Kent Pribbernow
09-13-2004, 04:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.com.com/Jobs+offered+to+let+Sony+into+iTunes%2C+report+says/2100-1027_3-5348969.html' target='_blank'>http://news.com.com/Jobs+offered+to+let+Sony+into+iTunes%2C+report+says/2100-1027_3-5348969.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"To counter Microsoft's planned entry into the digital-music market, Apple Computer offered to sign a strategic agreement with Sony, according to a Sept. 2 report in Japanese daily Nikkei Sangyo Shimbun, which quotes sources from Sony. According to the sources, Apple CEO Steve Jobs made his offer to Nobuyuki Idei, head of Sony, in January during a golf tournament organized by the Japanese company in Hawaii. Apple, it seems, was ready to open up its iTunes Music Store and make the song downloads there compatible with Sony's digital-music players."</i><br /><br />Now this is interesting; two companies known for their exclusive, proprietary natures, working together? Though a deal obviously never went through, this is exactly the type of partnership Apple should be seeking with other hardware vendors. Get AAC onto every digital audio player out there, or else Microsoft's WMA format will become linqua franca of digital audio.