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iPod Shuffles To The Cheap Side
Electronics | Feb 9, 06
Back on 1/18 I noted that Apple iMacs were selling at surprising discounts to Sony VAIOs, indicating an apparent willingness on the part of Cupertino to compete with other high-style manufacturers on the basis of price, as opposed to charging a premium for Apple’s unique design (Apple Cool Selling At Surprising Discount To Sony Style). Now, Apple may be extending that strategy to music players as well. The firm has just cut the price of the iPod Shuffle 512 MB to a mere $69. As of this writing, only SanDisk 512 MB MP3 players are offered for less by vendors on PriceSCAN.com. One of these, the SanDisk Sansa M230, does have an FM tuner (another player, Creative Lab’s MuVo Micro N200 512 MB Digital Music Player Recorder with Radio, offers FM with in-line recording for $69.99).
Now I happen to be a big fan of being able to listen to radio on a portable, but something tells me its going to take more than the ability to listen to the local "morning zoo" broadcast on a digital player for consumers to forsake iPod "sleek and cheap" formula (not to mention iTunes). Of course Apple may be cutting the Shuffle price partially to overcome cannibalization of its own line – the new smaller Nano and the iPod with Video are the new hotness, after all. Rival manufacturers had best come up with something cooler if they want to survive. And the record labels should also be wary, lest they find themselves subject to a new commandment: thou shalt sell no music without the consent of Steve Jobs. Perhaps we're to be treated to that most entertaining of contests: a conflict between a monopoly and a cartel.
Posted by jeffrey.trester (Permalink)
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