T he New York Times has published a fairly in-depth article that rounds up what Appleis competitors are doing to try and compete with the iPod. Casting Apple in the role of the 800-pound gorilla, the article looks at how other companies are trying to differentiate their own products from the market-crushing iPod. From the article:
It is hardly a secret that Appleis smart, sleek music players rule the market. Industry analysts estimate that more than 9 of every 10 high-capacity players sold in the United States are iPods.
"Itis hard to imagine it doing much better than it is doing now," said Stephen Baker, director of industry analysis for the NPD Group, a research firm. But drawing parallels to the early days of the personal computer industry, he added that Appleis lead is far from insurmountable.
"There are lots of opportunities for other companies to merchandise and market around them," Mr. Baker said.
The full article (free subscription required) offers much more information on what Creative and Archos are up to, including background information on the industry. Those interested in what the rest of the industry is up to will find the article informative.