MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Sony Walkman managers blind to market reality

Alexander Turcic · 03-14-2005, 04:49 AM

In a NYTimes rant headlined How the iPod Ran Circles Around the Walkman, historian Randall Stross analyzes how Sony, the electronics giant that more or less created the modern portable music market with the successful Walkman cassette-tape player in the 1970s, failed to prepare for the digital audio player.

Sony introduced several new Walkman MP3 players this week, causing Apple's share to down more than 7%. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen if Apple has anything to worry. According to Phil Leigh, analyst with Inside Digital Media, "if these new entrants come in and accelerate the growth of the market, there will be no adverse consequence to Apple, even if its market share slips." Leigh forecasts 100% growth rates up to the next four years in digital music sales and in digital music players. Apple commands between 60 per cent and 70 per cent of the digital music player market, having sold about 10 million iPods to date. Piper Jaffray forecasts Apple will sell nearly 22 million iPods in 2005, and about 27 million in 2006.

03-14-2005, 04:49 AM	#1
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,163 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	Sony Walkman managers blind to market reality In a NYTimes rant headlined How the iPod Ran Circles Around the Walkman, historian Randall Stross analyzes how Sony, the electronics giant that more or less created the modern portable music market with the successful Walkman cassette-tape player in the 1970s, failed to prepare for the digital audio player. Sony introduced several new Walkman MP3 players this week, causing Apple's share to down more than 7%. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen if Apple has anything to worry. According to Phil Leigh, analyst with Inside Digital Media, "if these new entrants come in and accelerate the growth of the market, there will be no adverse consequence to Apple, even if its market share slips." Leigh forecasts 100% growth rates up to the next four years in digital music sales and in digital music players. Apple commands between 60 per cent and 70 per cent of the digital music player market, having sold about 10 million iPods to date. Piper Jaffray forecasts Apple will sell nearly 22 million iPods in 2005, and about 27 million in 2006.