Microsoft aims to steal Apple’s flame in mobile music biz

We may never know what took Microsoft so long, but it seems they have finally come to their senses and are looking into improving the music experience in Windows Mobile.

Andy Lees, Senior VP of Microsoft’s Mobile Business Communication division, says that “One thing that Apple has leveraged on is the music scenario, and I think that is something the operators and ourselves are partnering on, just to make sure that consumers can use live music in the best way.” Well, it’s about time, after all, but the question is, can Microsoft really do it?

WinMo

There’s no doubt that Microsoft is a very massive company, and that they have a lot of sheer power in their hands. But the fact remains, this move is more of like an afterthought. Something that someone from the inside might’ve thought up in the midst of thinking why they are being left behind by their competitors.

In any case, one can’t say it’s impossible for Microsoft to take over the mobile music business, especially if they really put their heads, and not to mention their billions of dollars worth of resources, to the task.

Still, Microsoft has got a long way to go. But if they can cook up something that would put Apple’s iTunes and the iTunes Wi-Fi music store to shame, as well as everything else out there, I don’t doubt that the only way to go for them would be up.

Via Information Week

Enjoyed the story? Get the news and updates as we publish them. For instant updates as we press the "Publish" button, click here to follow us on Twitter . To subscribe to RSS News Feed click here , for daily e-mail updates click here .

If you liked the post, you might find these interesting too:

Posted on 08 Jun 08 - Filed in Windows Mobile, Wireless - Comments - Written by David Gonzales

  • Thomas
    Why exactly would you want this?
  • RattyUK
    The thing is that the only way Microsoft can do this is to basically say to their partners "Come with us and you can all have a slice of the cake, you haven't done a deal with over the air downloads with Apple so don't and you handset manufacturers and you carriers can continue to charge like 3 bucks a pop for downloading music to your phone and we'll throw a spanner into the wheels of the iTunes monopoly for you"

    The issue really is that all they can do at the moment is posture. Microsoft supposedly OWNED the smart mobile phone market. They've been working on it for like 10 years now and were basically shafted by Apple when the iPhone came out.

    "Still, Microsoft has got a long way to go. But if they can cook up something that would put Apple’s iTunes and the iTunes Wi-Fi music store to shame, as well as everything else out there, I don’t doubt that the only way to go for them would be up."

    The problem is Microsoft have had plenty of time to do this and have failed at every attempt. Microsoft do not know what the public wants. The business side of things Microsoft ONLY survives on inertia and reliance that all those MS trained technicians will continue to suggest Microsoft because it keeps them in a job. Microsoft come up with a list of features and just keeps adding them until they have a product. Apple basically think about what someone needs to do with a product first and then designs it around what is actually needed.

    Apple's iTunes store uses money to buy products. Microsoft uses Microsoft point which leads to some insane currency conversion to calculate how much you are actually spending.

    Do you see the difference?

    Apple make things simple. Microsoft make things hard.
  • Melangell
    Again.... Micro$oft is playing catch-up...
  • jbelkin
    It's not 1995 - MS has ZERO power on the consumer side. They are a fine enterprise company like InfoSys or Siebel but on the consumer, they are done. After TWO YEARS, they have shipped 2 million Zunes - about the number of iPods Apple sells EVERY WEEK 52 WEEKS a year not to mention the 6 million iPHONES that are iPods with a phone. WIN Mobile? After 15 years in the biz, WIN Mobile was passed by Apple with 1 phone in 1 country in 6 MONTHS! MS has failed in EVERY consumer venture - after spending $4 BILLION in R&D & advertising for MSN/Live search, they have lost another 5% marketshare - now down to 9% - XBox? The division needs to sell 1-BILLION XBoxes to break even ($15 BILLION IN THE HOLE - losses of $2 a YEAR for 7 Straight years). Fact the facts, MS is dead as a consumer brand.
  • JamesKatt
    Microsoft would have to do a version of their software for Mac if they want to compete against iTunes. If they don't then Apple will always be one-up on Microsoft.

    The dominant player is the iPod. It works best with Apple's software. Unless Microsoft comes up with an ecosystem that is better than iPod-iTunes-iTunesMusicStore-Accessories, then they have little chance.

    Microsoft still has to sell more Zunes than iPods to take over the music business. Zunes are not going anywhere.

    Microsoft sure screwed the Plays4Sure dependent companies when it came out with the Zune.

    Since well-designed software and hardware systems are NOT a Microsoft expertise or strength, coming up with something better than iTunes and the iTunes music store is going to be extremely difficult for Microsoft. They have have all that money. But if they have NO expertise in the subject, they are doomed to fail. It is so predictable.
  • The iPod touch is fabulous for watching music videos.
blog comments powered by Disqus

« Nokia N78 released in IndiaRogers to launch iPhone on Monday in Canada »