Sony planning to go against iTunes, Live in 2008
by Nick Doerr 
{ Dec 12th 2007 at 11:30PM }
The mobile phone deal is part of a three year plan, coupled with the persistent rumors of a PSPhone, making the date of April 1, 2008 a little something to look forward to. Stringer outlined Sony's next fiscal year a little like this: "PlayStation Network next year puts us in the direct line of fire with Apple and Microsoft," referring of course to iTunes and Live. He didn't say what was planned exactly, but draw your own conclusions from his quote about a dinner he had: "we had a dinner where the heads of Sony Electronics, [Sony] Pictures, Sony BMG, and Sony PlayStation were all at the same dinner table intermingled and actually communicating." Who knows. It could be any number of exciting things, what with all the different areas Sony covers in the electronics world.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
zeroteque @ Dec 12th 2007 11:46PM
Exciting!
Kenneth H. @ Dec 12th 2007 11:58PM
Sony....what the hell?? Can you focus on one thing right now please....you've barely got the PS3 on solid footing and your talking about going into the digital music distribution business...as much as I hate Apples and Itunes...I think they are pretty much the ones to beat there....and unless u got sum new fangled mp3/smartphone....I doubt that you're taking their crown...sorry I'm not sure the PSP is that great of a MP3 player...anyway Sony let's get focused at the task at hand....
ruibing @ Dec 13th 2007 12:31AM
Sony is a large enough corporation such that they can do all this. It really only makes sense for them to use the PS3 to link together their electronics and entertainment divisions.
Dahk @ Dec 13th 2007 1:02AM
Uhm... Kenneth, what do you WANT them to focus on right now? Do you wanna lay down specifics?
I think focussing they're effort on the Playstation Network right now is crucial, because that's gonna be the defining grounds between Sony and other platforms. Digital distribution doesn't mean MP3's dood, so even though the PSP may not be a great MP3 player, that's not the point.
Digital distribution is the marketplace of the future, which (debatably) Blu-ray might not even win over. So stepping into this area of the market right now is the way to go. They got a solid foothold on the mobile market, the home entertainment/home theatre market, so with that extra backing, they might actually be able to take a strong position. Not only that, it obviously fits perfectly inline with the PS3. The only problem I see is that the various Sony divisions haven't exactly been the most unified and so I'd love to see how this actually plays out.
If they can do it, all power to them.
Ed @ Dec 13th 2007 12:00AM
That guy looks like tom hanks...
ndoerr @ Dec 13th 2007 12:07AM
Sure is, and look how much enjoyment he's deriving from Howard Stringer's Sony product! ZOMG!! I thought it was funny, anyway...
paul @ Dec 13th 2007 12:01AM
that guy is tom hanks
Autopsy15 @ Dec 13th 2007 12:09AM
But, the real question is...who's the fat guy?
Organic_Shadow @ Dec 13th 2007 12:02AM
The quicker we get to 'all' content being on 'all' services the better. Digital distribution of movies and music is a big thing, yeah, but it still hasn't arrived full force. The more big names that launch their own services the better for all of us, because eventually exclusive content will be no more, and the only difference will be which service has the right prices and right functionality/features.
I seriously doubt it's going to be Sony-only stuff too. I'm sure movie/tv studios and records labels know what PlayStation is, and aren't going to sit around debating whether or not they should make the content(read: files) they already have sitting on servers made available on Sony's or not.
Zack @ Dec 13th 2007 12:33AM
What a coincidence that it falls on April Fool's Day! XD
Dehshizknight @ Dec 13th 2007 12:46AM
OMG, thats the greatest point made so far. How come anyone didn't see that yet?! Lol, this should be interesting...
adamantypants @ Dec 13th 2007 5:58AM
and here I was thinking I was the only who thought this could be the most epic April Fools joke ever.
Jander @ Dec 13th 2007 3:30AM
This is intriguing.
Pulse-Wave @ Dec 13th 2007 2:39AM
The heads of Sony Electronics, Sony BMG, Sony Pictures, and Sony Playstation all sitting around one table?
I know this story! They finally put their arguments aside for the betterment of all parties involved, then send the hobbit to Mordor.
This is about to get epic, I tells yah.
Pete @ Dec 13th 2007 9:44AM
Sony BMG already has music videos available for download...on XBox Live Marketplace. Guess they couldn't wait.
elephant_stone @ Dec 13th 2007 2:49AM
Is that Tom Hanks!?
That about the extent of my interest in this.
Tom @ Dec 13th 2007 2:58AM
Editors, please delete this rubbish!
RangerPrimeX @ Dec 13th 2007 5:30AM
Didn't Microsoft and Apple make the same claims the last couple of years? You loving your Apple TV, no? How is Live working on your mobile phone, not on it yet? Pie in the Sky dreams that may come true one day. Sony needs to perfect PSN first. How is Home working for you, not out yet? Well, how is the open beta, also not out yet? Well at least you got the Little Big Planet Beta, oh not out yet either?
Work on the foundation PSN first Sony.
Kspraydad @ Dec 13th 2007 8:01AM
Sony already had the product to distribute broadcast content to PC/Handheld anywhere in the world called Location Free. Apple and MS don't. Location Free tech could be added to the PS3 with a PlayTV addon.
Sony already has Mobile platforms (PSP and SE Phones) just like Apple and MS (Zune). Sony's mobile platform, specifically the PSP, already works as a mobile DVR in some countries. Apple and MS have no equiv product.
Sony has their own content. Apple has 'some' of their own (does Disney count?) and MS has none.
Sony is in your living room with PS3 and MS with X. Apple TV isn't.
Overall Sony is well positioned to make this push, as much if not more than some others.
KILLU @ Dec 13th 2007 7:28AM
wow, i just woke up, and i feel great, and now all of sony and alike are having mobster type meetings, and planing to kicksome azz next year, and tupac with a tom hank davinci code mask on, this cant get better, but it will.
Nate @ Dec 13th 2007 7:48AM
I think it's great. Get the power of Sony BMG and Sony Pictures together with Sony Computer Entertainment? That's some powerhouse there.
Kspraydad @ Dec 13th 2007 7:52AM
Nick, Andrew, Jem...someone.
Can you PLEASE somehow block the characters 'spymac' all in one line....and throw in an IP ban at the same time.
Cheers.
Life is like a box of playstation.
Byron517 @ Dec 13th 2007 9:28AM
LoL let the games begin!!! Let's see if this pans out!!
Tru-blu @ Dec 13th 2007 9:45AM
This will be great competition come 2008 and beyond.
Dru @ Dec 13th 2007 9:51AM
Thank you kspray. I'm so sick of seeing those spymac links and the people who link them that say nothing whatsoever concerning the story.
chris.westermann @ Dec 13th 2007 9:52AM
Sony has always been in an excellent position to actually excel in this area, its just been an incredible amount of stupid management decisions that has prevented Sony from excelling in online media distribution. There is NO other company on the planet that makes the consumer electronics AND the content that goes on them, and even if Sony only sells their own label, its a large library of top artists and movies. What Sony lacks is a compitant software division (outside SCEA), one that can make an online service work well and not seem like the afterthough that most of Sony's software services have been over the last decade. I might be in love with the PS3, but when it comes to Sony in this area, I will be its harshest critic. There is no excuse that Sony could not create the Walkman of the MP3 era (the device everybody wants), or the appropriate online services to support that digital walkman. Apple did everything right in the iPod and iTunes, Sony needs to swallow their pride a little and realize they have been beat and just worry about offering a good competitive service rather then thinking they are going to take over this market.
mafafu @ Dec 13th 2007 9:57AM
I'll believe it when I see it.
PostScript @ Dec 13th 2007 10:21AM
Sony is so funny.
They have already tried to compete with iTunes and failed miserably. I still have nightmares of their "Connect" software (from my nwhd3). They put a little bit of tidbits out there about an iTunes alternative and all the people on this site piss themselves. I am sorry, I have been a frequenter of this site for some time and I must say all of the responses are from brainwashed, will die before they admit Sony has ever erred turds (well not all of you). Please think critically here -- the likelihood of Sony creating a viable alternative to iTunes is like Sony creating a viable alternative to Live (in other words its just not going to happen any time soon -- if ever!). Now before you get defensive and say I am just an xbox fanboy, please note. I own all three systems (albiet I don't have much time to play them) and I have numerous games for each. I am telling you from an UNBIASED perspective, not to hold your breath here ... you will be disappointed. Oh and please refrain from comments in the same vein as "Sony is right because they are Sony". It really damages your cause.
AK @ Dec 13th 2007 10:43AM
omg i have all 3 systems too!
doesnt mean i'm not biased to sony...
Dahk @ Dec 13th 2007 4:10PM
Sony is right because they are Sony.
Actually AK is rather right. Just because you own three systems doesn't validate you as "unbiased". And you can't call him as the source of all stupidity in blind Sony following, he didn't even SIGNIFY any negativity. It's just you who is desperate of protecting your own "unbiased" view.
In any case, I'm not disagreeing with you - but I think Sony who's dropped the ball much from PS3, knows the feeling of underestimating opponents. If they can collaborate all the various divisions who are all relatively strong, I think they could really put this Playstation Network thing into place.
JJ @ Dec 13th 2007 11:04AM
I see your point postscript but dont forget, Live didnt just pop up magically overnight either, that was 4 years and billions of dollars int he making....all for what? a glorified P2P network.
Now dont get me wrong i LOVE live, and i hope (HOPE) Sony can come out with something to combat it, but even at this point with allt he ads on live and transactions to do ANYTHING (I need to pay for gamerpics?) you would think at this point they could waive the $50 a year fee.
So it is my hope that sony can get on the ball and do all the things their claiming because then, more competition in that arena... means more innovation and better overall usage for US, the consumers.
I mean whatever sony is gonna do, ISNT going to happen overnight and MS DID have a 5-6 year start on a unified service over them, But if Sony and its differing units can come together, i have no doubt they can come out with a GOOD networking service, and provide good content.
PostScript @ Dec 13th 2007 3:49PM
JJ I agree. I would love to see Sony pull a live type service together and for free. I hope that in the coming years they can get a solid direction and make it work. Realistically though, I can not see them even competing with iTunes (I don't even use iTunes). I just find that Sony is full of overly ambitious claims and they tend to under-deliver. I have learned to not get too excited. Personally, I would much rather Sony get all their games scaling to 1080i. That would make my holidays... as opposed to vague promises and terrible support. I like my ps3 -- I am becoming more and more disheartened by Sony as a company.
PS AK you are an idiot and validate my claim regarding blind Sony followers. You are whats wrong with Sony, they have customers who are unwilling to admit problems and so they never deal with the problems. Grow up.
HektikLyfe @ Dec 13th 2007 11:56AM
My My bets are on a February 31st release.
Tanya @ Dec 13th 2007 12:00PM
It's good to see that all the different divisions of Sony communicating with each other. They needed to intermingle all aspects of the company like yesterday. They've always had a problem of the left hand not knowing what the right one was doing, hopefully this won't be the case anymore. This is good news to hear.
ejamer @ Dec 13th 2007 1:22PM
Sony is making vague promises about something big for during the next year, but not giving any details or firm timelines? Wow, who would've guessed.
Seriously, this could mean that some very good long-term news is coming out for the PS3 next year... but I'll wait to see some actual results before getting excited.
(PS: Didn't we hear just a little while ago that PS3 is a gaming machine first and foremost? Whatever happened to that sales pitch?)
Jakob @ Dec 13th 2007 1:42PM
Remember Sony is a big company with many processor cores :D
B1gC72 @ Dec 13th 2007 2:49PM
great Sony. you have the vision, now run with it. no more broken promises umm kay? i dont know how much more my heart can take.
kentuckyfried @ Dec 13th 2007 4:40PM
Talk is cheap.
FooMasta @ Dec 13th 2007 10:59PM
It's gotta be part of Home I bet!
OTAM @ Dec 13th 2007 9:36PM
Hahahaha.
Brad @ Dec 14th 2007 2:47AM
This seems to me much hype about nothing.
1) Sony is a HUGE corporation, and it seems so huge that they don't work together. The CEO was all excited because the heads of the different divisions sat down together. Big deal. It sounded like it was the first time they had ever chatted as a group.
2) April 2008 is NOT the date for some phone release. It's simply the date that the next "3 year plan" will start. And it'll likely be as successful as Soviet era "5 year plans", if the reality-to-hype ratio of the last 2 years is repeated.
3) Media to be sold on PSN? I don't see that changing the world much, even for us Playstation owners. Sony has had the Connect service for years, and they've also sold MP3 players for years. I have nothing against selling media on PSN, but it's not going to convert me to buying songs to play on my PSP, or movies to watch on my PS3. (I do think that PSN needs to get some HD movies for sale on-line simply to compete with the similar XBox Live feature. But any movie I actually care about I want to watch on BD anyway....) Sony DOES need to make sure that any purchased video content can be viewed on both the PS3 AND the PSP. MS will surely add this feature to XBox Live at some point (i.e. XBox360 and Zune viewing the same videos).
Hey, I love my PS3 and PSP. And I actually use the media features of these devices as much as I play games (or more). But, I just can't get too excited based on this story...
jimmyink @ Dec 15th 2007 9:06PM
They have so much potential. Why they can't pull it together is beyond me. Microsoft would kill to have the sort of market coverage that sony, as a whole, now has.
At the end of the day the solution needs to be 'open' to allow other devices to receive this content. Sure it would be great to download all this content to your ps3, but what then? how do all the people with Ipods take advantage?
Wouldn't it be great if all the companies just got along... but thats not gonna happen.
Vibrancy univeres Buobele @ Dec 28th 2007 3:05AM
http://hi.baidu.com/thegzy