'Pod killers

Apple has been getting a barage from the different digital music players for the pass few months ever since it introduced the iPod shuffle, released new models and lowered the prices on the iPod photo and iPod mini. The new, cheaper iPod models brought Samsung's fiscal third quarter earnings down to 72% MDN, Yahoo Finance, Netscape.ca Finance.

The article iPod 'killers' shooting blanks at iPod Garage writes down some reasons why people will not buy an un-iPod and list down the 'secret ingredients' on the iPod that competitors are hard-pressed to copy. He emphasizes that Apple designs products that has features and functionality that people really want and will use. Apple's secret weapon lies in the fact that while competitors churn out products that doesn't have any continuity in them, the iPod/iTunes system is really a work in progress.

With that said, it still doesn't stop Apple's rivals in releasing what they hope to be the one to beat the iPod. New Zealand Herald reports on the new digital music players from Pilot Electronic, Rio and Oakley.

But it would seem that the threat on the iPods might not come from the makers of digital music players but rather from the cellular phone companies. BusinessWeek Online and Times Online reports on the new 'jukebox' phone that Nokia will be releasing by the end of the year. The Nokia N91 is a 4GB handset that will be able to play both MP3 and AAC digital music formats, though it won't play music downloaded from the iTunes Music Store. MacDailyNews has said that Apple will soon need to come up with something that will compete against products such as Nokia's N91. But Nokia did say that the N91 is for the "aspirational user. The one that wants the latest... gadgets."

Do these music phones pose a threat against the iPod? Tim Hanrahan and Jason Fry of the The Wall Street Journal, came up with the "Real Time Rules" on how cellphone makers might be able to beat Apple in the music player game.

Wade Roush defends the iPod while Eric Hellweg defends the music phone. Both writes for the Technology Review and each gives reasons why the iPod or the music phone will succeed.