It's no longer a secret that Microsoft goes berserk when someone shows it an iPod, and not necessarily because it wants Windows Media Player to become the MP3 players' software king, but because more and more of those who get their hands on an iPod are starting to migrate towards Mac OS X, and this phenomenon has become unacceptable for the Redmond company.

So Microsoft has decided to form an alliance with major electronics producers, which are also bothered by iPod's success, like Royal Philips Electronics, Samsung Electronics and Creative Technology, and together, they will design MP3 players able to compete with iPod.

Erik Huggers, Head of Microsoft Digital Media Division, has threatened that starting with this fall, iPod will stop showing off its 70% market share and will have to face stiff competition from a new line of players.

Since 2001, up until now, none of the MP3 players that entered the market have succeeded to threaten iPod's leading position. Creative launched last month Creative Zen, which is able to play videoclips, along with MP3s.

Apple preferred not to comment on Huggers's statement, the Cupertino company only stressing that iTunes has sold 500 million songs and that it works perfectly with iPod.

Bill Gates not long ago said that for iPod this is the beginning of the end, now that Microsoft has launched Windows Mobile 5.0, hence, the company's obsession with the little player seems to be spanning on a longer period of time.