Electronics maker Samsung announced plans today to create a new line of digital music players with soon-to-be-reborn Napster 2.0:
The announcement Tuesday was just one of nearly a dozen products ranging from mobile phones with tiny built-in television sets to huge TV screens being unveiled at the company’s annual showcase of new devices. The new Napster-ready device will be available in retail stores this fall, Samsung said in a statement. “Samsung is trying to do what Apple Computer has done with its iPod music players and iTunes online music store,” said Michael Kelleher, an analyst with market research firm Yankee Group in Boston. “Certainly if Napster can build itself up as a legitimate file sharing portal, then that’s good for Samsung.”