I was just reading about the launch of iTunes for Windows Mobile. Rod mentioned on his blog that this could indicate a willingess from Steve Jobs to allow Windows Mobile devices to compete directly with Apples iPod.

One thing that is still going to prevent a Windows Mobile device competing with iPods is going to be the UI. iTunes is a great app and, done right, will beat the crap out of Media Player for Windows Mobile but the pda just lacks the simple user interaction that the iPod has.

I haven’t seen a copy of Windows Mobile 2005 so I can’t really comment on it, but I own an iMate JAM running Windows Mobile 2003 and it’s no iPod killer. I have tried (unsuccessfully) to use it as a player for podcasts and music and it is in a word “Hopeless” and I don’t believe that iTunes would change that.

If Microsoft want Windows Mobile devices to compete with Apple and the iPod they are going to have to fix a lot more than the just the software. For example, if you ’soft off’ so the screen is inactive in your pocket it stops playing.

I would love nothing more than to be able to use my JAM as a music player. But right now I’d go for an iPod every time.

It will however KILL the piece-of-crap Motorola ROKR dead!