard the 'iPod killer' tag used in the last 2 years . . . remember Sony's fabulous new players and music store, anyone? Uh-huh.
Any real competition does help us all . . . pushed Apple to come with something newer, better (or make the current line-up chearper, or both). They're about overdue for something new and cool, anyway.
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Wheels said 6:08PM on 8-11-2005
M$ is on the ropes for sure. "Get close to competing..." that's a weird turn of phrase, and it's a stunning inference that's saying that whatever we at M$come out with, it's going to suck when compared to the iPod. Whatever these devices are, they're already DOA in M$'s mind.
Add this to M$'s previous statement that they think that Vista, whenever it's released, won't pull down major sales numbers and, IMO, you're starting to see a company that's starting to lose it's way. I mean, when I hear "gets close to competing," or "won't pull major sales," my stock answer is "why bother then?"
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ChillyWilly said 6:17PM on 8-11-2005
"Come this fall there is going to be a number of devices that get close to competing with Apple's iPod.."
Does this mean it will come close to working with a Mac??? Nahhh!!!
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eric said 6:25PM on 8-11-2005
Suprisingly, Erik is actually being realistic. Everyone knows that it would be impossible to release an mp3 player, even if it was the best mp3, and take over the iPod. The iPod is a cultural phenomenon, and you cant just "kill" those. Im actually admire him for not being stupid and saying they are going to release the ultimate ipod "killer" but realistically saying that they can actually compete with the ipod. When companies say they will "kill" it, then consumers know theyre product is going to be a piece.
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Wheels said 6:39PM on 8-11-2005
Actually, now that I've thought about it, I know the reason behind the peculiar grammar. It's obvious; M$ promoted the guy who programmed the grammar check in M$ Word to be the head of PR!
It all makes sense now!
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Rajiv Perera said 8:42PM on 8-11-2005
One gets the feeling MS is constantly catching up? add to the list of products/services MS is coping -- google search, google maps, bloging software.
Anything new and original MS has done lately?
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DArren Cornwell said 4:02AM on 8-12-2005
The biggest problem anyone faces when competing with iPod / Apple is that Apple has the very real and distinct advantage of producing both the software and hardware. So what will MS do? Outsource for the hardware and create a dilapidated interface (remember, MS Interface guidelines don't even come close to Apple) that will run on the hardware obtained from the cheapest producer. Will they have enough time to invest in 'quality' design?
The biggest hurdle to overcome is the iPod is so much more than an MP3 player. It's a status symbol, a piece of fashion, it plays music, podcasts, it has complete ease of use (even my grandmother could use it!) and unlike MS products it works with both the PC and the mac.
Trust Apple to try and not alienate customers who wanted to purchase a piece of 'chique' but not have to buy an Apple Desktop / Laptop.
I look forward to seeing the competition.
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AnDy said 6:32AM on 8-12-2005
But Darren that's why Apple made it compatible with PC so that it can sway consumers to the Mac platform - I should know I did just that and bought a PowerBook G4.
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DArren Cornwell said 7:59AM on 8-12-2005
Sorry.... perhaps I didn't explain myself properly. Thats what I meant, they didn't alienate any of their 'potential' customers with a mac only version - the obvious plus being that a small percentage of those PC users purchasing an iPod may also go out and buy a new desktop / laptop.
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Rick Ludwig said 9:59PM on 8-12-2005
Um, if you check the story again you'll find that when he talks about an "iPod Killer" they don't mean they're going to try and compete with the iPod, he means Micosoft intends to release a virius that will, quite literally, 'kill your iPod.'
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kappocino said 7:42AM on 8-13-2005
Lol .. that sounded like good news for ALL virus-writer!! Another platform for viruses to infect ..
.. Maybe Symantec, Mcafee and rest can start gearing up for the new Soft-pods (or watever it might be called)
.. Anyway I'll still choose a CreativeLabs Zen for patriotism sake ..
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Harold Li said 10:08AM on 8-14-2005
This post notes that Apple has an advantage because "they produce both the hardware and the software." Unless Microsoft is talking about Portable Media Centers, most "PlaysForSure" compatible MP3 players have both hardware and software produced by the same company don't they?
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christopher cedre said 8:57AM on 8-21-2005
The ipod can be beaten but the solution is not a new player but a new media player. The software is what makes the ipod so cool. Apple itunes application makes Microsoft windows media player look like a chicken that is not able to laid eggs. The ipod is ugly but its popularity has to do with the itunes application because is easy to use. Windows media player on the other hand is time consuming after downloading the files need to be reincoded and if you not familiar with pc good luck! Windows media player navigational structure is confusing for example the store media content is not located in one main page like in the itunes. Nevertheles, Microsoft have a chance to bring the ipod down by building a new media player with a vision that is clear and rich. i know Bill Good creative technical people are hard to find but with your money come on Man!
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Callum said 3:24PM on 8-22-2005
Hmm, where's the saturation point with MP3 players - it can't be long now. I wonder if these will work with OS X. iPod works with Windows.
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