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Apple's iPod could take cues from Inno

updated 12:55 am EDT, Thu April 27, 2006

Inno takes on iPod?

While Apple enjoys a dominant position in the MP3 player market, garnering nearly 80 percent markeshare, it may face competition from new hybrid devices. the new Inno, which combines digital music playback along with satellite radio in a hand-held form factor, is a new next-generation portable player from XM Satellite Radio along with Pioneer and future iPod chip supplier Samsung (who also manufactures players that compete with the iPod).

The portable player offers only 1GB of capacity, but includes dozens of nifty features--according to The USA Today--including satellite radio recording (automatically broken into individual tracks), notification of favorite artists/songs playing on other XM channels, display of stock quotes/sports scores, song bookmarking for later purchase on iTunes rival Napster (but compatible with a variety of WMA-enabled services such as Rhapsody, Yahoo!, etc.), a built-in FM transmitter to broadcast to a nearby radio, and more. The Inno review concludes: "I'm not ready to swap an iPod for an Inno. But Inno is a winner. Here's hoping Apple takes a hint."

iriver America takes on Apple, iPod

Separately, at least one other digital music player manufacturer hopes to offer a better experience than the iPod. iriver America has set its sights on Apple, although many other competitors--including Olympus and Rio--have bowed out of the market due to increased competition and the dominance of the iPod.

Iriver, which declined to release details, only said that the "top-of-the line digital music player" will be designed to go head-to-head with Apple's iPod.

"We want to offer a better experience than the iPod," said Jonathan Sasse, president and chief executive officer of iriver America tol The Columbian. "Apple has a very vertical music service. You have to use your iPod with iTunes," Apple's proprietary music service.

The company said it expects cross-promotion from media and music giant MTV as well as California celebrities to help promote the new player.

 
Previous Comments

XM... who cares.

04/27, 02:18pm reply

Now Sirius would be a different story.

LordJohnWhorfin

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2002

0

i care...

04/27, 02:24pm reply

because XM has a BIGGER music library than Sirius... has better programming... has MORE music channels.. need i continue? and NO im NOT a XM fanboy, i have Sirius AND XM

FastAMX79

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2000

0

No Howard.

04/27, 04:17pm reply

'nuff said.

LordJohnWhorfin

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2002

0

correct

04/28, 12:17pm reply

yep, "No Howard" is definitely ANOTHER benefit to XM

BDLatimer

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2005

0

Any day now!

04/28, 12:55pm reply

It seems that every other day we read about this or that company going "head to head with the iPod". Well, no s**t Sherlock! In the 2 years these stories have been running has anyone even come close? And, do you think Apple is merely sitting on its hands awaiting its downfall. Puleeeze!!

thinkman

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2005

0

Why would Apple do this..

05/01, 07:47am reply

Satellite radio technology is only available in North America. Why would Apple invest all that time and money in adding support for a technology that can only be used in one territory?

Fotek2001

Dedicated MacNNer

Joined: Mar 2001

0

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