MySpace toying with portable media player

MySpace is considering the possibility of producing its own portable media device to match its Music service, the social network's co-founder Chris DeWolfe has noted at the Web 2.0 conference. While non-committal, DeWolfe says hardware from MySpace is "possible" and that the company's focus "right now" is on its just-launched commercial music format, which is available either as a free, ad-subsidized stream through the web or through paid MP3 downloads.

The mention by itself is nonetheless surprising for MySpace, which as a social network isn't dependent on its music service for revenue and is ultimately relying on Amazon MP3 for its actual music sales. The executive notes that MySpace's current situation would actually help device makers such as Apple by encouraging sales of iPods and other portable media players to take songs away from computers.

"Unless we develop a device," DeWolfe is quick to note.

Apple's focus is seen as very different than for MySpace. The iPod maker's incentive to run the iTunes Store primarily centers around selling devices, while MySpace at present is interested in spurring community involvement that keeps users on its website for longer and increases the number of page views for ads.

Filed under: iPod, industry, Apple
Other story tags: Amazon, MySpace