Apple iPod shuffle grabs over half the US Flash player market
Posted on 05/05/05 09:46 by Seán Byrne                             
Apple iPod shuffle grabs over half the US Flash player market

When a new company decides to develop an MP3 player, probably the first thing that comes to their mind is what features a consumer would look for, for example a large detailed display, easy navigation through directories, ID3 support, display that is backlit and maybe even FM radio and recording support.  Well, while some of these features may look to be key sellers, apparently that is not the case as not only does the iPod Shuffle lack all these features, it is so far grabbed 58% of the market share for Flash-based players!  This is up from 43% in February.

Apple still leads when it comes to hard drive based players, which has a 90% market share.  When it comes to online music services, 70% of all US music download sales come from Apple's iTunes service and to date Apple has sold over 350 million tunes over it.

Apple's iPod Shuffle took more than half of the US Flash-based music player market last month, retail market watcher NPD has said, by way of a report from Merrill Lynch.

NPD's stats put the Shuffle's share of the retail arena on 58 per cent, up from 43 per cent in February. Apple already commands the hard drive-based player market with a 90 per cent share. More than 70 per cent of all legal song downloads in the US are sold by Apple's iTunes Music Store, the Merrill Lynch client report notes, according to MacNN.

Apple surely knows how to sell its MP3 players, no matter what features it has.  However, if another company were to now release a flash based player that did not have a display, only had basic navigation and a volume control, I couldn't image it doing too well. 

Finally, even though other music download services aim to offer better features than iTunes, such as flat rate unlimited download music subscription services and cheaper pricing, Apple's share in the music download business has not really changed that much in the past year, for example Apple still had 70% market share of legal music downloads last April.

Source: The Register - Mobile Devices

Reactions
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By Wanon, Thursday 05 May 2005 11:09
Oh the pain! Why are these people so stupid! cry The only reason I see to buy an IPod shuffle is the be sterotyped as a rich (but not rich enough to buy a real ipod) dumb person. When will people learn?
By lui_gough, Thursday 05 May 2005 12:55
Well said Wanon - I seriously don't see the point for an 1/2 expensive crippled player made by Apple - I mean - not many people like MACs ... now pplz are running to the company that made them for their Portable Players loveit!!!
By bokkasrealm, Thursday 05 May 2005 14:38
I understand the argument for Ipods themselves but not for this rinky dinky little thing. Sony has a very similar MP3 player coming out with a screen on it! I think this shuffle has won over the cheapies, and the poorer schoolkids who can now say they have an ipod.
By Wesociety, Thursday 05 May 2005 16:37
WesocietyWow! That bubble gum can play MP3s????Stick Out Tongueclown
By un1337, Thursday 05 May 2005 17:02
honestly, i dont see how anyone could bring themselves to buy this overpriced piece of crap. more truth that america will purchase whatever u shove under our faces. whats next? turd flavored gum? just chew on the Shuffle after you pull it out of your ass. the worst part is the iPod Shuffle doesnt come with lube, you jsut have to bend over and take it from Apple. F*** PROPRIETARY DRM [Removed swearing]
[edited by Seán on 05.05.2005 19:31]
By Spitfire_x86, Thursday 05 May 2005 17:22
It's official. People are stupid
By Nila, Thursday 05 May 2005 18:29
Please dont insult Bubble Gum. I can buy a 1Gb drive, with display, radio and built in ability to record for the same price as this. Just proves what advertising can do - they advertise, they sell. Simple as! Alot of people still think mp3 player = ipod. They dont realise there are tons of them out there.
By Richteralan, Thursday 05 May 2005 19:26
Just as Wanon said, people buying ipod want in order to "feel in the group". At thie time, apple can release whatever stuffs and slap ipod logo on it and people will SURELY buy itdevil
By nytvd, Thursday 05 May 2005 19:38
nytvdapple could stick those 99 cent white earphones into a ham&cheese sandwich and sell it for $49.99. some idiots would buy it.
By jsr, Thursday 05 May 2005 20:39
I don't really understand why you think people are stupid to buy an iPod shuffle. Where I live, the iShuffle has a similar price than most other 1Gb MP3 players ($10 more than the Creative Muvo micro, $30 less than the iRiver iFT 899T), looks nice and is integrated with iTunes which seems quite useful. I understand a few people might need an FM radio but for the others the iShuffle seems a sensible choice.
By Thudmeizer, Thursday 05 May 2005 20:50
One word: iRiverH320 or H340 Ipoo need not apply..
By Richteralan, Thursday 05 May 2005 22:49
what I see many ipod shuffle users argued and justified their purchase is that: ipod shuffle they mostly use for jogging. and they don\'t need any fancy useless functions, such as LCD screen, FM radio..etc.. bahaha, that\'s so funny
[edited by Richteralan on 05.05.2005 22:49]
[edited by Richteralan on 05.05.2005 22:49] eh....where all those slashes from?? o.O
[edited by Richteralan on 05.05.2005 22:50]
By bokkasrealm, Thursday 05 May 2005 23:19
HAHA! A screen is fancy?
By keyn, Friday 06 May 2005 07:09
Sony NW-E507 will rule them all ... Wink cool
By btspm, Friday 06 May 2005 07:11
btspmWow. I can feel the hate. Is Apple personally giving you a wedgie for every shuffle it sells? If people want to buy it, then let them. People buy all kinds of sh!t for personal style or because it conveys a certain image. If the dumb blondes at your gym with the silicone ta-tas really like 'those cute little ipods', I would consider it an 'investment' and not an 'expense'.
By drpino, Friday 06 May 2005 08:05
drpinohere here!!
By CORRSA, Saturday 07 May 2005 01:32
YOU LOT NEED SOME FRESH AIR
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