In an admittedly nebulous occurrence behind the iPod's lack of new offerings, this article curiously 'beats around the bush" as to why Apple seems to suffer from 'creator's block" as I would state it. Some of the only reasons offered as to why Apple doesn't seem hurried to market another iPod offering soon may have to do with the following:
Of course, the market will soon see Microsoft's (MS's) introduction of the Zune, while SanDisk released the 8GB Sansa. While Apple's competition will try to take advantage, it is not expected to put a dent in Apple's current 75% market share the iPod enjoys'”at least not immediately. The fact the iPod allows easy transferal of music is what's helped it become so popular. Perhaps this development lag isn't bad for Apple, yet one cannot help wonder if Apple will take some sort of 'hit" from potential fallout over possible Scandinavian legal action after Apple's meeting with Swedes and Norwegians this fall. Given the fact Apple's Mac hasn't garnered this kind of market share in the computer sector, it behooves Apple to keep one of their few cash cows healthy. Another uncertainty regards MS's Zune player's future functionality. If MS overcomes its fairly 'proprietary" approach and makes Zune compatible with other players'”not to mention if were to incorporate compatibility and utilized such popular networks as Napster and Rhapsody'”then such an ambitious undertaking might take a bite out of Apple. Otherwise, whatever immediate competition Sandisk's Sansa may have offered, it is not expected to become a hit, due to lacking the 'seamlessness" of the iPod experience.
Source: C|net
