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Sony plans iPod competitor, denies Apple buyout
updated 09:05 am EST, Thu February 17, 2005
Sony iPod competitor
Sony said it would release a product by the end of the year to , 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.
Huh?
02/17, 09:30am reply
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?
njfuzzy
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Apr 2001
mhm
02/17, 09:31am reply
Sony needs to just realize that throwing out products which rely on formats like ATRAC are never going to fly...
sunrunnerfire
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2002
like what?
02/17, 09:39am reply
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.
gunnar
Dedicated MacNNer
Joined: Feb 1999
Develop software?
02/17, 10:02am reply
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.
kernelg
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
I know what it is
02/17, 10:41am reply
I know what it is they are planing.
An Aibo that sings. :0)
mouseketter
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Joined: Sep 2004
Sleeping under a rock.
02/17, 10:45am reply
it "has become too expensive because of the success of iPod."
So Sony did have a plan to buy Apple?
Truepop
Mac Elite
Joined: Mar 2003
Buyout?
02/17, 10:49am reply
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....
bmyers2
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Oct 1999
Software Gap
02/17, 10:59am reply
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.
njfuzzy
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Apr 2001
re: Develop Software
02/17, 11:51am reply
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.
dashiel
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Joined: Sep 2001
hmm
02/17, 12:30pm reply
Apple to buy Sony?
burger
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2000