Wednesday, 10 January 2007

Apple Faces ‘Tough Hurdles’ with iPod Phone, Microsoft

Microsoft believes that Apple will come across tough hurdles as it launched a mobile phone built around its iPod music player. Microsoft's entertainment chief, Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's entertainment said, the company also has plans to launch a mobile phone integrated with its Zune digital music player.

"It's probably on the table of things for us to look at, but not the number one thing we are focused on," said Bach, speaking to analysts at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Many a one are expecting Apple to launch its iPod phone, it is estimated at around USD 200 to USD 400.

"The latest rumour we hear is that it is going to be a MVNO phone and there hasn't been a lot of successes in that MVNO space for a lot of different reasons,"said Bach, who oversees the Zune business and Microsoft's video game division.

Apple has not commented to any of the conjecture so far.