I asked - his reply:
Many times retailers will take large allotments of some slow selling product if they can get preferential delivery on hot-selling product. In addition large retailers can get "promotional funds" in exchange for carrying said product. The Zune shipments do not match Zune demand. There are daily reports on how much product sits on store shelves and how much sits in warehouses. If a product is hot, then the in-transit numbers tend to be high, while carryover numbers being low or zero. Zune carryover is much higher than ipod carryover.
And flames in 3-2-1-
Without adding to the "which is better" argument, I will contribute the following: a good close friend of mine works as a warehouse manager for a major electronics chain here in the States and he says that MSFT has definitely stuffed the channel with product. According to him, it isn't unusual for companies to bulk up on supply prior to the xmas shopping season, but he doesn't see a connection between what MSFT ships and what the demand really is at store level. By contrast, he says the Apple gear moves quickly and he rarely has to sit on product beyond one week. Some Zune supply is at over 3 months in the channel.
"What if opening the IPhone code leads to a $50 device with same specs and performance?"
Considering the touch screen alone costs $60.00 I'd like to see this mythical $50.00 copycat.
"What is more likely is a backlash from Universal artists." - That's assuming that those artitists are even paying attention to their download deals.
This is the 3rd time that Universal has sabre rattled against Apple and their decision to go month to month is akin to massing troops on the border.
Additionally, it's no secret that UNMG and MSFT are as thick as thieves. It's naive to believe that somehow UNMG will do Apple a solid when redmond is right there stoking the flames of discontent.
UNMG believes Apple needs them - not the othe way around.
So you are saying that Universal will use its market dominating position and withhold product in order to bully Apple around?
If this works doesn't that completely put Apple at the mercy of all the big labels?
Sounds like a wet dream for RIAA and all those itunes/ipod/apple haters that seem to lurk here.
WTF!!! Why is this marked TROLL when another poster says exactly the same thing and gets "interesting"
If your gonna call me a troll - than have the backbone to say why!
Vista can't fail; especially when MSFT has so many screws it can easily turn to "influence" the marketplace. Let's say the whole Zune thing actually gains traction and given time there are several more products that make up the Zuneworld; all MSFT has to do is have it be VISTA COMPATIBLE ONLY. MSFT can leverage the XBOX, IE, and a host of other products into making sure you upgrade to Viista whether you like it or not. When a company has 90% of the market and is already proven guilty of abusing its monopolistic powers the question isn't "where do want to go today?", the question is "when will MSFT make you go there?"
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I asked - his reply: Many times retailers will take large allotments of some slow selling product if they can get preferential delivery on hot-selling product. In addition large retailers can get "promotional funds" in exchange for carrying said product. The Zune shipments do not match Zune demand. There are daily reports on how much product sits on store shelves and how much sits in warehouses. If a product is hot, then the in-transit numbers tend to be high, while carryover numbers being low or zero. Zune carryover is much higher than ipod carryover. And flames in 3-2-1-
Without adding to the "which is better" argument, I will contribute the following: a good close friend of mine works as a warehouse manager for a major electronics chain here in the States and he says that MSFT has definitely stuffed the channel with product. According to him, it isn't unusual for companies to bulk up on supply prior to the xmas shopping season, but he doesn't see a connection between what MSFT ships and what the demand really is at store level. By contrast, he says the Apple gear moves quickly and he rarely has to sit on product beyond one week. Some Zune supply is at over 3 months in the channel.
That is pure unsupported bias. Please cite a verfiable incident in which Apple Inc. was ethically worse than Microsoft.
"What if opening the IPhone code leads to a $50 device with same specs and performance?" Considering the touch screen alone costs $60.00 I'd like to see this mythical $50.00 copycat.
"What is more likely is a backlash from Universal artists." - That's assuming that those artitists are even paying attention to their download deals. This is the 3rd time that Universal has sabre rattled against Apple and their decision to go month to month is akin to massing troops on the border. Additionally, it's no secret that UNMG and MSFT are as thick as thieves. It's naive to believe that somehow UNMG will do Apple a solid when redmond is right there stoking the flames of discontent. UNMG believes Apple needs them - not the othe way around.
So you are saying that Universal will use its market dominating position and withhold product in order to bully Apple around? If this works doesn't that completely put Apple at the mercy of all the big labels? Sounds like a wet dream for RIAA and all those itunes/ipod/apple haters that seem to lurk here.
WTF!!! Why is this marked TROLL when another poster says exactly the same thing and gets "interesting" If your gonna call me a troll - than have the backbone to say why!
Apple should give Universal a cut of each ipod/iphone sold - as long as Universal gives Apple a cut for every CD sold. That would be fair.
Vista can't fail; especially when MSFT has so many screws it can easily turn to "influence" the marketplace. Let's say the whole Zune thing actually gains traction and given time there are several more products that make up the Zuneworld; all MSFT has to do is have it be VISTA COMPATIBLE ONLY. MSFT can leverage the XBOX, IE, and a host of other products into making sure you upgrade to Viista whether you like it or not. When a company has 90% of the market and is already proven guilty of abusing its monopolistic powers the question isn't "where do want to go today?", the question is "when will MSFT make you go there?"