Slimy Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 We have run the iPod Killers for Christmas/Summer series since 2004. In that time we reported on 149 portable players and NOT one iPod killer from the bunch. That said, we may actually have a couple of genuine challengers to Apple. This holiday season will see Microsoft pump tens-of-millions of dollars to hawk their new Zune portable and SanDisk's 8GB e280 flash unit is compelling high-end users. Both can realistically grab double-digit market share from the iPod, particularly because the iPod only got a modest facelift this season. Whether they do or not waits to be seen.The struggle of all brands is to find that secret sauce of features, look and that highly elusive "cool factor". Disney is showing success with kiddies thanks to strong product branding (a touch wheel with mouse ears). If you can argue that part of the "iPod Aura" is really a fashion thing, then we should factor in the fact that fashion changes and some consumers will shift to new players simply because they are not an iPod. But Apple is not playing Versace, which would require the iPod to morph dramatically every year. Instead Apple takes the role of Anne Klein or Polo, a classic look that evolves within the context of popular consumer taste. But seriously, is there really a player out there to challenge the iPod? In truth, one manufacturer has already found a secret sauce that makes it the second best selling portable digital player today. This player sells one unit for every 2.3 iPod's and is the the best portable media player on the market in our opinion. That player is the Sony PSP, excluded from the top digital player lists because it is primarily a game player. So what? The PSP's widescreen offers superior video to the iPod and Sony has sold more UMD movies than Apple has digital movie downloads. True, UMD movies were on the way out after a promising start, but price drops in Japan have led to a huge ten-fold jump in sales, resurecting the format in Asia. Lower prices would probably do the same in the US, potentially giving Sony a portable movie distribution model to challenge iTunes. Sony's PSP example gives all other makers hope. In reality they have more than hope to work with. Many of these portables, including those from Archos, Creative, SanDisk, iRiver, Toshiba, Cowon and Samsung make damn good players. Maybe they don't have a huge peripheral market surrounding them, but most have features unavailable in the iPod. If an FM tuner or Bluetooth is compelling to you they may be the better buy. The digital portable player market is young and expanding rapidly. Only 10% of households have a digital music portable presently. In a few years it will be close to 100%. A few years after that half of all households will have multiple players. The iPod will maintain its market lead, but it will do so with a much lower share - and sell many many more units anyway. More important, market expansion also means there is considerable opportunity for profit for even the marginal participants in this space, which is why we keep seeing more new players than ever, including some of the oddest novelty portables yet. The players include: Sony NW-S205F and NW-S203F Sports Player SanDisk Sansa e280 8GB Microsoft Zune Sony NW-S706 Samsung YP-K5 MP3 Player has Built-in Speaker OSIM iGoGo MP3 and...Massage? Archos 504 StormBlue A9+ Bluetooth Creative Zen V Plus 8GB LG MFFM20 Maxfield MAX-SIN Touch Creative Zen Neeon 2 NafNaf Hyp resembles Keg-o-beer Sirius Stiletto 100 Disney Mix Max Creative Muvo V100 Football Helmet MP3 Player Acer MP-340 MPIO FL500 Wedge and FY800 Visual Sound VS1 Coby PMP4230 Coby PMP7040 iRiver S10 Toshiba Gigabeat V Series Continue at Source Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galley Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 The only one that stands a chance is the new SanDisk Rhapsody players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quick Shot Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 hmmm. the Coby PMP4230 got my eye! :woot: but im still getting the Zube :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soham Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 Arcos 614 wifi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeroday Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 lmao at the Sony Player looks like a dildo :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Reaper Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 lmao at the Sony Player looks like a dildo :laugh: They have to expand their market somehow, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulCabby Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 Masturbate whilst commuting and listening to your favourite tunes? Nice :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webeagle12 Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 Football Helmet MP3 how is this can anyway match with IPOD? and lmao at didlo :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 Masturbate whilst commuting and listening to your favourite tunes? Nice :D A whole new meaning to Torontonians "Ride the Rocket" *L* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webby Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 LOL It DOES look like a dildo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
none_needed Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 lmao at the Sony Player looks like a dildo :laugh: omg u made me laugh real hard dude. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiG- Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 That list has got some mega pieces of crap on it... sorry but that list aint no list of iPod killers.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Septimus Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 Archos 604 and 404. Makes an iPod Video look like the crap it is. Mmm, iPod, be tied to **** format video. Lovely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matrix XII Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 Zune! :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SevenForever Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 *Gasp* None of Cowon's amazing lineup have been listed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrBroccoli Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 As much as they can try, the iPod will always have the market. Not because the fact of what it does, but of what it is. Most of my friends who are oblivious to the computer world only know an Mp3 Player by the name of iPod, mention Zune or a Sandisk to them and they think I am talking cookies. Sure some people may go for this, that know what they do but as long as people fall for marketing, the iPod will always stay strong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MulletRobZ Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 Seriously, the competing products (even the Zune) will end up fading after less than a year! It's just that the iPod has become so pervasive in the consumer market with iTunes and its many applications (I've heard they can be tweaked to conduct MRI's and other medical tests). Even various phones allow iTunes connectivity nowadays! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mrbester MVC Posted October 16, 2006 MVC Share Posted October 16, 2006 There's already been an iPod killer: Rio Karma. Superior playback (it was designed to play music, not look pretty), more formats supported, more intuitive interface, longer battery life, greater flexibility (through Ethernet dock supplied as standard). A pity the marketing wasn't brilliant, they got utterly crushed by Apple and they don't make 'em any more for exactly the reasons Webgraph pointed out... :cry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nekrosoft13 Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 screw apple, screw ipod i just sold my ipod, so glad i got rid of this POS. Creative Zen Vision W, so ****ing nice!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordan. Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 The Zune is probably the biggest possible threat on that list, and even that I do not see as putting any major dent in IPod sales. People nowadays don't go out to "buy an mp3 player" anymore, they go out to "buy an IPod." The purchasing decision is made up before they enter the store and before even comparing other device options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillz Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Archos 604 and 404. Makes an iPod Video look like the crap it is.Mmm, iPod, be tied to **** format video. Lovely. I guarantee that most people, unfortunately, don't care about the quality of video on their iPod so long as video plays at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echilon Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 I'd still prefer an iPod over anything else. If you're spending money, you might as well get the genuine article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulCabby Posted October 21, 2006 Share Posted October 21, 2006 There's already been an iPod killer: Rio Karma. Superior playback (it was designed to play music, not look pretty), more formats supported, more intuitive interface, longer battery life, greater flexibility (through Ethernet dock supplied as standard). A pity the marketing wasn't brilliant, they got utterly crushed by Apple and they don't make 'em any more for exactly the reasons Webgraph pointed out... :cry: And way before that. The iRiver H1x0 series. It was the ultimate monochromed player ever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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