"HP's blockbuster deal with Apple will have one exciting side effect, I discovered today. The company will be working with Apple to add support for Microsoft's superior Windows Media Audio (WMA) format to the iPod by mid-year. You heard it here first," writes Paul Thurrott in his daily WinInfo newsletter.
Second update: According to Wired, HP is not going to do WMA for its version of the iPod, but the actual quote says: "We're not going to be supporting WMA for now." This appears to leave open the possibility that it might do so in the future.
Update: According to a Microsoft press release, here, more than 500 different devices support WMA, and sales of WMA devices now total more than 4 million. WMA is also used by most music download services. Adding WMA capabilities would therefore give users a wider choice of download services and a much wider choice of compatible add-ons, including DVD players.
