Microsoft all way out to win in the iPod world

Slashdot It! Microsoft Corp has agreed to pay Universal Music Group a fee for each new Zune digital music player it sells when the iPod rival launches next week. Microsoft is trying to break into an industry closely aligned with archival Apple, which is credited with nearly single-handedly building the legal Web music world with its iPod players and iTunes music store.

But Apple does not give a cut of sales of iPods to music companies. It only pays labels for songs sold on its iTunes music store.

The iPod has a nearly 80 percent share of digital media player sales, and its iTunes music downloads site is also the dominant online music store.