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View Full Version : Microsoft Announces Intention to Acquire Musiwave


Darius Wey
11-14-2007, 10:20 AM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2007/nov07/11-12ProjectTunesPR.mspx' target='_blank'>http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2007/nov07/11-12ProjectTunesPR.mspx</a><br /><br /></div><em>&quot;Microsoft Corp. today announced it has entered into an exclusivity agreement around its intention to acquire Musiwave SA, an Openwave company and a leading provider of mobile music entertainment services to operators and media companies. The acquisition would bring Musiwave&rsquo;s relationships with music labels, device makers and mobile operators that deliver digital entertainment to consumers, together with Microsoft&rsquo;s Connected Entertainment technologies and services, including Windows Mobile, Zune, MSN and Windows Live. Should the transaction proceed, Musiwave would continue to operate out of its current headquarters in Paris.&quot;</em><br /><br />Microsoft could leverage Musiwave's strengths to give Windows Mobile, MSN, and Windows Live a little more media love, although with Zune being all the rage these days, it wouldn't be a huge surprise seeing it as the centre of attention here. We'll know more once the deal goes through.

USArcher
11-14-2007, 04:47 PM
It seems fairly obvious that this acquistion will accelerate the Zune launch schedule in european markets. I'm betting on a Canada and South America launch by early 2008 followed by European markets later in the year. My only concern with an accelerated launch schedule is that it could slow innovation on Zune Service/Firmware/Software. In what I consider to be another building year...its probably more important than ever that Zune gets a Spring Update in 2008. Adding the things that didn't make it in the entire rewrite and continue expanding on Wifi.