Battleangel

Via Dapreview. This is the American market share report for digital audio players for Q2 2006. Now that is just plain unhealthy. And looking back, it seems only to get worse.

75.6% - Apple Computer
09.7% - Sandisk
04.3% - Creative Technologies
02.5% - Samsung
01.9% - Sony
06.0% - Other (iRiver, Cowon iAudio, RCA, Archos, etc)

Interestingly, according to Apple’s zealous fans, it’s not a virtual monopoly as long as Apple does something. Curious that, because the very same people are usually found on top of soapboxes, berating Microsoft for its market share and business ethics. As it turns out, Apple is having its own little virtual monopoly and has picked up nasty habits that would make Microsoft green with envy.

Thankfully Apple doesn’t have this sort advantage on every market. As for the most obvious malady, one needs only look at companies going out of business or discussing moving away from DAPs. The end result of course is a limited range of choices for consumers — unless they fancy a future where choice is defined as either a pink or a white iPod.