Saturday, January 28, 2006
Microsoft To Enter Portable Gaming Market?
Posted by Kent Pribbernow in "NEWS" @ 09:00 AM
"The software giant is mulling its own digital device that adds gaming to music and video, in an effort to compete with Apple's iPod empire. After getting trounced for four years in the digital music business by Apple Computer (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT) finally seems poised to do something about it. BusinessWeek has learned that the software giant is working on plans to develop its own portable digital media device to rival the iPod, rather than just providing technology to partners. Microsoft hasn't decided if it will go ahead. But sources inside the company and at its partners say Microsoft has put together a team that's considering the business end of such an initiative."
With the widespread popularity of the iPod and Sony PSP, Microsoft has finally awoken to this rapidly growing new market. But will its efforts be too little, too late? iPod already commands a dominating share of the mobile media market. Sony and Nintendo own the handheld gaming space. Conceivably, an all-in-one device would have to fight against both segments at once. Can that formula work, or is Microsoft barking up the wrong tree?
What really irks me is that essentially this device already exists, and has for several years. It's called Pocket PC. Had Microsoft marketed these handhelds aggressively and worked to convey multitude of tasks these devices can perform in the minds of consumers, Windows Mobile handhelds could have become the iPod and PSP of its time.
With the widespread popularity of the iPod and Sony PSP, Microsoft has finally awoken to this rapidly growing new market. But will its efforts be too little, too late? iPod already commands a dominating share of the mobile media market. Sony and Nintendo own the handheld gaming space. Conceivably, an all-in-one device would have to fight against both segments at once. Can that formula work, or is Microsoft barking up the wrong tree?
What really irks me is that essentially this device already exists, and has for several years. It's called Pocket PC. Had Microsoft marketed these handhelds aggressively and worked to convey multitude of tasks these devices can perform in the minds of consumers, Windows Mobile handhelds could have become the iPod and PSP of its time.
