More possibly careless rumours that Microsoft might be planning its own digital music player in a bid to take on Apple in the digital music space. Of course, to date Microsoft has relied on third party music player makers and download platforms to encourage consumers to buy and store their music collections in a Windows Media format, but the majority of music fans are still opting for Apple's technology, even though doing so locks those fans to Apple's hardware and music store.
The consensus is that the model where people buy their hardware, software and downloads from the same company is popular with consumers, despite the wider interoperability that model creates. There have been many rumours of Microsoft entering the market with an Apple style one stop shop (ie Microsoft players using Microsoft software and playing music bought from a Microsoft download platform), but such rumoured ventures have either been non-existent to start with or put on hold before launch.
But insiders say such a venture is now high up the agenda at Microsoft, with Robbie Bach from the company's Xbox division being touted as the person most likely to lead such a project. Those moves may or may not have anything to do with the performance of the Microsoft powered MTV digital music platform Urge - some insiders are said to be disappointed at the lukewarm reception the MTV download service has received since its beta launch last month.