01/09/2008, 9:15am, EST
Wednesday, January 9thMS: no iPhone rival in works
Microsoft will not be producing an in-house attempt at replicating the iPhone, soon to be retired company CEO Bill Gates has told Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (registration required for full article). The executive explained that it was more important for his firm to stress its partnerships with companies such as Motorola and Samsung than to try and replicate Apple's efforts, which depend on both the phone and software being made by the same company.
"No, we will not do that," Gates says in the translated interview. "In the supposed smartphone business we will concentrate solely on software with Windows Mobile."
The statements come despite Microsoft's past history with portable media players. It had initially pledged only to provide software support for products that would support the Windows Media format and created the PlaysForSure program to guarantee compatibility with protected songs between multiple devices. However, the Redmond-based company's release of the Zune in November 2006 broke with this strategy as both the player and the support for its proprietary music store format were solely under Microsoft's control, breaking compatibility with other devices and services.
In separate news, Microsoft late yesterday also acknowledged that it may develop a Blu-ray add-on for the Xbox 360 to accommodate a shift in demand. Although it continues to support HD DVD, the console maker agrees that Warner's new preference for Blu-ray may pressure the creation of a Blu-ray disc reader to complement or replace the HD DVD attachment.
"It should be consumer choice," says Xbox group marketing manager Albert Penello, "And if that's the way they vote, that's something we'll have to consider."
Penello also noted that the shift by Warner is a definite "setback" but that the battle between Blu-ray and HD DVD had shifted momentum multiple times. The Xbox 360 is less likely to be swayed by these conflicts as it does not depend on an HD movie disc format for its success, he says. By contrast, Sony's PlayStation 3 is dependent on Blu-ray but may not rely on its ability to play its native movie format even if it proves successful.
"With the PlayStation 2, DVD was a big part in the beginning, but over time, people were not buying it as a DVD player after first year or two," he adds.
Filed under: iPhone, gadgets
Other story tags: Microsoft, Windows Mobile, blu-ray, Xbox 360, Zune, HD DVD
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"And if that's the way they vote, that's something we'll have to consider."
If the consumer wants Blu-ray than they will HAVE to do it, not just consider it, or they won't sell as many.
Play for sure = MS's own DRM format which is not even supported by MS anymore.
Zzzzune = Poor knockoff of iPod, not very well perceived.
HD DVD = Poor choice of format, even after bribing movie studios to use HD DVD with tons of money, the studios choose not to use it.
XbOX = Over 5 billion dollar loss. If they are trying to break even, they will have to charge alot more, resulting in zero market share.
Windows Mobile = in market for quite a few years and never had a following, buggy and way behind the iPhone version 1.
People have smarten up, thus all attempts of MS at weaseling into other field by tying products to windows have been unsuccessful.
So instead of losing more money in a field they are so behind (note Windows Mobile), they will "improve" WGA, so to make legit users of windows suffer due to auto updates that force exists user's unsaved documents.
I guess they thought the Windows desktop/IE browser business model would work everywhere. Somewhere along the line they forgot that turning out a better product combined with smart marketing is what gets you market share in the long run.
Well, you can also argue OS X Leopard has features that existed in Windows since 1998. Move on, will you.
Play for sure = MS's own DRM format which is not even supported by MS anymore.
Microsoft still supports Play for Sure DRM. It's just not used on the Zune, but still playable on Windows and licensed to other parties.
HD DVD = Poor choice of format, even after bribing movie studios to use HD DVD with tons of money, the studios choose not to use it.
Please explain how HD DVD is a 'poor choice of format' over blue ray. Or is it just that MS picked it makes it, by defaul, a poor choice.
Windows Mobile = in market for quite a few years and never had a following, buggy and way behind the iPhone version 1.
Right, because the iPhone v1 has so much more in terms of features and capabilities...
People have smarten up, thus all attempts of MS at weaseling into other field by tying products to windows have been unsuccessful.
Yet states and countries keep trying to push for continued sanctions and restrictions on MS. If people have smartened up, let MS play with the rest of the boys again.
Translation - I read articles with quotes by Microsoft executives that there would be no iPod competition from Microsoft - but I guess since Satan- I mean Bill Gates didn't actually say it - then it wasn't true and his higher up minions wer lying idiots_ Then they relessed the Brown Zune_
Microsoft may or may not end up producing an iPhone rival - who the hell knows - but I wouldn't count it out anytime soon_ They may say that now - then 2 or 4 years from now when no one remembers the rumors - BAM! Zune Phone_ Ultra-Brown Mr. Hanky Edition_
How bout the fact that the list of supporting studios for blu-ray is 6 deep (Warner Bros., Disney, Fox, Lionsgate, MGM, Sony) and HD-DVDs is merely 2 (Paramout & Universal, they will eventually see the light). Oh and how about the fact that blu-ray holds 50gb of data vs HD DVDs 30gb. Also noted, is the fact that most major movie rental stores (blockbuster for example) have a much larger collection of blu-ray and an almost non existent HD DVD collection. We all know that people rent more than they buy.
Hopefully one day testudo you will realize that we, the faithful fan boys of the mac community, do not care about your child pornography habits. It is of no concern to us that you are angry because you enjoy dipping your abnormally small genitalia into canned goods (and then trying to...ok). The fact that you have an inflatable sheep, with easy access rear entry (that you have aptly names Mr. Gates), with so many duck tape patch holes from you late night macnn enraged ravagings, really doesn't bother us.
We still love you all the same. Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts for all of your playful banter. We look forward to much much more in the very near future. Life just wouldn't be the same with you dear friend.
Before we move on, let's hear from you about these features, specifically these features that existed in Windows that did NOT exist before, something new to Windows. Then we'll move on. Ok bucky?
"Microsoft still supports Play for Sure DRM. It's just not used on the Zune, but still playable on Windows and licensed to other parties."
Yes, it is supported, but the original posters intent is clear - how long will it be supported? MS wants these people to fail and Zune to thrive.
"Please explain how HD DVD is a 'poor choice of format' over blue ray. Or is it just that MS picked it makes it, by defaul, a poor choice."
Better yet, you explain how it is.
"Right, because the iPhone v1 has so much more in terms of features and capabilities..."
Right, and you're saying Windows Mobile 1 was better than iPhone 1?
"Yet states and countries keep trying to push for continued sanctions and restrictions on MS. If people have smartened up, let MS play with the rest of the boys again."
What? People, states, governments wise up - this trying everything to Windows to lock out the competition isnt' going to fly anymore. Any you thing that's enough of a reason to let them loose? "Hey, MS, we see you! We're onto you! So not that you know that we know you wont' be doing it again ok? Excellent. About your business now." Uh, yeah, that's MS mo ok, "oops, our bad, we won't do that again".
Microsoft can be credited for innovation just as Apple can. And Apple are no saints. As one prime example, remember konfabulator/Dashboard? How godly was their absolutely blatent stealing of that innovation? No credit, no compensation. Nothing.
I salute testudo for bringing a little objectivity to these sites. Yes, they're Mac-heavy by nature, but that doesn't mean you have to praise every step Apple makes. That would just make you thoughtless sheep.