Launching an attempt by Christmas to dethrone Apple's iPod, which currently has over half the MP3 player market in the U.S. (NPD research), is vital according to analysts. Microsoft will need to copy several aspects of Apple's approach to be successful. "The success of Apple is that they've been able to create a very seamless experience", said Mike McGuire, analyst at Gartner Research. "That ability to control the hardware and software has given them an edge."
Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's Entertainment & Devices division is reportedly working with J. Allard, VP of Microsoft's Xbox team on the unnamed digital media software/player project. The sources claim that Microsoft is preparing to throw significant marketing dollars behind the launch.
Source:
Reuters