With friends like Microsoft…
That’s just one of the themes emerging around the bustling virtual water cooler after the software giant on Friday confirmed the long rumored development of an iPod/iTunes rival, which the company has named “Zune.” Up until now, Microsoft’s strategy in battling Apple Computer on the music player and downloadable music front has been to partner with an array of third-party device makers and music services.
Now, however, with its Zune family of music hardware and software products–the first of which are planned for release by the end of the year–partners will become competitors, bloggers have pointed out. Zune could kill Microsoft partners, not iPod | News.blog | CNET News.com