Thurrott: For any chance of success, Microsoft iPod competitor would have to be perfect

20 years ago

“I can confirm reports that Microsoft has been building potential iPod competitors in-house, and I’ve discussed this product with various people at the software giant since last summer. However, as we’ve discussed, it’s not clear that Microsoft should release such a device. To date, most of the iPod competitors from Microsoft’s partners have been lackluster, and certainly none of them match the coolness factor of Apple’s offerings. But here’s the problem: If Microsoft ships a product that is less interesting than the iPod, the company has effectively hammered the last nail into the coffin of its Windows Media technologies and erased any chance that its formats will succeed in the future. In other words, the Microsoft iPod competitor would have to be perfect. To date, Microsoft has been shopping its work around to partners, in a bid to give them ideas about how they might better compete, but it hasn’t yet decided to get in the game. My advice is to hold off,” Paul Thurrott writes for WinInfo.

More here.
Even perfection by Microsoft (good luck with that one) wouldn’t do it. It is too late. Google the terms “network effect,” “critical mass,” and “natural monopoly” for more info.

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