“Apple Computer Inc. faces some tough hurdles if it decides to roll out a mobile phone built around its popular iPod music player, Microsoft Corp.’s entertainment chief said on Monday,” Daisuke Wakabayashi reports for Reuters.
Wakabayashi reports, “Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft’s entertainment and devices division, said it too is considering a mobile phone integrated with its Zune digital music player, but launching such a device is not at top of its priority list.”
MacDailyNews Take: It’s not at top of Microsoft’s “Me-Too” priority list because they can’t even get the digital music player part right after half a decade of trying — first with the “too many cooks in the kitchen” so-called “partnership” route and recently with the ill-fated Zune.
Wakabayashi continues, “Analysts have said Apple may sell the phone with its own branded cell phone service via an MVNO, or mobile virtual network operator, under which Apple leases excess capacity from other carriers… ‘The latest rumor we hear is that it is going to be a MVNO phone and there hasn’t been a lot of successes in that MVNO space for a lot of different reasons,’ said Bach, who oversees the Zune business and Microsoft’s video game division.”
Wakabayashi reports, “Bach said MVNO phones often have difficult relationships with the mobile operators. One of the few successful MVNOs in the United States so far is Virgin Mobile. ‘Historically, working with partners hasn’t been a strong point for Apple, so maybe it will find a way to work around those relationships,’ he said.”
Wakabayashi reports, “Putting together a phone with a media player raises many design questions, including how to manage various inputs, the optimal screen size and battery life, Bach said. ‘You have to find out what it’s great at. Is it great as a phone or is it great as music player? If it’s great as a music player, then it’s just another iPod trying to be a phone,’ said Bach.”
Full article here.
No, Robbie, it’s not “just another iPod,” it’s The iPod. You know, the one that you can’t figure out how to copy successfully? The one that utterly dominates the market? A person in Bach’s position should understand the power of the Apple brand, but, clearly, with his questioning of a potential Apple MVNO, he doesn’t get it. And his line, “historically, working with partners hasn’t been a strong point for Apple,” is straight out of Microsoft’s talking points memo as evidenced by Microsoft sycophant Rob Enderle’s frequent use of nearly the same line, for some examples:
• “Apple historically has not been a good partner…“
• “Apple also has a reputation for being one of the nastiest partners around.“
• “Apple partners very poorly.“
Nobody in their right mind gives a zune what Robbie Bach thinks about the possibility of an Apple iPod phone.
Of course MS is waiting and “it’s not top of the priority lise”
They need to see what Apple does first, study what’s succesful and only then COPY it as their own.
Classic MicroSoft move.
First post!!!!!
Cool.
Interesting that he would say they were thinking about a phone for the Zune. In Bill Gates’ pre CES interview with the WSJ (I think), he absolutely denied that Microsoft would ever do a phone, complimenting the variety of those available from “their partners” and how well MSFT’s mobile solutions have been integrated into the space.
Right hand / left hand?
Billy is leaving so no one cares what he’s thinking?
Hmmm….
Could it be that Apple announces the iPhone to run over WiFI & Sprint’s new WiMAX network w/ VoIP?
I’m hoping!
For a man who likes to win, Robbie, you sure laid a big turd on the steps of Microsoft House with your Zune. If Daisuke Wakabayashi were you, he’d be having nightmares of his ancestors chanting, “seppuku, seppuku, seppuku.” Still I’ve got to hand this to you: it took guts to tell Bill Gates the XBox would be better without Windows. Seems to me that you can figure out what is a turd after all.
That’s just plain damn funny to me.
MW:doing, as in “SmallnLimp just ain’t doing it!”
“Nobody in their right mind gives a zune what Robbie Bach thinks about the possibility of an Apple iPod phone.”
Then why bother posting this (non) story?
MW: movement; as in another Microsoft bowel movement
Why don’t people get it? The public isn’t excited about an Apple phone because it is also an ipod. It is looking forward to it because mobile phones are overly complicated and difficult to use. It truly has nothing to do with the fact that it can play music. My razr software totally sucks. It takes at least 3 or 4 sub menus to even get the most simple task done. Why does it have to be difficult? I want an apple phone not because it will most likely play music but it would be nice for someone to make a mobile phone a pleasure to use instead of a hassle.
I bought a new mobile phone recently. I looked for a simple phone – no camera, no MP3 player – just a simple phone with a calendar. Problem is, it doesn’t exist, so you end up with all the other crap anyway. As long as Apple makes it simple and intuitve, it can’t be worse than all the other rubbish that is already availble.
@jovial pc boy.
Not sure if you’re being facetious or not but you said…
“It takes a tremendous amount of resources and planning to launch a product like Zune and to lay down a roadmap for its eventual overtaking of the market leader (which is what it’ll do in about 3-5 year’s time).”
You mean like re-branding a Toshiba gigabeat player? And adding Brown as a color? Wow.
You ARE a boy. Boy.
yet another Steve:
“Wow… Apple must REALLY be on the right track… cuz Redmond sure seems to be worried. Suddenly a LOT of PR effort is going into creating doubt about Apple. Remember these “news” articles don’t just appear because some reporter makes a random phone call–an army of PR flaks is out there trying to make them happen.”
Absolutely. The MS FUD Machine™ is firing on all cylinders over MacWorld. Steve Jobs’ face must hurt from laughing.
“Congrats to Apple for making it back to the big leagues. It’s been along time since MS worried about Apple…”
It’s been a LOOOONG time since Microsoft has had to worry about ANYone! If MS had to worry about ANYthing, would they have released the eviscerated Vista? The Zune?
MDN Magic Word: Quality… EXACTLY!
Maybe the “viral” news story should be how worried Microsoft is about Apple market resurgence, considering all their negative statements about Apple, hmm.
This is similar to Gates proclaiming that DRM is bad and that people should only buy cds. What he didn’t mention was his motivation to stop people from buying iPods to listen to that music.
You can tell Apple’s success is getting to them. LOVE IT!
“Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft’s entertainment and devices division,…”
I couldn’t finish the artivle after reading this line hahahahahahah.
Where is my buddy Zune Tang. mr. Repetitive is strangely quiet on this one.
MS just can’t help themselves. They’re just like the schoolyard bullies.
During the CES presentation, they dissed Apple a couple of times – here’s one: “It’s better than going back in time” when they were talking about Vista Shadowcopy.
And Gates saying that Apple is at a huge disadvantage in consumer electronics because they don’t embrace the MS PC model. Even as MS moves to the Zune model.
And MS beginning to use cute names – see they trademarked “SportsLounge” and “LifeChat”.
I think Jobs can pull out the copier line again. So sad.
Clearly this sounds like a man shaking in his boots, trying to steal some of the thunder before the announcement. It’s like that guy who always says they were thinking of doing the same thing as you after you’ve already done it just to feel better about themselves for not doing it first. Again, one of the requirements for working at Microsoft is to have no pride or shame. Some of this morons statements are pointed attacks. For once I’d like to hear a reporter ask one of these MFST big wigs point blank about their obvious rip off of OS X and see what they have to say.
“Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft’s entertainment and devices division, said it too is considering a mobile phone integrated with its Zune digital music player, but launching such a device is not at top of its priority list.”
That is because there is no Toshiba Mobile Gigabeat Phone to relabel (yet).
Robbie Bach – (post Keynote) – wanker!
I wonder what Bach thinks now that they’ve announced the iPhone. Makes the Zune look sooo silly.
It really is far more enjoyable re-reading this now that the iPhone has been announced.
They just did, so does MS want to rethink their statement?
Anybody want to buy my Zune? Anybody?
Welcome to the Obsolescence.
Everybody’s already said it, but I can’t resist joining the chorus. Microsoft has their head so far up their ass that they don’t know whether they’re coming or going. The toughest hurdle Apple is likely to face in the immediate future is how to resist the urge to laugh right in the face of clueless worms like Robbie Bach when they open their mouths as if they have something to say.
My personal take on the Apple iPhone is that it’s not totally the first device of its kind in the whole universe, but will almost certainly turn out to be the first to really fulfill the promise of the concept.
For high-end mobile users, the Appe iPhone has instantly redefined the rules of the game and, like the iPod before it, is so cool that it may take awhile for the market to comprehend how amazingly cool it really is.
I think Robbie just ate some dirty!
all right guys…
stop talking bad about microsoft now…
we will build the best mobile phone ever just like we created Zune…
just wait & see…