Will Apple Kill 360's iPod Support?
Microsoft and Apple are at each other again, this time over the right to play your music on your games console.
One of the interesting features of the Xbox 360 is its ability to stream music, movies and other content straight from your other gadgets. But recent a report suggests that the console may lose the support of the biggest gadget around: iPod.
Microsoft said this week that songs you buy through Apple's iTunes music store will not work with Xbox 360, thanks to digital rights management software included with songs from the popular online store - all other music is, however, good to go.
The reason for this collision of technologies is because Microsoft appears to have kludged a solution to get the iPod working with the Xbox 360 in the first place.
"We do not have an official relationship with Apple for the iPod connectivity," Microsoft's Scott Henson told tech news site CNET.
Instead, the company has used the iPod's ability to work as a USB hard drive to get songs into the Xbox 360. And now there are rumblings that Apple could kill this workaround.
"It would be unfortunate if that happened, because people are enjoying the flexibility," said Microsoft's Jeff Henshaw. "It would be unfortunate to see Apple inhibit people's ability to enjoy their own music."
Apple has so far steered clear of commenting on whether or not it will pull iPod support out of the Xbox 360.
Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games
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