< A href="http://www.instat.com/">In-Stat/MDR has published a survey of some 1,806 entertainment professionals that found, among other things, that those pros think that both Apple and Microsoft represent potential competitive threats to the entertainment industry. The survey also found that opinions about which computer company had the best products currently on the market ran two-to-one in favor of Apple, but that Microsoft is coming on strong.
Piracy was the main focus of the published survey, titled "Entertainment Industry Survey: Perceptions Of Piracy, PC Industry, PVRs And Competition," according to the research firm, but respondents were also asked their opinions of Apple, Microsoft, and IBM. In-Stat said the survey was conducted to better understand the entertainment communityis perceptions about emerging digital technologies and their impact on electronic entertainment.
"Piracy was the number one concern among emerging threats," says Michael Wolf, a principal analyst for In-Stat/MDR in a statements. "This is no surprise given the impact it is already having according to those in the home entertainment market. In turn, those in the TV space saw Personal Video Recorders as the biggest threat to their business in the future."
The company also said that the idea that piracy is a threat to their business was more likely to be felt by senior executives than others. In-Stat said this might possibly be because those senior execs are often more focused on bottom line issues.