At a time when the Apple iPod controls more than 70 percent of the MP3 player market and continues to rack up strong sales numbers, it seems like every other company is simply fighting for second place. One such company is Microsoft, which bravely entered an already crowded market knowing its main foe has a strong following of dedicated loyalists.
"Zune is about having a choice. With Zune you can customize the back of the player with laser etching, you can pick your own background image on the player, you can listen to the radio without an add on and for the price of one CD a month you can have access to millions of tracks," a Microsoft spokesman told CDFreaks. "You can also share the music you listen to on your PC and your Zune player with friends in the Zune Social online music community, MySpace and FaceBook."
Twenty months into the Zune effort, Microsoft is pleased with the MP3 player’s success, and has had to squash unconfirmed rumours it planned to pull the Zune from store shelves.
NPD data indicates the Zune has the number two position in the market among HDD MP3 players and is selling decently in the flash sector also. The Zune is said to be meeting all internal sales projections and has exceeded expectations since it was first launched.
The main differences between the Zune and the iPod are the following features: a wireless sync feature, social ability to listen and share music to other Zune listeners close by, software some users find easier to use than Apple iTunes, and a built-in FM radio.
"Zune is not fading away and again, we are pleased with our progress against an entrenched competitor (Apple)," Microsoft said. "Zune is a long term investment for Microsoft. Today there is much focus on the stand alone portable media player. But if you look across the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft you can see how, in the not too distant future, a customer’s entertainment experience could flow across the PC, Xbox, mobile phones and automotive."
While nothing specific has been announced by Microsoft, the company said it is not done in the MP3 player market, and consumers should keep their eyes on Zune.
11 Comments
- guest
- Posts: 15288
- Posted on: 04 Aug 08 19:17
...and I think the consumer has spoken.
BTW-since when has Microsoft been concerned about giving anyone a choice? This sounds like marketspeak to me. So the wireless "feature" only works with folks that have a Zune as well. Some choice. Good luck running into someone within range of your Zune that wants to "squirt" you a tune. Nice bit of hobbling there Microsoft! This is why thier stuff doesn't sell. You pay for a tech feature, like wireless, but they hobble it to try and lock you in to their product line. So people choose to buy something else.
- guest
- Posts: 15288
- Posted on: 04 Aug 08 23:53
Crabbyappleton: Is there an alternative that lets you share music? They are trying something different then the earwax swapping iPod solution of sharing headphones. The wireless works for syncing too, which many find convenient. Microsoft lets me choose which computer I want, which phone I want, and which phone company I want. Some other companies don't. The fact that their players don't offer social exchange of songs doesn't make them more open.
The radio and wireless sync are great features. Apple should get up to speed on that, its something they have been criticized about for a while. Requiring an add-on for radio is lame.
- guest
- Posts: 15288
- Posted on: 05 Aug 08 18:56
No, but when you go by there later tonight,.say hello to your momma for me!
*rim shot*
- guest
- Posts: 15288
- Posted on: 07 Aug 08 13:48
Truth is, Zune can play up their features all day long and not make too much of a dent against iPod. I believe Zune knows that and so does Apple. For example, I hear iPod users (such as myself) always complaining that they can't remove music from their devices and put it back on their computers. Zunes allow you to do so... among other things not allowed by iPods. However, in order to grab even the tiniest bit of iPod market share, the Zune team seems to be trying to focus on saavy marketing and building good word-of-mouth. After all, considering how few features most iPods have, marketing is primarily what's selling them.
I wouldn't be surprised to see Zune slip into a distant, but respectable 2nd place once they go international. (Although, getting the rights to share songs between devices internationally is tough, which is one reason why Zunes aren't available as widely.)
Also, what's up with Mac support, Zune?!
- guest
- Posts: 15288
- Posted on: 08 Aug 08 19:08
Most popular headlines
Modders already fixing banned Xbox 360s (4)
- Thursday 19 November 01:02 by JaredNewman
- Game Consoles, Piracy
It takes a bit of technical know-how to modify your Xbox 360 for unintended purposes, so it's not surprising that modders have already devised ways to stop Microsoft's anti-piracy measures.
Warner starts DVD to Blu-ray trade-ups (8)
- Wednesday 18 November 00:17 by JaredNewman
- Movies
The problem with being a movie enthusiast and upgrading to Blu-ray is that you're stuck with an entire library of DVDs, but Warner Home Video is now offering incentives to help boost your Blu-ray catalog.
The Pirate Bay shuts down its tracker (2)
- Tuesday 17 November 21:57 by JaredNewman
- Piracy
The slow dismantling of The Pirate Bay continues, deactivating what was once the largest torrent tracker on the Internet.
Blockbuster to close additional stores (1)
- Tuesday 17 November 22:47 by Randomus
- Movies, Online Video
Blockbuster plans to close an additional 525 to 600 more stores in 2010 and beyond, adding to the 950 stores that are expected to close next year, Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter noted.
