Microsoft has confirmed that they are launching a music player under the Zune brand that will compete with Apple’s iPod. Already a lot of the hubbub on the internet is the usual anti-Microsoft rhetoric. But I don’t think people should be so quick to write of Microsoft’s chances of success so soon.
I would guess that in the first year, the primary victims of Microsoft’s direct entry into the market will be the companies currentle partnered with them under the Plays for Sure label. Some may see this as sad or a betrayal, but hey they’ve been working at it for years, and not a single one of them has made much of a dent in the iPod’s dominance of the digital player market which current stands at over 80%. So in Microsoft’s eyes, they’ve had their chance.
And, as I’m sure others have noted, for Microsoft it isn’t just about selling players or songs for 99 cents. It’s really about the future of the digital rights management (DRM) and media format they’ve championed on Windows. So far Apple has refused to license their DRM to 3rd parties, but if they did, there’s a chance that Microsoft’s current partners would abandon Windows media in favor of Apple. Without a player of their own, that would leave Microsoft in a bad position.
I think that if Microsoft can bring some real innovation to the game, it will be good for consumers all around. Open, direct competition between Apple and Microsoft should bring better players and software for all concerned as they fight for new customers. I’m not planning to abandon my iPod anytime soon. But I do look forward to the enhancements from Apple to the iPod and iTunes that a strong competitor is likely to inspire.