Text Size

Samsung turns to iPod designer for Z5

updated 10:00 am EST, Mon February 27, 2006

Samsung to launch Z5

Samsung's forthcoming Z5 portable MP3 player was designed by one of the original iPod software designers. Looking to develop a player and software to rival Apple's iPod, consumer electronics giant Samsung turned to a little-known Silicon Valley software start-up, according to The New York Times: "The result of that partnership is Samsung's newest Z5 portable MP3 player, which will appear on store shelves March 5. The software inside the player was forged at Iventor Inc. by a small team of programmers led by Paul Mercer, 38, a veteran Apple Macintosh software designer. Samsung's decision to hire Mr. Mercer is significant because Apple, in designing the original iPod four years ago, turned to Pixo Inc., the company Mr. Mercer founded after he left Apple in 1994 to create software for hand-held devices." The Pixo software was used as the basis of the software for Apple's original iPod, according to the report. The new software reportedly features high-end transparency effects.

 
Previous Comments

Watch Out!

02/27, 11:18am reply

"The new software reportedly features high-end transparency effects."

Watch Out, iPod, here come high-end transparency effects... looks like you're doomed.

ZinkDifferent

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2005

0

misleading title

02/27, 12:31pm reply

Mr. Mercer did NOT design the original iPod. His company designed and created the OS and libraries that Apple adopted when Apple created the iPod. And the "design" of the iPod was done at Apple by Mr. J. Ives and his design crew and the SW crew at Apple.

chadpengar

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Oct 2001

0

Actually...

03/01, 05:07pm reply

the high-end transparency thing is a big deal. Apple's strength has always been it's ability to provide a beautiful, easy-to-use UI... and this has been a big part of the iPod's success. If Samsung can execute both of these aspects it will be a significant win on the non-iPod side of the MP3 player market, mind you there's still an uphill battle for marketshare... but I'm sure Microsoft is more than willing to kick in marketing dollars to help anything that challenges the iPod along.

Basically this is really just a reality check that should remind Apple that it needs to keep innovating the UI for the iPod as well, not just the hardware.

lockhartt

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Apr 2000

0

Popular News