Samsung plans players

Samsung Electronics, in an attempt to lure more sales away from Apple's iPod, will introduce this year and plans to introduce 5-7 flash-based models along with two hard-disk based devices in 2006. In the first six months of 2005, Samsung introduced six new models to its range of Yepp players in the first six months of this year, hoping to triple its annual sales to more than five million units. Currently Samsung's target is still one-sixth of the expected 2005 sales of Apple's iPod player.

Samsung, Sony, Creative Technology, Microsoft, Dell and Gateway are all looking to dip into the lucrative profits of the MP3 market, which is growing more than 20 percent per year, according to the report. Upcoming music players from Samsung will have high-capacity storage to hold more music and film, and allow users to play games or take digital photographs while listening to music, according to the report from Reuters.

by MacNN Staff