12 replies to this topic

[Neon]

Apple could be in for a bruising legal fight with rival Creative over the technology used in iPod music players.

Creative boss Sim Wong Hoo has told the BBC he plans to "pursue aggressively" a US patent it owns on a system used to navigate music on digital players.

Mr Sim was speaking at the launch of Creative's latest rival to the iPod video, the Zen Vision: M.

Creative was one of the first to market digital music players in 2000, but has since been overshadowed by Apple.

Portable media players have grown in popularity over the past year.
According to analysts Informa Telecoms & Media, sales of portable audio and video players have risen 71% in the last year.

We will pursue all manufacturers that use the same navigation system

Sim Wong Hoo
They estimate the market for portable audio and video players will be worth $6.8bn in 2005, rising to $16.1bn in 2010.

So far Apple has dominated, with its iPod is estimated to account for 80% of sales of digital music players which use hard drives to store music.

Creative has struggled to catch up, being a distant second in the marketplace.

In August, it revealed it had won a patent in the US for the way music tracks are organised and navigated on a player through a hierarchical system using three or more screens.

The announcement prompted speculation that Creative could seek royalties from Apple, though patent cases can drag on for years.

Creative chairman Sim Wong Hoo told the BBC News website that the company was already talking to various parties about the patent but refused to be drawn on specifics.

Apple revamped the iPod in October, adding video
"We will pursue all manufacturers that use the same navigation system," said Mr Sim. "This is something we will pursue aggressively.

"Hopefully this will be friendly, but people have to respect intellectual property."

Mr Sim was in London for the launch of the Creative Zen Vision: M in time for the seasonal Christmas rush.

The gadget is a direct competitor to Apple's iPod video. It bears a striking resemblance, and is about the width and weight of the previous iPod model.

But Mr Sim denied the company had copied the design, saying it had been working on the look for more than a year.

Creative are touting the Zen as a far more powerful player than Apple's offering, with additional functions such as FM radio and a built-in mic.

"We are focused on the technology," he said. "This is still a technology marketplace."

"This is the key difference between a technology company and a branding company," he said, taking a side-swipe at Apple's successful marketing campaign for its iPod.

But he acknowledged that Creative's strategy of focusing on the technology of its products had not worked as well with consumers as he had hoped.

[utra]

lol thats one way to beat your opponents, it could atchly put the IPOD out of comission if the judge fines a to high price for apple to pay.

[Neon]

Wel, its only fair, if i had thought of something and then someone borrowed my idea...i would be mad!

[utra]

true but is it posibull for 2 ppl to comeup with the same idea so unless theres any proof to these clames im an APPLE man all the way.

[RedInferno]

This will definitely bee neat to see...two music giants face off

THnx for the news karl

[Neon]

No problem red, i really want to see where this goes!

it seems apple have had bad luck with this, they have to pay X amount of money to ms for something or other with each iPod

[RedInferno]

NO!! Apple must not fail!!!!

[Neon]

you are an apple fanatic! i must kill you!

[ShadowFox]

I'm with KW, you must DIE!!!!

[Mr Bad Guy]

Quote

god creates dinosaur - god kills dinosaur - god creates man - man kills god - man creates dinosaur - dinosaur eats man - rev lives happily in his bunker below ground playing doom and halo for rest of his unatural little life while listening to his IPOD without RIAA telling him what music he cant have...

[/code]


I like your lil' "poem".... :rolleyes:

[Mr Bad Guy]

yea I thought it was familiar. lol...

[ShadowFox]

Yeah, but he modified it so it's "special" now

[atsaunier]

yea, i woudent want anyone taking my idea, i think id be mad too