ipod

01/23/2007, 8:00pm, EST

Tuesday, January 23rd

MS considered partnering with Apple on iPod

Microsoft was once contemplating a counter-strategy for the iPod years before releasing the Zune, according to evidence from an on-going anti-trust trial in Iowa. PC World reports that Microsoft was disappointed with the Windows-based players available in 2003, prompting internal discussion over their interaction with Windows Media Player. "I have to tell you my experience with our software and this device Creative's Nomad Jukebox Zen Xtra is really terrible," wrote Windows Vista chief Jim Allchin, sending an e-mail to Media Player executive Amir Majidmehr. "Apple is just so far ahead. How can we get the [player makers] to create something that is competitive with the iPod? I looked at the Dell system and that is not close either."

The Allchin and Majidmehr e-mails surface as just a few of the 3,186 exhibits made public last week in the Comes v. Microsoft trial. One of the key issues of the case is the company's alleged failure to properly disclose APIs to competitors, a term of a 2002 settlement reached in a dispute with the federal government. It was suggested that Microsoft APIs favoured Internet Explorer, thereby making it difficult for rival web browsers to compete.

Majidmehr replied by saying Microsoft was planning incentives, in the form of money, technical support and a direct interface. Failing that, the strategy would be either to build a unique Microsoft player, or to speak with Apple and "open up a dialog [sic] for support of the iPod" within Media Player. By late 2003, Apple had already released a Windows version of iTunes.

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jpellino

They still don't get it..

01/23, 9:13pm, EST

Go to microsoft.com (1) figure out what they're selling on that site and (2) see if you can find the link to Zune. Click on it. Try to buy one. Congrats - you get to schlep to OfficeMax and Staples.

Are they kidding? Are they trying to keep this stuff a secret?

Not to Allchin et. al. - if you want to be nearly as successful as the iPod, DO WHAT IPOD DOES. This will not necessarily guarantee success, but it's better than hiding your dream player under a rock.

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carmelportsc

community worker

01/23, 9:57pm, EST

hows i can u prove that theres money on this network.

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just a poster

It's Easy, Jim

01/24, 1:28am, EST

"How can we get the [player makers] to create something that is competitive with the iPod?"

Keep breaking antitrust law and Microsoft's products will win.

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coldfusion1970

Apple???

01/24, 4:39am, EST

Arent they forgetting one small detail? Apple dont partner with other companies when it comes to the iPod. Have they ever done a iPod deal with IBM, Dell or Gateway? The only partners Apple have needed so far are the content providers (ie. the music companies).

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Meovv

re:apple???

01/24, 7:45am, EST

well, Apple partners with other companies that are selling hte iPod, such as Best Buy, Target etc. But also with Dell who sold iPods for a while. And remember the HP-branded iPod that Apple made for them. I think it is possible that Apple could have supported windows media, at least the file format. Less convinced that they ever considered opening up the iPod for syncing with Windows Media Player like they did for Musicmatch early on.

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hokizpokis

the point here is...

01/24, 9:36am, EST

is that just because a large monopolistic computer and software company wants to control everything....that other players in the market can still compete against them....blah, blah, blah.....so since AAPL can or will refuse a partnership with MS in the iPod catagory....then the big MS monopoly is somehow less of a evil player....somehow its' still a strech for me to imagine that no other tech company can build a real mp3 player and intergrate it with a content pipeline backbone....a few e-mails between MS execs can't prove that MS is not a very large overweight monopolist.....regardless of what AAPL does, continue to watch as lawyer-types everywhere start a vicious campain to rid the world of the evil tech monsters who surely will be responsible in the future for the success or failure of mankind....stay tuned bros...but don't fear..... the house of law will continue to steal your wealth and eat your young....

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ERG

hokizpokis

01/24, 9:42am, EST

maybe you choose the wrong forum.. Go to greenpeas or the former USSR website, please!

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GORDYmac

After Zune's Failure...

01/24, 9:59am, EST

I think you can change the 'considered' in your headline to 'considering'.

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aristotles

This would only happen if

01/25, 2:35am, EST

MSFT would have to first agree to port and support their Media Player software to OS X.

In that possible situation, Apple might agree to open up the iPod to DRM'ed WMA.

But I still think that is unlikely since Apple has nothing really to gain since they already own the windows market with the iPod.

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