RSS RSS Twitter Twitter
tech industry

02/17/2005, 9:05am, EST

Thursday, February 17th

Sony plans iPod competitor, denies Apple buyout

Sony said it would release a product by the end of the year to compete with the iPod, reports Business World. "We are confident of being able to offer by the end of the year a product that is much more competitive than the iPod," president Kunitake Ando said. Ando said Apple's success was in developing a product that is simple to use. "We have to develop software that makes use of our products more intuitive and simple," he told reporters. Ando also dismissed rumours the company will buy Apple, saying it "has become too expensive because of the success of iPod." Chairman and chief executive Nobuyuki Idei added: "We have put in place a very aggressive plan to become number one again" in portable music.


Filed under: industry

, , 10comments, del.icio.us, slashdot, digg, buzz , Twitter



10 comments
Reader Reactions (Please use <i></i> for italic text)

subscribe to comments
for this article




Expand All   Global Settings
Huh?
0
02/17, 9:30am, EST
Sony has tried a number of times to release products to compete with the iPod, and each and every time this has flopped. What is special about what they have planned this time?
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined Apr 2001
User is offline
02/17, 9:31am, EST
Sony needs to just realize that throwing out products which rely on formats like ATRAC are never going to fly...
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined Aug 2002
User is offline
like what?
0
02/17, 9:39am, EST
What are they going to do, make something exactly the same as the iPod and charge $50 for it? The iPod is perfect already, the only thing that could be done is a significant price drop and then who knows if they'd make any money. I guess that's not Sony's priority of late.
Dedicated MacNNer
Joined Feb 1999
User is offline
Develop software?
0
02/17, 10:02am, EST
Yes, Sony has the great history with the Walkman, and I love my Sony televisions, but when has Sony ever been able to develop software? They can't even code a web site that works properly. This should be entertaining.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined Aug 2001
User is offline
I know what it is
0
02/17, 10:41am, EST
I know what it is they are planing.
An Aibo that sings. :0)
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined Sep 2004
User is offline
Sleeping under a rock.
0
02/17, 10:45am, EST
it "has become too expensive because of the success of iPod."

So Sony did have a plan to buy Apple?
Mac Elite
Joined Mar 2003
User is offline
Buyout?
0
02/17, 10:49am, EST
Doesn't it concern anyone that the verbiage they used here suggest Sony would buy Apple? A merger is one thing, an acquisition is another. It would be a sad day if any company buys Apple.... As mentioned, Sony can't even compete very well. What makes anyone think they would know what to do with Apple? They'd likely take that mystery port of OS X for X86 and throw it on their Viao systems or something....
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined Oct 1999
User is offline
Software Gap
0
02/17, 10:59am, EST
The quote talks about Sony needing better software.

Here's a crazy way for Sony to partner with Apple, and solve all of their problems...

Sony should make an iPod. That is, a device compatible with iTunes as if it were an iPod, and bearing an iPod label. It can be their own device. Basically, going a bit further than HP did.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined Apr 2001
User is offline
re: Develop Software
0
02/17, 11:51am, EST
sony has not only been able to develop software, but they have made some absolutely stunning products. admittedly most of these are still in the lab, though we are starting to see (in japan only at this point :( ) several products that have grown out of those lab projects.

fwiw sony has a pretty decent imovie-esque editor that comes with their vaios. ironically enough codeveloped my macromedia.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined Sep 2001
User is offline
hmm
0
02/17, 12:30pm, EST
Apple to buy Sony?
Junior Member
Joined Sep 2000
User is offline
Your Comments

In order to post comments: If you are a registered member, please login with your MacNN Forums username and password otherwise please uncheck the checkbox below.


Registered Member?
macnn forums login:

macnn forums password:

Not a member of the MacNN forums? Register now for free.

RSS Feeds

Have the latest content delivered to your desktop via RSS. Use the links below to get access to a specific blog, news, or reviews feed.



  MacNN -all

  MacNN Reviews

  MacNN Podcasts

  iPodNN

  Electronista

  Left Lane News
Want To Sell Your Laptop? Any Condition - receive Top Cash. Get an instant quote. Free shipping www.CashForLaptops.com

Internet Marketing School - 100% Online: Master SEO, SEM, E Commerce, Media & More with a U of San Francisco Certificate.

Buy from The Apple Store, iTunes.com, Amazon.com, TechDepot, OfficeDepot, Computers4Sure, or donate.