Sony has revealed more plans for their own Touchscreen Walkman, a direct challenger to Apple's iPod Touch. Coming in either 16GB or 32GB models, this next-gen Walkman has features that rival and potentially surpass any music player out currently.
Previously, it was only known that Wi-Fi capabilities would be available to the new Walkman, but now an OLED touchscreen--which means crisper displays and less energy consumption than regular LED's--has been added to its roster. With things heating up before the International CES in January, this shake-up to the music player industry is expected to be well noticed.
Sony is looking to take full advantage of the popularity of YouTube by incorporating it into an icon displayed on the home page of the display of the Walkman, similar to what the iPod Touch offers now. However, the new Walkman is going a step further and allowing more synchronization between listening to music and connecting to the internet.
Sony Insider says that "Upon listening to an artist, you may click on the artist name and watch music videos of the artist on YouTube through Wi-Fi (WPA and WEP support included.) Additionally, there will be a YouTube icon on the main screen that will allow full access to the website."
While you won’t be able to get one of these new Walkmans this Christmas, you can expect some exciting news to be coming out soon from Sony from the convention in Las Vegas.
Touchscreen Walkmans
Sony's Retro Reinvention Challenges iPod Touch
Trend Themes
1. Touchscreen Walkmans - Disruptive innovation opportunity: The incorporation of YouTube and enhanced synchronization capabilities provide a competitive edge to music players.
2. OLED Screens - Disruptive innovation opportunity: The use of OLED touchscreen technology offers improved display quality and energy efficiency.
3. Music Player Industry - Disruptive innovation opportunity: The introduction of Sony's Touchscreen Walkmans challenges the dominance of Apple's iPod Touch.
Industry Implications
1. Consumer Electronics - Disruptive innovation opportunity: The introduction of Touchscreen Walkmans could drive competition and innovation in the consumer electronics industry.
2. Music Streaming Services - Disruptive innovation opportunity: The integration of YouTube into the Walkman creates new opportunities for music streaming services.
3. Display Technology - Disruptive innovation opportunity: The adoption of OLED screens in the Walkman opens possibilities for advancements in display technology.