Microsoft is planning to launch a media player to rival the iPod in time for Christmas, according to entertainment industry executives who say they've been briefed by Microsoft.

The main feature being touted by the computer giant is wireless connectivity, which the iPod currently doesn't have.

It won't be the first music player with Wi-Fi, as the MusicGremlin beat Microsoft to it earlier this year.

Microsoft is also planning a new media software similar to iTunes, so that the player and software will be integrated.

Protypes are reportedly going out to the recording industry in the next few weeks.

"They're proposing an iTunes model approach", said one source to Reuters. "They're now interested in controlling the whole vertical stack of technology from the device to the service to the software."

According to another source, J Allard, the vice president of the Xbox team who worked on the console from inception to launch is involved with the new media player. Microsoft must be hoping that his success with the Xbox will be mirrored by the new device.

Microsoft faces a stern test of its marketing skills, as analysts from research company NPD report that Apple's iPod holds half the media player market, while iTunes is responsible for 70% of music sales in the US.

The yet-unnamed player marks a new strategy for Microsoft in the digital music world, as it has so far been content to let other manufacturers, like Samsung, develop devices that run on Microsoft software.



.................................................. ...........................

Hm, why do I serioulsy doubt that they will succed in this? I can't think of a design that beats the Ipod's and with the amount of people downloading music with Itunes it should be even harder. Not to mention it's reputation and the amount of fans it already has.

I can't see myself buying anything else than Ipod. I would like to see a pic of this Ipod "killer" though before I completely make up my mind.

I doubt it'd be a "killer", but it will sell like every other MP3 players out there. I want to see a pic of it too. And who needs a wireless connectivity in an MP3 player?

Yet another "killer".

Well if anybody could make a "killer" then that would be MS (they have the rsources)... but so far they have been denying this story.

Oh and BTW, you guys know that MS has the patent for the rotational interface like the one iPod uses... when Apple filled for a patent of the iPod interface, it was rejected on grounds that MS had already placed a similar patent 6 months earlier. MS hasn't requested any royalties yet, but could probably do so. This is why future iPods will most likely drop the rotational interface, and this is also why rumours of a iPod killer from MS are circulating.

Windows is already on something like 95 % of all the world's PCs, IE has 90 % of the internet browser market, Windows Vista will present M$'s attempt to get a big piece of the firewall and anti-virus market, Xbox is gaining a bigger share of the billions on the game console market, MSN Search is trying to threaten Google, some rumours tell that Microsoft is going in to the movie business and now this. M$ seems to be too greedy to leave any big business market alone. Monopoly is never good for the consumer so at least I'm trying to avoid using or buying Microsoft products as much as I can.

I used to feel that way too... but not anymore. Now I just buy whatever I feel it's the best (that goes for anything if I can afford it), and if it happens to be from MS, what the hell. I mean I bought an iPod and I despise Apple, but damn, they are the best for MP3 players.

I think what they mean is that Apple has 70% of the digital music sales market.

Zune first Look

We'll see how much of an iPod killer these are when Apple releases the new flatpannel iPods in january



- ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

- ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Looks sweet and promosing so far

Still waiting for tests though.

Yeah, doesn't look so bad. It'll be the 'whole of experience' that counts for people though. That includes the cool factor.

I'm sorta with Siko - I despise Apple, and I hate to go with the mainstream (iPod is such a default choice). Still, if there's nothing better (and if I was even buying a mp3 player) then it might have to be it. I use Windows and Office and have no problem with Microsoft (maybe since it's somewhat anti-mainstream to like MS, in some tech circles..).