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Microsoft decides to put its Zune player to bed
CONSUMER ELECTRONICS ALSO-RAN Microsoft has finally put its Zune music player out of its misery, with reports that the company will no longer develop products for the Zune.
Microsoft launched its Zune music player back in 2006 to compete with Apple's Ipod. At the time CEO Steve Ballmer said that Microsoft could beat Apple at its own game, a statement that seemed fanciful at the time and has now proven to have been simply laughably wrong. Bloomberg reports that Microsoft will stop updating its Zune player, concentrating on putting the software onto other devices.
Initial versions of the Zune music player were one generation behind the Ipod, while in its infinite wisdom Microsoft launched the device only in the US. Later versions of the Zune including the Zune HD had slightly better hardware but the only standout feature, the Zune user interface, has since been ported to Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 (WP7) operating system, leaving the Zune with no real selling point.
Microsoft had already split the Zune team into hardware and software groups and the last major model, the Zune HD was released back in 2009. It is widely thought that dedicated music players like Apple's original Ipod and Microsoft's Zune have had their day.
Apple, the market leader in MP3 devices, is focusing on its App Store powered devices, touting its Ipod Touch as a portable gaming device rather than just a media player. Just like with the Zune, the Vole is following a similar path to Apple, only years behind.
The problem for Microsoft is that, like with its Zune, its decision to concentrate its efforts on developing Zune software on WP7 devices comes after Apple and Google already have the smartphone market all but sewn up. µ
Tags: Microsoft
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Windows Phone 7 is the close cousin of the unwanted Zune, and a relative of the unpopular Microsoft Kin phones.
What is wrong with Microsoft?
Why does every portable or mobile device it has ever made turn to s**t? All of them have failed while Ballmer fiddled.
It is only a matter of time before Windows Phone 7 also gets cancelled, as its sales have been a disaster.
I guess I will have to go back to using my Kin, once I can get it to sync with my Vista computer.
If it's different hardware, a different name, and different capabilities then how is it the Zune relaunched?
It's not a relaunch of the Zune, the only people who would think so are M$ fanbois who don't like the idea that M$ is abandoning a product and it's customers.
Has anyone seen the dude with the Zune tattoo on his shoulder recently?
The Zune device is very good. The Zune software used to manage the music files for loading and unloading music files sucks. There is not one bit of it that is intuitive and there exist virtually no instructions. If Microsoft were to develop and allow the Zune to use an enhanced version of Windows Media Player, this product would sell like hotcakes! The WMP is a metaphor people understand.
They are killing the name because Zune is associated with negative press despite it being an excellent player. Second because its not compatible with all the apps in the marketplace.
Its a smart move unlike Intel that keeps re-releasing chips under the celeron name but still cant shake the bad reputation first generation celerons had.
The device will get a relaunch under a new name and based on the Windows Phone 7 OS minus the phone. It will be marketed as a portable gaming system first and as a media player second.
Its rumored it will use a dual core ARM and improved graphics chip over the phone hardware minimum specs.
Microsoft knows they cant compete as an iPod but realizes they can compete if they leverage their game console base.
While Apple fans will be dancing in the streets as a win. The reality is you have to stop a companies Income to hurt them. Zune was losing money. In effect Microsoft is more profitable in dropping Zune.