Creative slashes prices, takes on Apple

Apple may be looking at full-on marketshare assualt from rival Creative. Creative is trying to increase sales of its MP3 players--and cut into Apple's overwhelming marketshare lead--by aggressively slashing prices across its product line, according to Macworld UK. The report says that Creative has cut prices significantly to take on Apple, whom it says is its main market competitor. The company has reduced prices on its 8GB Zen MicroPhoto to £150 (from £180), which Creative boasts "is £30 cheaper than the iPod nano." The company, which revealed an operating loss of up to $65 million in the March quarter, hopes that its more aggressive price points will help it gain marketshare. Creative also cut prices on its Creative Zen Nano Plus range of flash-based MP3 players: "Now the same price as Apple's 'random' flash offering", the company declared. These products now start at £34.99 (for the 256MB version).

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