According to DanceFrontDoor.co.uk the PortalPlayer chip used in the Apple iPod (PB5502B-C) is capable of decoding WMA (Windows Media Audio) by default. (but this functionality is obviously not enabled in the iPod)
Certainly, Apple's decision not to allow the iPod to play WMA-formatted songs has always been strategic one rather than a technical hurdle.
With HP's recent adoption of the iPod, there was some speculation that the iPod would support the Windows format, but HP clearly stated that WMA support was not planned. As well, reliable sources had indicated the same.
Wednesday November 11, 2026 7:51 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple has announced that the long-running Apple Support Community discussion forums for user-to-user tech support will be permanently closing on Friday, November 20. The forums have existed in some form for nearly 30 years, so it is the end of an era.
Effective immediately, the Apple Support Community forums are in a read-only state, with new posts no longer being accepted. The final message ...
Apple's chief hardware officer Johny Srouji is being considered as a potential successor to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang as the chipmaker's board prepares to remove its co-founder, according to Semafor.
Citing a person familiar with the matter, the publication identified Srouji as one of the people under consideration for Nvidia's top job. It is unclear if Srouji has yet been approached or...
Tuesday November 10, 2026 12:11 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released new firmware for the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4, AirPods 5, and AirPods Max 2. The firmware has a build number of 9B47, up from 9A348/9A350.
Apple has been beta testing the new firmware for the last several weeks. In a support document, Apple merely mentioned the new firmware contains "bug fixes and other improvements."
Firmware updates can be downloaded...
