Get Better Gear!

Premier Sponsors

TechRestore

Other World Computing

Top 5 Free Apps

Release Date: August 05, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: May 22, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: August 29, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: March 27, 2009
Release Date: August 07, 2009

iTunes New Music Releases

Release Date: September 29, 2009
Genre: Rock
Release Date: September 20, 2009
Release Date: September 15, 2009
Release Date: August 25, 2009
Genre: Rock
Release Date: August 25, 2009

Top 5 Paid Apps

Release Date: April 22, 2009
StickWars $0.99
Release Date: March 31, 2009
Genre: Games
Bloons $0.99
Release Date: April 05, 2009
Genre: Games

Discover New Music

  • Hello

    • 8 out of 10
    • Poe
    • Poe rocked my world with "Angry Johnny" (I want to kill you/I want to blow you/Away) and "Trigger Happy Jack" (Trigger Happy Jack/ You're gonna blow/But I'm gonna get off/Before you go), as powe

  • Supermodified

    • 10 out of 10
    • Amon Tobin
    • The genius is in the beats. Amon Tobin creates fantastic, groovy beats behind beats. "Supermodified" rolls through your expectations of breakbeat music, and turns them up a bit. It's a mellow album, p
  • King James Version

    • 4 out of 10
    • Harvey Danger
    • The sophomore effort from Harvey Danger, I was really looking forward to this followup to "Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone?" Unfortunately, "King James Version" failed to deliver any of the bri

  • The Wall (Deluxe Packaging Digitally Remastered)

    • 10 out of 10
    • Pink Floyd
    • Okay, someone had to say it, and though others on the iPO staff are more qualified to review this album, I decided the time was now. This is the quintessential concept album. Though others came before
  • Pretty Hate Machine

    • 8 out of 10
    • Nine Inch Nails
    • For years I wanted to make music that sounded like something between Love and Rockets and Ministry. In 1989, Trent Reznor beat me to it with this genre-defining album, and it smacked me upside the hea

Reader Specials

Visit Deals On The Web for the best deals on all consumer electronics, iPods, and more!

News

Survey Finds Many iPod Owners Ready to Buy Zune [UPDATE]

Some 58% of current iPod owners who are planning to buy a new digital media device in the next 12 months are "likely" to choose Microsoft's Zune, according to a survey published by ABI Research. The research firm conducted its survey on the Web, asking 1725 adults (18+) if they were considering buying a new music player. 58% of current iPod owners, and 59% of owners of other digital media devices, all said that they were likely to choose Microsoft's Zune player.

The survey also found that only 15% of iPod owners said they were "not very likely" or "not at all likely" to choose Zune.

"Our conclusion," says principal analyst Steve Wilson in a statement, "is that iPod users don't display the same passionate loyalty to iPods that Macintosh users have historically shown for their Apple products."

The company said that the critical factor would be whether or not Microsoft can differentiate the Zune from iPod and other devices enough to close the deal with consumers. To that effect, ABI Research cited the Zune's WiFi peer-to-peer sharing feature as the biggest differentiating feature; but, analyst Steve Wilson said that it, "isn't all that compelling, at least not now. There's a lot more you could do with that capability."

The survey was conducted in October of 2006, and survey participants were shown an image of the Zune mbefore being asked their likelihood of choosing it over another device.

The associated report being issued by the research firm concluded that for Apple to maintain its lead, it must make big announcements in 2007. "Apple needs a new high-end device that works really well and looks really cool, because other brands are catching up," said Mr. Wilson.

When asked, ABI Research told iPodobserver.com that, "the study and the related survey were not commissioned or sponsored by any outside firms. All research was done by ABI Research, for ABI Research."

[Update: The article was updated with ABI's reply to iPO's question of who paid for the survey and study. - Editor]

Post Your Comments

  Remember Me  Forgot your password?

Not a member? Register now. You can post comments without logging in, but they'll show up as a "guest" post.

Commenting is not available in this section entry.