In a World Where Plays for Sure Doesn't Mean Microsoft - Unless It Means Microsoft

ATT/Sprint/Verizon
Coke/Pepsi/RC
Dell/HP/eMachines
McDonalds/Burger King/Wendys
iPod/Zune/Plays for Sure?

Let's put aside the Podcasting question for a minute.

Microsoft's lack of support for Plays for Sure can only come from 2 sources:

1 - Oops, never got the memo that these Plays For Sure guys exist. Does it matter?

or, my favorite

2 - Let's throw a bunch of technologies against the wall and see what sticks.

Could Microsoft have launched Zune without knowing (or caring) that Plays for Sure existed? Sure. They've launched Outlook Express in the past - that really has nothing to do with Outlook. Remember FrontPage Express? Remember when Microsoft had their own Java package? I won't even go into a Windows Media site for Windows Mobile that still is promoting Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (came out in 2005) and other great "new" movies (as new release, not video releases). The biggest screwup at the site - the wifi page that promotes Windows Media 9 for Pocket PC (which is only on the "new" Pocket PC 2003 devices). A) It's Windows Mobile now B) The 2005 version is out.

But I'm gonna go with the multiple strateegeries to see what sticks meme. There are lots of problems with Plays for Sure (as is with Apple's Fairplay system) that, honestly, can only be fixed with a "let's start all over again" approach.

And Zune's got some 'let's start all over again' things in it. The wifi to "share" DRMd music is interesting. The built-in FM transmitter is very nice. Shipping with content hasn't been done before (the U2 iPod comes with a certificate to download the content later).

Remember that rumor that Zune would offer to pay for / convert your iTunes purchased songs to Zune format? Wired magazine offers this wild speculation

Even worse, I predict a final deathblow: Microsoft offering a voucher program that will allow people to convert songs purchased from PlaysForSure stores into the Zune format. This would encourage non-Apple users to buy a Zune device and sign up with Microsoft's new service. Who knows, Microsoft could also offer to match collections purchased from iTunes with the same songs in the Zune format; its pockets are certainly deep enough.

Seems a bit far fetched, but if Microsoft is playing the online music game twice, it wouldn't be past them eating themselves for lunch.

Technorati Tags: zune, ipod, plays for sure, apple fairplay, drm