If you do a search for “MP4 Player” on Pricegrabber.com, the search results return the iPod Touch, the iPod Classic, the Zune second generation, and many other devices we would call MP3 players. This is not a mistake, as searches for “MP4 player” on other sites turn up the same thing. So what gives?

Based on an article entitled “Chinese MP4 player” in Wikipedia, and research on some other websites, there seem to be two definitions of MP4 Player:

The first, the broader definition referred to above, refers to an MP4 Player as the successor to the MP3 Player. The MP4 comes from the capability of these players to play MPEG-4 video. In addition to playing videos, MP4 players may have extra features such as video games, FM radio, voice recording and even video recording. These devices are also more commonly known as Personal Video Players (PVP), Portable Media Players (PMP) or Digital Media Player (DMP).

The second definition refers to Portable Media Players made in China. The Dane-Elec Meizu 8GB Portable Media Player is a good example of an MP4 Player. Other (not so good) examples are the numerous cheap knockoffs of iPods made in China, and referred to as “MP4 Players”.

Frankly, I prefer the term Portable Media Player, simply because it is descriptive, and does not include a number which can (and will) be incremented. Yes, there are already “MP5 Players” and “MP6 Players“, and the occasional “MP7 player“. I gave up Googling these after finding the MP7 Player…

Posted on March 4th, 2008 by mervyn