Choose the right expert at the right price, anytime day or night, at PC World Expert Help . AOL Unlikely to Dump Media Player Internet giant more likely to support both Windows Media and RealNetworks software, analysts say. Despite speculation this week that America Online would trade in RealNetworks' RealPlayer for Microsoft's competing product, analysts say it's unlikely that either media player will be left sitting on the bench. Rumors that negotiations between AOL and Microsoft would end with RealNetworks left out in the cold sent RealNetworks' stock diving nearly 20 percent Tuesday. Analysts say, however, that while RealNetworks may lose its exclusive contract with AOL, the mammoth Internet service provider is not looking to exclude the company, given the amount of Web content formatted to RealNetworks' media player .
Most users have both, and their choices are largely determined by the media they want to play back.
I think it makes sense to have deals with both of these guys. Meanwhile, AOL spokesperson Jim Whitney denies that the company is swapping players. Industry watchers have been awaiting news on the companies' negotiations since AOL's contract to support Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser ran out last January Although AOL owns rival browser Netscape, the ISP signed a contract to exclusively support IE in turn for being packaged into the Windows operating systems. But with Microsoft's Windows XP set to hit the market soon, industry watchers are wondering if Microsoft is going to ask more of AOL in exchange for being included in its much ballyhooed new software. Sources close to AOL confirmed Wednesday that they have been in close talks with Microsoft recently but say that no deals have been hammered out.