Feuerwizard
April 19th, 2004, 04:43 pm
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Real Networks Inc. Chairman & CEO Rob Glaser urged Apple Computer Inc.'s CEO Steve Jobs to form an alliance against rival Microsoft Corp., according to a report published on Thursday in The New York Times online edition.
The offer to create a "tactical alliance" was made on April 9 by Rob Glaser, chief executive of Real Networks , in an e-mail message to Steve Jobs, Apple's chairman.
Mr. Glaser's email to Mr. Jobs was obtained by The New York Times from a person close to Apple .In the message Mr. Glaser asked Mr. Jobs to consider licensing Apple's Fairplay digital rights management system to Real Networks to permit customers of the Real Networks music service to play their digital music collections on iPod players.
Mr. Glaser also hinted that he might be forced to form a partnership with Microsoft to pursue "very interesting opportunities" if the alliance with Apple could not be struck.
Till now Real Networks and Microsoft have been head to head, competing against each other.
A Real Networks spokesman at the company's Seattle headquarters confirmed that Glaser sent an e-mail message to his counterpart at Apple, but the spokesman said it was intended as a private message. Apple refused to comment on the issue.
In his e-mail message to Mr. Jobs, Mr. Glazer said that he was reaching out to Mr. Jobs before making a move to switch camps. Mr. Glaser said he was surprised that the proposal had been leaked.
It seems likely that Apple which has got a huge head start with its iTunes service will refuse the offer. It is widely believed that Apple's refusal to license its Macintosh OS in the late 1980's contributed to the OS monopoly of Microsoft windows. Apple is running the risk of facing similar consequences.
Microsoft is trying its best to sort out all its legal entanglements so it can compete aggressively with Apple in the music market. It recently settled lawsuits with Sun Microsystems and with InterTrust.
Real Networks Inc. Chairman & CEO Rob Glaser urged Apple Computer Inc.'s CEO Steve Jobs to form an alliance against rival Microsoft Corp., according to a report published on Thursday in The New York Times online edition.
The offer to create a "tactical alliance" was made on April 9 by Rob Glaser, chief executive of Real Networks , in an e-mail message to Steve Jobs, Apple's chairman.
Mr. Glaser's email to Mr. Jobs was obtained by The New York Times from a person close to Apple .In the message Mr. Glaser asked Mr. Jobs to consider licensing Apple's Fairplay digital rights management system to Real Networks to permit customers of the Real Networks music service to play their digital music collections on iPod players.
Mr. Glaser also hinted that he might be forced to form a partnership with Microsoft to pursue "very interesting opportunities" if the alliance with Apple could not be struck.
Till now Real Networks and Microsoft have been head to head, competing against each other.
A Real Networks spokesman at the company's Seattle headquarters confirmed that Glaser sent an e-mail message to his counterpart at Apple, but the spokesman said it was intended as a private message. Apple refused to comment on the issue.
In his e-mail message to Mr. Jobs, Mr. Glazer said that he was reaching out to Mr. Jobs before making a move to switch camps. Mr. Glaser said he was surprised that the proposal had been leaked.
It seems likely that Apple which has got a huge head start with its iTunes service will refuse the offer. It is widely believed that Apple's refusal to license its Macintosh OS in the late 1980's contributed to the OS monopoly of Microsoft windows. Apple is running the risk of facing similar consequences.
Microsoft is trying its best to sort out all its legal entanglements so it can compete aggressively with Apple in the music market. It recently settled lawsuits with Sun Microsystems and with InterTrust.