Got a PC and an iPod and you want the two to talk? There are some apps available for the PC that do an OK job of getting song to your iPod, but they are nowhere near the simplicity iTunes provide to Mac users. That may be changing very soon. News.com is reporting that Apple and MediaFour and others are pushing to release PC-to-iPod software in the very near future. From the News.com article titled iPod-Windows link getting stronger :
Software maker MediaFour plans to release on Monday its XPlay program, the company’s first Windows application for connecting PCs with Apple Computer’s iPod digital music player.
But Apple may be close behind with its own Windows-to-iPod software, Needham analyst Charles Wolf wrote in a Friday research note. Wolf said the release of Windows syncing software could boost the iPod to 10 percent of the portable digital music player market.
Good article. Stop by News.com for all the details.
The Mac Observer Spin:
That others are pushing to make PC-to-iPod software isn’t news, such utilities have been around for some time now. What is news is that the iPod continues to be important enough to catch the attention of industry analysts, especially in light of recent announcements of iPod wannabes from Toshiba.
One question analysts have to be wondering is whether Apple is starting to worry now that it is getting serious competition. Worry may be too strong a word at the moment, but Apple should be keeping a watchful eye on both iPod app developers and iPod wannabe makers. The apps will likely never be as good as Apple’s own iTunes/iPod link, but it could get close, and close can sometimes be good enough. The iPod clones have the potential of drying up sells to PC users, which may be a small double-edged sword; PC users would have to come into a store that carry Apple products and so have the opportunity to see other Apple products in action. If they buy an iPod clone, then exposure to Apple never happens and not only is the iPod sale lost but any potential Mac sales are lost too.
Still Apple has a hard-to-beat combination in iPod and iTunes which it can make stronger by adding features. It will be interesting to see how things work out. Besides, the competition will keep Apple on its toes.