Does Microsoft have a chance to unseat Apple iPod

Arnie Williams -- Fri, 07/28/2006 - 15:07

Microsoft Zune, a platform of software and hardware, is supposedly in the works to take on Apple iPod. The goal, of course, will be to unseat the hands-down leader in the mobile music market.

Microsoft obviously has the R&D money to put behind a product, but what about the intangibles when it comes to something like the iPod. Maybe it hit the market at just the right time with the right kind of messaging behind it, and now it is so far out in front that it can't be unseated.

What do you think?

Seems to me iPod has so many things going for it, that it will be hard to compete with.

How soon will we see Zune (he wonders to himself). I think Microsoft plans to launch it before the end of the year. They'd better do it soon; time's a wastin'.

--Arnie Williams
Managing Editor, The Perfect Vision

BG -- Fri, 07/28/2006 - 15:54

Personally, I don't think anyone is unseating the iPod anytime in the forseeable future. Interface, price, saturation, delivery--it established everything and like Kleenex did for tissue, has become the proper name to portable-music players and downloading.

Also, I'm not certain it really matters. Microsoft has a comfortable enough handle on computers and software; who cares if they make portable players? Seems to me like Microsoft is following Sony's follow-the-leader strategy and I'd bet they have a similar result.

Bob Gendron
Music Editor, TAS and Playback

Arnie Williams -- Tue, 08/01/2006 - 13:58

I tend to agree. iPod has such a lead and cult following that it would be hard for anyone to catch them at this point.

Remember when WordPerfect and other word processing programs were trying to unseat Word.

Nice idea but lacking in execution.

--Arnie Williams, Managing Ed., TPV

Arnie Williams
Executive Editor, Playback
4544 S. Lamar G300
Austin, TX 78745
(512) 891-7780