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.
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
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
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