Scoble posts his ideas on how Microsoft should try and get into the portable music market. I know they have those Media player things out there, but everyone knows they are not about to topple the IPOD.
Here is my question. Why should Microsoft enter this industry? Apple is making a little money from the IPOD, but I can’t imagine that Microsoft is worried the IPOD is going to challenge their main money makers. (OS, Office)
So why in the world should Microsoft enter this market? Here are some possible answers and why I think they are invalid:
1) Microsoft should do this because they need to create new profit centers. I think there are other areas where Microsoft could do better, focus
2) Apple is doing so well. So what? Leave Apple alone for awhile, I own an IPOD and it does not make me want to get a Mac. Apple is making money because they manufacture the product and provide the services, this is something Microsoft does not want to do. (OEMs can’t do it like you can)
3) The future is in music players! Actually the future is in Cell Phones and combined devices. Everyone knows this.
I think Microsoft should forget about the music players and focus on their slightly ailing smartphone product. Make the smartphone kick ass, build cool music technology into it, and before you know it no one will be talking about IPODs and instead talking about the streaming library they can access from their phone.
Just my opinion, but then again I seem to want Microsoft to innovate whereas everyone else wants them to follow the leader.
-James
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"…and focus on their slightly ailing smartphone product…" and that Tablet PC thing, too
In the future the money will be made at the application level, especially due to the commoditization of the operating system that the growth of Linux is helping bring about. So killer apps are moving to the consumer non-work space. Things like blogging software, instant messaging, text messaging via cell phone (and other things in Spring PCS), XBox and PS2 networks, etc.
I think there is also value to be made in business apps like Sharepoint and Biztalk (communication again, seems to be a theme here).
Windows and Office are cash cows that Microsoft should be milking to fund their application development efforts. That’s why the "Mini-Microsoft" blog is so amusing. The blog author’s attitude is what will *cause* Microsoft to fail, not it’s focus on new and growing areas of the business, aka black hole projects.
Hi
Interesting – what is suitable to blog about on a corporate?
I saw Roberts post this morning – I didn’t give it any thoughts besides that Robert is ranting – again – about what should be developed at MS and what in fact is already been done elsewhere.
Now Fredrik came across a post from one of Scobles Colleagues and it raises in fact some fundamental questions – Fredrik has them already so I won’t repeat them here.
I think that one of Roberts main questions to him self must be – which I’m sure he already answered himself, I hope so – what he in fact wanted to achieve with his post. He is synonymous with transparency and gives MSN a face, a voice, but how far will management go if it causes internal revolt?
If……
Best Regards
Hans Henrik
Hans: if my one blog post causes internal revolt then there’s far more to worry about than I think there is.
Hint: I’m sitting inside Microsoft right now and I don’t see anyone revolting.
Scoble: touché
I wish they would concentrate on battery/energy cell research. All these "portable" devices are great until the battery dies. Start combining them into single devices and they are all crippled by that one little battery…
We know the MicroSoft Co. is a software corp. But it sets foot in hardware market, exam XBOX. So maybe it is right ideal.
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