AfterDawn: News

Sony to challenge the iPod

Japanese electronics giant Sony has said that it will release a new portable digital audio player later this year that it is confident can dethrone the iPod. Sony is responsible for the Walkman, a device which changed the way the world listened to music. "We are confident of being able to offer by the end of the year a product that is much more competitive than the iPod," Sony president Kunitake Ando said. He said the success of the iPod was simply due to the fact that Apple made it easy to use.

"We have to develop software that makes use of our products more intuitive and simple," he told reporters. Apple's iPod device can store thousands of songs and recently versions of it have added support for photo storage also. The iPod is becoming increasingly popular, and also driving more customers to Apple's iTunes music store where they can purchase digital tracks that can be stored on an iPod.



Rumours were circulating that Sony were to buy Apple, but Ando dismissed these rumours saying it has become too expensive due to the success of the iPod. "We have put in place a very aggressive plan to become number one again in portable music", said Nobuyuki Idei, Sony chairman and chief executive officer.

Source:
Yahoo

Written by: James Delahunty @ 18 Feb 2005 6:06

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• 7 comments

• daemonzx6

  I think Sony should go for it. If they could make a player that supported more than the obvious formats (mp3, wma, wav, [proprietary format]), then I would definitely buy one. I would love to see a player that can play those formats, and then ogg, flac, and maybe a few other lossless formats like ape, as wav is annoying without tag capability.

  18.2.2005 09:25 #1

• diabolos

  That was Sonys main problem before. The made people use thier Atrac format, and didn't even support Mp3 (at first)! I would be very surpised if they supported WMA or AAC.

  18.2.2005 09:39 #2

• Pop_Smith

  I really don't think that Sony will make an "IPod Killer"
  lots of companies have tried and "failed". Sony won't be any different, partially because of there (in)famous Atrac Player from last year.

  18.2.2005 11:53 #3

• ag22

  Sony's format is much better than WMAP, and similar to ACC (can only be played on 1 device, and is somewhat propietary). If Sony allows the player to have MP3, WMAP, WMA, and a sub $300 price (best selling iPods are 20GB, 4 GB, and 1GB models, all under $300) they will surely dethrone the iPod. Then again he may just be referring to the PSP. The thing is a portable movie player, music player, and PS2 (at $250). I dont think a mini PSP is out of reach.

  18.2.2005 13:33 #4

• BC2002#1

  I have a few minidisc units from Sony, JVC and Onkyo. Sony portable models I have have been wonderful with no problems. ATRAC format is different from other formats; but, it has proven its ability. I know alot of iPod owners, they try to get me convert to MP3 side. I am still old school and will use minidisc format. I prefer not to put all music in one location, battery run time and able to change music type. Battery type on the minidisc MZ-NH600D and MZ-N505 is superior on 1 "AA battery" and no internal battery.

  19.2.2005 15:31 #5

• elklown

  I've had a number of mp3 players (though not an IPOD) and minidisc players over the years and I have to say there are serious advantages to the minidiscs. Especially, with Sony's new HD discs, where you can fit huge collections on a single disc (for instance everything Led Zepplin has ever done). Combine that with Sony's long battery life, great audio formats, equalizers, radios, everything in a smaller package than the IPOD - the result, sony has a chance!

  20.2.2005 07:43 #6

• daemonzx6

  compared to most anything, the iPod sucks...

  20.2.2005 21:53 #7