Future of HP-iTunes bundle unclear
updated 03:40 pm EST, Tue December 20, 2005
HP to honor iTunes deal
Hewlett-Packard is considering , following the termination of its HP-branded iPod program, according to Macworld UK. While the company is expected to honor its obligation to install iTunes on new PCs through January 2006, insiders suggest the future of the Apple-HP relationship is unclear. HP's executive vice president Todd Bradley stressed his belief that opportunity remains in the digital music market, but gave little away: "It's going to boil down to who can create a solution that lets you get the music you want, when you want it, and where you want it," he said.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Apr 2004
Duh....
"It's going to boil down to who can create a solution that lets you get the music you want, when you want it, and where you want it." Why does HP think it has any clue how to do that? To make any new business model for music would require a major investment for a long period of time .. unlike the "new program every month" approach. HP needs to partner with Apple and work with Sirius and maybe work out a subscription service or something ... take a loss for one year by paying Apple ALOT to allow some hybrid device that works with iTMS and the others and bet that in 2 years you have the great assimilation device that can bridge the world. Anything else is just playing on the fringes and hoping for Apple to fail somehow.