Munster's viewpoint is broadly shared by Merrill Lynch analyst Steven Milunovich, who thinks that Apple need not worry too much about competition for the iPod shuffle.
Of the new Sony players he said, 'We believe these are likely to be solid sellers, but they don't support iTunes and do not have the cache of an iPod.'
He also believes that Apple can easily respond to any effect that subscription-based music services, such as Napster, may have on iTunes Music Store sales.
'We don't see a big impact on Apple because (1) we are not big believers in the subscription model where consumers pay indefinitely to listen to their favorite songs, and (2) if we're wrong, Apple can establish a subscription service with few barriers to entry,' he said.
He added that record label executives believe subscription will continue to be a niche market with the majority of consumers preferring to purchase their music.
