Zune 'Social' Still Hard to Find
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The Microsoft music player's much-ballyhooed wireless sharing feature only makes sense if you can locate other users. But the gadget's earliest adopters can't seem to find each other. In Listening Post.
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(InfoWorld) - Microsoft has beaten itsÂ goal of shipping over a million Zune digital music players by June, according to a newspaper report. Robbie Bach, the president of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division, said it has already passed the million mark during an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle published Monday. The Zune has a 10 percent market share in the hard-disk-based music player category, he added. "It's a good start. It's not an overwhelming start. I'm not going to pretend it's some gigantic move," he was quoted by the newspaper as saying. The million unit figure bests Apple. It took the iPod 14 months to reach 600,000 shipments, but it was much earlier in the game than the Zune, when the market for digital music players wasn't so hot. Apple has likely sold around 25 million iPods over the same time it has taken the Zune to reach its goal, according to financial analysts. Microsoft has a lot more work to do with the Zune. Despite a better-than-expected start, it's far behind the iPod both in terms of number of users and popularity. Apple sold 10.55 million iPods during the three months ending March 31 and announced it had sold its 100 millionth on April 9 of this year. The company has also generated enthusiasm for the device through more than 4,000 accessories made for the iPod, including stereo hookups in more than 70 percent of 2007-model U.S. cars and a deal with Nike to use iPods with certain running shoes that collect workout information. The company also has its new iPhone coming out soon, a product Bach indicated Microsoft will not compete against directly with a Zune phone, according to the Chronicle report. Microsoft will continue to work with handset makers to provide software used in different styles of mobile phones, because mobiles are deeply personal devices, he said. "In the phone space, we're very comfortable with the model we've chosen....We work with handset manufacturers and operators to produce that web of offerings while still producing the same consistent software so people can get done what they need to get done regardless of which phone they choose," he reportedly said. The San Francisco Chronicle article can be found on the WebÂ here.
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Here's what CNET News.com reporter Ina Fried found when she went looking for Zunes to share tunes.
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Microsoft has predicted it will sell 1 million Zune devices in its first six months, a figure that would be more than Zune&#8217;s chief rival iPod sold in its first 14 months but a relatively slow start for the much-hyped MP3 device.
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Microsoft Corp. said yesterday it expects to sell 1 million of its new Zune music players through the first half of 2007. That figure pales in comparison to Apple Computer Inc.'s market-leading iPod, but Microsoft contends it would be a good start.
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(InfoWorld) - The first Microsoft Corp. Zune products will hit U.S. retailers in time for the busy Christmas holiday season, with a 30G-byte digital media player and a Zune Marketplace online service the first to reach consumers, Microsoft said Thursday. The details of what Microsoft is offering with its Zune product line -- which will compete with Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod device and iTunes software and service -- sound similar to what Apple already offers, with a couple of exceptions. In addition to allowing users to play music, videos and photos on a screen, the Zune player will include wireless technology and a built-in FM radio tuner. So far, iPods lack either radio tuners or built-in wireless technology. Zune's wireless technology will allow users to share songs, playlists and photos between Zune devices, Microsoft said. A user can listen to any song they receive up to three times over three days, after which they must purchase it from the Zune Marketplace if they wish to continue listening. The Zune Marketplace, like iTunes, allows users to purchase media and manage their own media libraries. Users can purchase music tracks individually or buy what is called a "Zune Pass," a subscription service allowing users to download as many songs as they want for a monthly fee. The Zune device will come in three colors -- black, brown and white. In addition to viewing media on the 3-inch screen, users also can customize the screen with personal photos or themes, Microsoft said. In another deviation from Apple's plan, Zune devices will come preloaded with content from record labels. Labels that are teaming with Microsoft to provide music for the players include TS, EMI Musicâs Astralwerks Records and Virgin Records, Ninja Tune, Playlouderecordings, Quango Music Group, Sub Pop Records and V2/Artemis Records. After months of speculation, Microsoft confirmed in July that it was developing a music player and service to rival Apple's iPod and iTunes. If other attempts to unseat the iPod are any indication, Microsoft will have a tough road ahead. Recently, Dell Inc.Â stopped selling its DJ Ditty music player on its Web site and ended development of its own line of music players. Still, iPod market share has fallen in the past year, leaving room for rivals in the market. At one point the music player had more than 80 percent market share by analysts estimates, but the latest reports give the iPod a little over 70 percent market share. In addition to the devices and the online service, Microsoft also will offer three Zune accessory backs that will be sold separately and will be available at the same time as the Zune devices. The Zune Car Pack includes a built-in FM tuner with AutoSeek and the Zune Car Charger. The Zune Home A/V Pack includes five products that integrate Zune with a television and music speakers: Zune AV Output Cable, Zune Dock, Zune Sync Cable, Zune AC Adapter and the Zune Wireless Remote for Zune Dock. And the Zune Travel Pack offers five products for traveling with the Zune device: Zune Premium Earphones, Zune Dual Connect Remote, Zune Gear Bag, Zune Sync Cable and the Zune AC Adapter. Like Apple, Microsoft also is working with accessory manufacturers to provide more add-on products for Zune devices. Among the companies with whom Microsoft is teaming are Altec Lansing, Belkin, Digital Lifestyle Outfitters, Dual Electronics, Griffin Technology, Harman Kardon and JBL, Integrated Mobile Electronics, Jamo International, Klipsch Audio Technologies, Logitech, Monster Cable Products, Speck, Targus Group International and VAF Research.ADVERTISEMENTMAKE SOA REAL WITH IBM WEBSPHERE PODCASTStreamline processes and maximize efficiency within a proven service oriented architecture. Take back control of your business processes with IBM WebSphere.
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It's not just about Apple's music players. Microsoft's Zune player also got a little less expensive today.
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(InfoWorld) - On the day Apple revealed its first Wi-Fi-enabled, touchscreen iPod, Microsoft's rival to Apple's wildly popular multimedia player got a little less expensive. The Zune device from Microsoft now costs $199, $50 less than its original price tag. Microsoft announced the price cut on its Zune Insider blog on Tuesday, a day before Apple was rumored to beÂ introducing new iPod modelsÂ at an event in San Francisco, which the company did indeed do. Naturally, Microsoft did not mention Zune's archrival in its blog post, saying that the price cut had been in the works for some time. "Itâs part of the normal product lifecycle, something weâve had on the books for months," according to the blog post. "We just got some research back and customer satisfaction with the 30GB device is really high (around 94 percent), and we expect even more consumers will now want to discover the Zune experience at the new lower price." With the new iPods introduced by Apple CEO Steve Jobs in San Francisco on Wednesday, that prediction doesn't seem too likely. The new iPod Touch that Jobs unveiled is the first iPod with Wi-Fi capability, one of the differentiators between the current iPod lines and the Zune device, which was launched with Wi-Fi last November. iPod Touch also is similar in look and feel to theÂ recently launched Apple iPhone, and features touchscreen controls that are making Apple's phone/multimedia device combination a hit with customers. In other bad news for Zune, Apple on Wednesday also has cut the price on its 80GB iPod from $349 to $249, which makes it only a fraction less expensive than the 30GB Zune. It also has introduced a 160GB iPod for $349. According to Jobs, Apple has sold 110 million iPods to date. There are rumors that, to compete more aggressively with Apple, Microsoft will introduce new Zune devices by the holidays with new features and form factors, but so far the company has declined to divulge specific details. There have also been hints from executives that an iPhone rival is in the works. Microsoft has said from the beginning that Zune is a long-term investment, and expects it will take some time before the device will be a worthy competitor to iPod, which has a five-year head start and Apple's brand power behind it.
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SEATTLE -- Microsoft Corp.'s effort to compete against Apple's iPod juggernaut will focus on the idea that people want to be able to easily share music with friends and others.
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PERSPECTIVE This week's revelations from Microsoft concerning its forthcoming Zune portable media player have been appropriately called a "non-announcement announcement." But analysts tell BetaNews there's still good reason to believe this bewildering new market entry could actually succeed.
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Microsoft's official unveiling of the Zune Thursday received mixed reviews from the tech faithful. While many seemed to generally give a positive nod to Zune's feature set, the Redmond company's odd choice of brown as a launch color seemed to grab the most attention.
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A slow sales start for Microsoft's new Zune music player means it is unlikely to be a threat to the popular iPod this holiday season, according to analysts.
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Microsoft said its Zune music player will include wireless technology that will allow owners to share songs and playlists easily.
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Microsoft announces release date and price, which means Zune will compete directly with Apple's 30GB iPod. Photos: Microsoft presses play on Zune
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Often forgotten amid all of the iPhone hype, Microsoft, too, makes a portable music player that is holding its own in the marketplace - at least for a first generation product. The company is now reportedly preparing a second revision called the "Scorpio" with an 80GB hard drive, which will join a new flash memory based Zune dubbed "Draco."
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InfoWorld - Microsoft has beaten its&#160;goal of shipping over a million Zune digital music players by June, according to a newspaper report.
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Microsoft's new MP3 player has a lot going against it, even without the iPod around. It's not cool, the DRM will be a pain and wireless sharing is just another way for people to lie to strangers. Commentary by Leander Kahney.