Rich Fiscus
4 Sep 2007 18:46
Details on the new iPod models Apple is expected to unveil this week are being kept secret, but analysts believe they'll be announcing a model with a large touchscreen.
There has been speculation that the announcements could also include iPods that can download music wirelessly, or even the availability of The Beatles catalog on iTunes.
As companies like NBC Universal put more effort and money into finding (or building) alternatives to the online music leader, it's more important than ever for the iPod to keep moving forward. Last quarter iPod sales accounted for nearly 30% of Apple's revenue. They currently make up 7 out of 10 digital media players fols in the United States.
"Competitors seem to always be chasing the last generation of Apple products. It makes it very difficult for competitors to make a dent against Apple in this space," said Michael Gartenberg, an analyst with market research firm Gartner.
New models are expected to reach store shelves in time for the holiday shopping season.
In recent months Apple's iTunes service has been under heavy attack, both from rival media providers and content creators. Content owners like NBC Universal are looking to price their products variably, depending on consumer interest, while other major players like Sony and Wal-Mart are interested in getting some of Apple's download business.
The success of iTunes and the iPod have always been closely related, making it very important that Apple keep consumers excited about both products or else they risk helping competitors take valuable market share from them.
Source: Reuters