A few websites are running with the news that Sony is looking to create a PSP music store. The theory goes that with the eventual death of the UMD drive on the PSP and the potential integration of build in flash drive and added Memory Stick expansion slot, Sony is looking to turn the PSP into an iPod Touch competitor, much like the touch is competing with the PSP/DSi.
Although I dont doubt such intensions, there is one piece of this story that I reject and feel like everybody is missing. Why would Sony just create a PSP music store? Do we forget that the download service was truly born for Sony on the PS3? (we will forget Sony Connect and such). And that at last E3, the movie side of the PSN store was born. So why would Sony suddenly just limit their music to the PSP? I think that the PSP is part of the puzzle, sure but this should be a PSN Music service. We must not forget that and I know im beating a dead horse, but Sony is a music company as well. Plus, Sony makes many devices like their new X1000 Walkman that is designed to head to head with the iPod Touch. So why limit the reach of your audience. It’s not like there is a separate iTunes music store for the iPod Touch vs. other Apple Products. In fact, the potential success of iTunes is the story of, sell music at a loss, but make the hardware like AppleTV, iPod Touch more appealing.
Sony must do the same thing with their PSN store if they are going to survive the next shift in the electronic industry. Just like how the PSN store made its way to the PSP, the Music side must a PSN service that Sony equipment can will tap into. Not a hardware to hardware specific service. Plus, wouldn’t those who use such a service (consumer) but happier knowing such a service will work with 15 of their Sony devices verses 1? And more so, what better way to lure content provider by saying that we have a reach of 80 Million (PSP+PS3, but hopefully, much more Sony devices in the future) then just 50 million (PSP users).
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