Text 12309, 65 rader
Skriven 2006-07-30 18:14:20 av Rich Gauszka (1:379/45)
Ärende: How Zune Microsoft forgets it's partners
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From: "Rich Gauszka" <gauszka@hotmail.com>

the rape and pillage strategy of Microsoft for it's 'partners' continues
unabated

http://www.itp.net/features/details.php?id=4776&category=

As a business-focused title, IT Weekly does not tend to report over-much on
developments in the consumer electronics space.

So if you want to read a report on Microsoft's new Zune music player, seen by
many as a counterpunch to Apple's popular iPod, then we'll have to direct you
elsewhere.

While we don't feel equipped to provide a review of just how well the Zune does
indeed stack up against the iPod (not least because we haven't actually seen
one yet), we can however comment on one possible implication of the Zune's
launch.

And that is what it says about Microsoft's approach to partners.

As more than one industry watcher noted last week, the Zune player will
struggle to make a dent in Apple's iPod sales, which seems unassailable in its
position as market leader.

That would leave the Zune competing with a host of other media devices
currently available which battle for the 15% or so market share that Apple
doesn't have: those users who have decided they don't just want an iPod.

The problem is a lot of those media devices were made by companies that have
been partnering closely with Microsoft to promote its Windows Media technology.

Companies such as Creative and iRiver have worked closely with Microsoft in the
past, now they will find themselves in the somewhat awkward position of
competing against it while still having to licence its Windows technology.

An awkward position, but not a unique one: security firms might well say they
are in the same boat, now that Microsoft has decided to enter the security
arena with its Windows Live OneCare security package.

"The time has come when Microsoft is willing to compete, and sometimes fiercely
so, with its partners," Jupiter Research analyst Joe Wilcox, who runs a blog
devoted to monitoring Microsoft, wrote following Zune's launch earlier this
month.

Microsoft has also this month announced it is pushing hard into yet another new
market, partnering with Nortel Networks to jointly develop and sell
internet-based telephony and communications equipment.

This strategy means it is going to be competing hard with networking giant
Cisco, which dominates the (internet protocol) IP telephony market right now.

Cisco has claimed to be unconcerned about the potential rivalry, releasing a
statement last week extolling the "strong track record of collaboration" it has
with Microsoft.

"And we continue to look for opportunities to build on these successful
initiatives, and to new collaboration and integration points moving
 forward," the statement added.

Which is surely true, but Cisco right now - like every other Microsoft partner
- is probably also looking carefully over its shoulder.

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