Demand for portable MP3 players is booming, as more and more consumers get acquainted with their stylish form factors and digital audio functionality.

There is always uncertainty around Apple's announcements. If it is big news we want to be prepared. And if it's not we still want to be there because they are such a major player in the MP3 and music-playing markets.

This will offer Apple a way to test the waters for non-music video content, .

The portable MP3 player category has seen the most growth in popularity and Apple has been a very important driver of that.

Consumers need to be able to get music in a place that resembles an online version of a music store, where they don't need to know which artist belongs to what label to find the music.

This is still a very young technology and it will take time for the market to develop. But the bottom line is that people love music and this is an efficient way for them to get their dose.

Any company getting into this space needs to devote resources to categorize the artists they are representing.

The way Apple is approaching it is very smart. They're able to leverage the popularity of their players… and experiment with non-music video content.

Apple's history of innovative management, customer-friendly focus, and great industrial design would bring new life to the music industry at a time when it really needs it.