Sony planning iPod / iTunes-like infrastructure?

Given Sony's exploding battery crisis, followed by the launch of the the PS3 (and its aftermath), we figured that those two things alone (not to mention the PS4) have already given enough headaches to its board of directors. However, there may be a bright spot in Sony's future -- the company is now hinting at building an "MP3 player" and corresponding online music store that would go head-to-head with the iPod/iTunes combo and the new-kid-on-the-block, the Zune/Zune Marketplace. According to Wired News' Listening Post blog, Sony Electronics head Stan Glasgow earlier this week alluded to a new digital audio player that could be ready by December 2007. He also said that "DRMs are going to become less important," which may lead to us to the holy grail of media players, but we're not holding our breath just yet on either of these developments. Sony, drop us a line when you're ready to show something off.

[primetime4 @ Dec 5th 2006 4:29PM]

Doesn't this already exist with Sony's Connect store and their current/past line of players?

[100 movies for your ipod $25 @ Dec 5th 2006 4:36PM]

Sony needs to focus more on the software side of things while also coming out with a great player. I found sonic stage/Connect store to be a joke compared to itunes.

[RefractionsoftheDawn @ Mar 19th 2007 12:41PM]

Sony needs to get off of the proprietary band-wagon. Add to their failures the memory stick, the mini-disc, and ugh. They're closed, so they stink!

[The Grand Master @ Dec 5th 2006 4:38PM]

Did Sony ever use Plays For Sure, cause if they did, and this is true, it is just another nail in PFS's coffin.

So what is the tally now? MS themselves have created a vertical system, Real have one and are working with Sandisk, Apple always did, Sony are going to, who's left? Looks like Creative are the ones keeping PFS on life support as they are the only ones apparently not prepping their own system.

Ah well, this must be making the staunch PFS supporters (you know who the three of you are) weep.

Never mind, better luck next time, or just keep buying CDs, works for me!

[Jon @ Dec 5th 2006 6:42PM]

Sony has never made an MP3 player compatible with Plays For Sure. And I didn't know that plays for sure was so dead that it needed just one more nail in the coffin?

Plays For Sure is doing just fine in every single other MP3 player that's not made by Apple with the exception of the Zune and Sony's players. Napster, Yahoo Music, Wal-Mart Music, Amazon, URGE, BuyMusic.com and several other major music stores all use WMA Plays For Sure.

[JinKazama @ Dec 5th 2006 4:38PM]

As a long time lover of Sony products I am qualified to tell you that this will occur when the proverbial pig flies. As skilled as Sony is engineering wise they are equally as inept software wise. I would be simply shocked if they rolled out anything near the simplicity and effectiveness of itunes.

But hey, I've been wrong before

[Jim @ Dec 5th 2006 4:44PM]

Oh please SONY... release a player with crippling digital rights, cowtow to the music labels (and yourself) and pay a royalty with every player sold, don't allow mp3s or any other ripped CD/iTunes files to be played on it and sell new songs in a proprietary format. Please please please! SONY would have been smart to do this 5-10 years ago before the advent of the ipod when their name was still synonymous with the Walkman. The iPod works because THEY KEEP IT SIMPLE!!!

[asher @ Dec 5th 2006 4:50PM]

day late, dollar short?

[Michael @ Dec 6th 2006 6:51AM]

So what, the industry is going to have three different companies offering three different vertical business structures with no possibility for interoperability? This isn't going to be good for the consumer.

I can see where the idea is coming from though. Once a customer has committed to a brand it's going to take a lot of effort to provoke them to go elsewhere. I'm tied in (somewhat reluctantly) to the Sony camp so what am I going with all those albums that I downloaded from the Connect store should I decide that my next DMP is going to be Apple-flavoured? Never mind all of my hardcopy albums that I spent hours ripping to my harddrive in Atrac Lossless. Same goes for anyone with either a Zune or an iPod. Do I lose all my paid for albums and time-consuming rips and bail out to either Apple of MS for more of the same when I get there, or do I just sigh, roll my eyes and hope that the next Sony MP3 player and subsequent doesn't suck as devistatingly much and ConnectPlayer V.1 did?

*sighs and rolls eyes*

[Lawry Goldstein @ Dec 5th 2006 10:00PM]

Its not such a rare idea. If you looks at the DSLR market you pick a brand, buy lenses that use their mount, and then you stay with them. You may end up with cameras that are more expensive and of lower quality for years and years, but you can't change when you have $15000 of lenses and a camera costs $500-2000. That is what you will find with music players, on the other hand if someone really wants to win you might find that they have an 'open' DRM and support Flac, Ogg, Atrac3, Mp3, wma, ACC (Sony already does on Sonic Stage, now we just need DRM ACC) and a few other forums (whatever Zune uses).

If sony would JUST hire an outside sorce for music and have a 'simple' along with 'complex' mode for their music player EVERYONE would be happy. And since sony offers so many MP3 players already it would be great for all current owners. Sony has the power (with PS3) and money to 'beat' the iPod much like how Microsoft had the chance.

Note: While I hate the ipod and generaly like the Zune I have to say that the Zune alreayd lost, its not better, has less features, lower battary life, and costs the same (makes you lose music for many (Stuck in sony here)...

[Naris @ Dec 5th 2006 5:12PM]

If Sony comes out with a player without DRM restrictions I shall go out and buy a hat to make an afternoon snack.

[Bill Gates @ Dec 5th 2006 5:25PM]

Again? Have they not learned from the Beano and MiniDisc?

What does Sony have money to burn?

[Mark @ Dec 5th 2006 5:28PM]

Sony tried this with their Connect store and their OpenMG format, which failed. What makes them think they can win over users now, since iPod/iTunes dominates the market?

[mespinosam @ Dec 5th 2006 5:32PM]

So December 2007 means .... ??? june 2008 ??
maybe by then they sold in combos with the final version of the PS3

[Adolf H. from Brazil @ Dec 5th 2006 5:37PM]

I'ld like to tap that!

[an upset parent @ Dec 5th 2006 5:40PM]

Can not companies like Sony just concentrate on making more PlayStation 3's ?

[sdsdv10 @ Dec 5th 2006 5:42PM]

"DRMs are going to become less important,"

This from the company that brought us the rootkit fiasco.
I call BS!

[Joe C @ Dec 5th 2006 5:46PM]

http://musicstore.connect.com/custom/promos/non_ie.html?checkBos=false

So what's the point of this article? Sony Connect has been around for at least 2 and a half years. Sony's Network Walkmen support AAC and WMA it's not Sony's fault if Apple will not open up I-Tunes to work with their competitors products. Napster only works with the digital music players they choose to let it, obviously fair tunes takes care of that but is a violations of the EULA. Sony has DRM on their MP3 players to protect their business interests, how is that any different than locking your business at night to keep people from walking in and stealing your products? Granted the whole rootkit thing was wrong and most DRM is useless. At the same time companies have the right to protect their products, it would be nicer to see more user friendly DRM. Engadget had up on here a long time ago a screen shot of an app. that was supposed to re-place Sonic Stage which looked a heck of a lot better. Sonic Stage is a major reason why Sony's MP3 players aren't selling.

[Matt @ Dec 5th 2006 6:02PM]

First they copyed off the apple add and now this? Whats next?

[Chris M @ Dec 5th 2006 6:18PM]

I'm a Sony freak (I own a Vaio or two, and I'm a PlayStation fanboy for life).

Let me tell you- Sony can't pull off what Microsoft tried with the Zune, crushing the iPod.

It's just not possible.

The iPod is TOO simple, TOO easy and TOO much space for anyone to try to copy.

It's just not done.

Chris

[tekdroid @ Dec 5th 2006 7:25PM]

History repeats:
http://www.engadget.com/2005/09/08/the-latest-chapter-in-sonys-sea-change-sonicstage-dies/

We've heard this before.

We've heard about new people coming in and being in charge of SonicStage/Connect but they failed. So far not enough has been done to rid the world of glorious SonicStage :)

They do need to get rid of it, too. For many it's associated with DRM-laden negative vibes. Despite being better in the DRM department these days, the usability of SonicStage is still very bad compared to competitors, and you can't convince Joe Public things have improved so fast; once bitten, twice shy.

And we won't go into Sony, iPod and Zune still storing their audio encrypted on devices while their competitors offer native Mass Storage to allow easy, simple sharing of playable tracks with virtually any computer.

[Vanillacide @ Dec 5th 2006 7:27PM]

Maybe Sony's new "iPod + iTunes Killer" will be out before the end of Sony/BMG's appeal in European Court of Justice against being de-merged.

Back in July 2006 the European Court of First Instance overturned the European Commission's approval of the Sony/BMG merger. Thus stalling the merger of EMI and Time Warner.

Sony records will be much less powerful without Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG).

One of the concerns of the EU is the potential impact on competition in the music market.

I used to buy Sony hardware years ago, but their software always stank. Have you ever tried to get rid of all the crap that comes pre-installed on a Viao?

[diulei @ Dec 5th 2006 7:33PM]

100 bucks says if Sony tries this, each department will cripple the others just like their last 400 miserable attempts at a DAP, and this project will ultimately fail, yet again, and yet another addition to their long list of pathetic failures in the new millennium.

[John Montgomery @ Dec 5th 2006 9:15PM]

December 2007? Too little, far too late. Sony's already slipped so far behind the DAP curve I'm not sure they could catch up even if they made it available in January 2007. Especially sad to see from a company that started from a dominant position with the original Walkman. Too bad they didn't have enough sense to capitalize on it when they had the chance. They've made the mistake of trying way too many times to drive the market with their exclusive proprietary formats rather than improving on and taking advantage of existing consumer trends. Just one more thing to add to their missed opportunity list, I guess.
And Joe C, I think the alternative to SonicStage you may have been referring to is GYM (Get Your Music), and it is a better alternative but not perfect. It's got a few issues of it's own.

[mcloki @ Dec 5th 2006 10:50PM]

Please for the love of God Sony. Just ask Apple to release itunes for PS3 and PSP. Problem solved. Sony, Don't get greedy. Stop snickering readers. Every time you go it alone in something you fail. Every time!! You've even done a good job of screwing up the huge advantage you had with Blu-ray. If it weren't for the ineptitude of MS and Toshiba being even greater than yours. If the 360 would have had an HD DVD in it from launch. PS3 would be dead, DEAD. And I'm a Sony fanboy. You do hardware. Trade with Apple tell them you'll make their LCD panels as long as Apple does the software. Why copy when you can have the original.

[Ici @ Dec 5th 2006 11:40PM]

i have a small sony mp3 player - 1 gig - great little player, but the software crashes my pc. it takes about 10 mins to get one song onto it and so now - after 1 year - it has about 20 songs on it and I have never (had the patience) to add or subtract any more. my ipod -of which i am only a fan of the software-just works. a shame really, i feel quite ripped off!

[Dave95 @ Dec 6th 2006 12:16AM]

I remembered when Apple were transforming themselves (the beleaguered times) from a computer company to a computer and consumer electronics company, Sony were the company they were inspired by. Now I go to Best Buy and see a Sony Laptop looking just like a MacBook, the constant attempts to create an iPod killer (lost count - here comes another), the iTunes inspired connect.

[Matt @ Dec 6th 2006 1:19AM]

Sony products suck. Their support is a joke.

They'll never see another dime from me again.

[Michael @ Dec 6th 2006 3:18AM]

Sony's software may have been crap in the past.. but the latest version of sonicstage cp 4.2 is actually very stable and quite easy to use.. i have the latest s706 4gb flash player that they have released and its very very nice... i can see a higher capacity disk player in the same format early next year from them..(if they have any sense) the screen is oled color and much improved from the last round of players sony released. the interface is easy to use also.. i think sony need to get to the point of a stable player, adding generations like apple have done with the ipod.. not one generation of sony player looks anything like the last and they all have different features. interestingly the s700 range comes with high quality noise cancelling phones.. something thats a worthwhile addition considering the stick phones that comes with most players are crap...

[kitten @ Dec 6th 2006 7:14AM]

If Sony sorted themselves out they'd easily rule the mp3 player market. Their DAPs are amongst the best looking and most innovative. I've never tried Sonic Stage, but people say the new version is actually not too bad. If they could get rid of the kinks in it then they'd have a fighting chance. Anyway most normal people have no idea that SonicStage is crap, so why are their players not more popular?

And the iPod & iTunes is WAY over-rated. iTunes brings my machine to a halt. I can't run anything else when it's open. It makes Windows Media Player seem sleek. And the iPod itself is frustrating. Scroll wheel my arse. I always go past the track/album I want. A button system like the Zune I'm sure works way better. Also I hate not being able to delete songs from the iPod. If I dislike a song I have to them take a note of it and remove it later in iTunes and synchronise it. Sorry but that is *not* simple. And to close, video? Sorry but with that screen it's just about ok for re-runs of the Simpsons, but I'd never want watch a proper movie on it.

I own an iPod, I bought it a month ago. Other than those gripes I like it, I'd still buy another one if I wanted a newer player. But I have to say with each new player Sony brings out I'm more and more tempted to ditch the iPod. It's only a matter of time before they come out with something that will make the iPod seem puny.

Kitten.

[David H @ Dec 6th 2006 1:51PM]

Don't they already have one of these? They have the Connect Joke/Store and a bunch of players that work only with it. They must be hoping that if they say they're coming out with one that everyone will ignore their previous failure.