That was the startling question posed by Brion Feinberg, a consulting analyst of The Diffusion Group (TDG), last Sept. 12.

Although forecasts predict strong growth in demand for dedicated portable music players like the iPod, it is my belief that we’ll soon see a telling shift in the types of devices that dominate this market, he wrote in the TDG site. Within the next few years, demand for stand-alone portable music players will peak and begin to slowly fade into the background; within ten years, these devices will be relegated to museum shelves next to the vinyl LP and the 8-track player.

And what will take its place? The mobile phone, Feinberg asserts. Even Apple is aware of this inevitability, thus one reason for rolling out the iPhone, he says. Yes, Apple will continue to introduce slight modifications and enhancements of the core iPod platform, but the iPhone represents the future of the iPod – just one feature on a mobile phone.

He even goes on to state how these tech-savvy Music Phones will dominate the market in the near future, thereby eradicating the need of a portable music player which no mobile connectivity to offer.

1. Simply stated, mobile phones make great music players.

2. Music phones are less expensive when compared to buying separate mobile phones and portable music players.

3. Convenience implies carrying one device is better than carrying two.

4. Music phones will be less expensive than stand-alone music players.

5. Outside the U.S., music phones are already dominating.

6. Flash memory continues to improve.

Although the ease of use and excellent integration of the iPod and iTunes are hard to beat at the moment, new mobile phone capabilities and improving PC music software such as Rhapsody are closing the gap, he says.

This might seem a tad brash for some people, especially after Apple recently released an enticing new iPod line. But the truth of matter is, mobile phones are slowly evolving into devices that allow you to do just about anything. The battle to determine the future of portable music is far from complete, but the long-term outcome has been squarely identified. The iPod is inevitably doomed, but not just yet.