Firms prepare to face new iPod

Korea’s MP3-player manufacturers are bracing for the arrival of the new iPod, their popular American counterpart, by lowering their prices or adding new features to keep competitive. Apple Korea will introduce the iPod nano on Sept. 26, after it was launched it in the United States earlier this month. Apple Korea has been taking advance orders on its Web site for the 230,000 won ($224) 2-gigabyte model and the 290,000 won 4-gigabyte model. The former retails at $199 in the United States, while the latter goes for $249. The number of orders has been below the company’s expectation, but an Apple spokesman said consumers are more likely to buy iPods at online shopping malls, where they can use coupons and collect points to receive discounts on later purchases. As anticipation builds for the new iPod, Korean MP3-player makers are looking for ways to compete. IOPS Co. said its new 2-gigabyte model will be available for nearly 30,000 won less than the iPod nano. The new model is about the same price as IOPS’s previous model, which had only one gigabyte of memory. “We lowered the price to compete with the new iPod,” said an IOPS spokesman, adding that unlike the iPod, the latest IOPS MP3 player allows users to view video clips and digital photos on a liquid crystal display panel. Reigncom, the producer of the popular iRiver series, decided it could not compete with iPod in price, and is instead relying on a new feature. Early next year, the company will introduce its first portable multimedia player, which will include a 20-gigabyte hard-disk drive and Microsoft Windows. Cowon Systems Inc. plans to focus its marketing by advertising that its iAudio models are the only MP3 players that can play songs downloaded from SK Telecom Co.’s music streaming service, Melon. by Kim Chang-woo