ALL THEY NEED IS THE BEATLES
On the eve of their plan to offer a digital music player called the Zune and a download service to compete with market-leader Apple, there is speculation Bill Gates and company have their eye on the Beatles to launch their product.
"Will Microsoft spend money to get . . . the Beatles catalog?" speculates Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter, who follows the company.
The N.Y. Post’s always on-the-spot Tim Arango reports that sources within the record industry say there are rumblings the software giant may offer to replace users' entire library of iTunes tracks by writing a massive check to the labels.
Arrango reports that Microsoft execs have touted the success of the company's Xbox video game console in grabbing marketshare from Sony's PlayStation as a model for their digital music and video foray.
Still, short of launching its own record label, Microsoft will offer the same music available on iTunes, unless it could lock up an exclusive deal with the Fab Four, who had been locked in litigation with Apple over the use of its name.
Other sources have denied the long-running rumor that Microsoft would go into business with the legendary rock band.
