Apple iPhone or Zune Wi-Fi - is there a choice?

Stan Beer
Thursday, 16 November 2006 19:02

Business IT - Technology

Now that Apple's plans to have Foxconn mass produce at least 12 million iPhones have been revealed by Taiwanese newspaper, the Commercial Times, an interesting question presents itself. What presents a more interesting proposition, a Zune that can share songs by Wi-Fi or an iPod that can share songs by either Bluetooth or file transfer over a 3G mobile phone network?

Admittedly this is a purely hypothetical scenario. However, since it is a virtual given that the iPhone is on its way it's a scenario worth exploring.

Firstly, every iPod owner and his or her dog will probably want an iPhone, provided Apple is half as good at designing phones as it is music players. Secondly, it allows Apple to change its sales model to reach a market an order of magnitude greater than that of iPod - free (subsidised) iPod phones with mobile phone contracts. Thirdly, it raises the possibility of music and video sharing, something that Microsoft has been touting until the cows home with Zune.

It is indeed true that there are issues that need to be resolved with the sharing of copyright material. Microsoft's initial efforts with Zune's limited sharing of music tracks are just the first baby steps. The issue of legally sharing music and eventually videos via Bluetooth or mobile file transfers need to be resolved. However, does anyone seriously doubt that they will if the technology and demand exists?

Right now the cost of mobile file transfers of video or even music track proportions is prohibitive. However, it is is purely a bandwidth issue and the cost will come down as new technologies continue to make their way into the mainstream. Soon mobile tranfers of large files will be commonplace.

Apple seems to have an uncanny knack of putting itself right at the cutting edge of the dreams of technology consumers. The idea of the iPhone seems to have tapped that thus far unfulfilled desire of technophiles who dream of blurring the boundaries between business and pleasure.