Whats stopping flash drives from entering the mp3 player market?

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In summary, the conversation discusses the potential for further expansion of flash drive technology, specifically for larger sizes like the 8gb and 16gb flash drives. The main factors hindering this expansion are price and scarcity of high density large capacity chips. Currently, it is more profitable to use these chips in expensive cell phones rather than affordable MP3 players. However, there have been developments in smaller, more compact flash drives that can also be used as regular storage devices. The cost of larger sizes is still high, as evidenced by a 16gb flash drive priced at $1400.
  • #1
Ian_Brooks
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I've come across an article regarding the new microsoft zune's having an 8gig flash drive. If sony can make a thumbnail size 4gb flash disk - what's stopping this technology from being expanded upon to larger sizes? Wouldn't it be faster and more compact?
 
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Price and scarcety of high density large capacity chips.
currently it's more profitable to put them into $500 cell phones than $50 MP3 players.
 
  • #3
First, they already have. Those small mp3 players that just plug into the USB are effectively a flash drive, with a battery and controls. In fact you can use those type of players to carry regular files. Second, larger sizes cost more. About a year ago, I think, I saw an add for large capacity flash drives up to 16 gig. The 16 gb one cast to the order of about $1400.
 

1. What is the main difference between flash drives and mp3 players?

Flash drives are primarily used for storing and transferring data, while mp3 players are designed specifically for playing audio files. Flash drives have a USB interface for connecting to computers, while mp3 players often have their own built-in storage and audio playback capabilities.

2. Can flash drives be used as mp3 players?

While flash drives can technically store and play audio files, they lack the necessary hardware and software components to function as a dedicated mp3 player. They do not have a built-in audio decoder, headphone jack, or user interface for navigating through music files.

3. Are there any flash drives that can also function as mp3 players?

Yes, there are some flash drives that have been designed with additional features such as audio playback capabilities. However, these are not as common as traditional flash drives and may not be as user-friendly or have the same quality as dedicated mp3 players.

4. What factors prevent flash drives from entering the mp3 player market?

Flash drives lack the necessary components and features to compete with dedicated mp3 players. They also do not have the same level of marketing and brand recognition in the audio device industry.

5. Is there a demand for flash drive mp3 players?

While some people may prefer the convenience of using a single device for both data storage and audio playback, the market demand for flash drive mp3 players is not significant enough for manufacturers to invest in producing them. Most consumers prefer to use separate devices for each function.

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