Microsoft Kills the Zune

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
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Microsoft Kills the Zune


After a half-decade of wallowing in consumer indifference, Microsoft has finally decided to pull the plug on the Zune [http://www.zune.net/en-US/].

When the Zune media player rolled out in 2006, Robbie Bach said Microsoft intended to sink "hundreds of millions" of dollars into it over the next three to five years in order to break Apple's iPod [http://www.apple.com/ipod/]-powered stranglehold on the market. "We can beat them," CEO Steve Ballmer said in November of that year, "but it won't be easy."

But the Zune never found traction with the buying public and quickly developed a reputation best summarized by Late Late Show host Craig Ferguson, who said, "The Zune has all the features of the iPod except it's not as good." And now Microsoft has finally decided that enough is enough; no new versions of the much-maligned media player will be released.

Zune isn't entirely dead, however. Existing models will remain on the market and the Zune software will continue to be developed and incorporated into Windows-based mobile phones. "We are thrilled by the consumer excitement for Zune across many new platforms, including Windows Phone 7 and Xbox 360," the company said in a statement. "Our long-term strategy focuses on the strength of the entire Zune ecosystem across Microsoft platforms."

The company also announced that the Zune HD is now available in Canada through the Zune Originals store. Canada, however, appeared to be largely unaware of this development.

Source: Bloomberg [http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-14/microsoft-said-to-stop-releasing-new-zune-models-as-demand-ebbs.html]


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Stryc9

Elite Member
Nov 12, 2008
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So not all bad news, at least they're not stopping production so I still have time to find the money to replace my 30 GB first gen Zune that died last week.
 

Gxas

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Sep 4, 2008
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If I could get the Zune software to work with my iPod, instead of fussing with the hell that is iTunes, I would just be ecstatic. That being said, I am sad to see that the only large competition with the iPod is now gone.
 

HentMas

The Loneliest Jedi
Apr 17, 2009
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I´m from México, and thanks to "Zune" on the XBOX Live, i was able to see "Kick Ass" otherwise i would have never being able to watch the movie

i like Zune, but i hated the device, i think making it a full software to add into portable (or not) devices would be a good idea to go, hell, make it compatible with Itunes and you might have a fighting chance for the market.
 

Shoggoth2588

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Aug 31, 2009
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So wait...are you saying it's alright for me to get that HD-Zune?

I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did to be honest. Though I'm still glad I went with the 80GB brick a couple years ago as opposed to the apple thing.
 

Pariahwulfen

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Mar 23, 2010
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Gxas said:
If I could get the Zune software to work with my iPod, instead of fussing with the hell that is iTunes, I would just be ecstatic. That being said, I am sad to see that the only large competition with the iPod is now gone.
1000x this, I will never again go with an iPod because of what I once went through with iTunes, and I am very ticked off that there is no real competition to Apple now.
 

Ranorak

Tamer of the Coffee mug!
Feb 17, 2010
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Phew, I was afraid they'd stop the movie renting feature from XboxLive.
I use it quite often.

Never seen the device before, though.
 

Metal Brother

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Jan 4, 2010
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I love my Zune HD, but have been using it only minimally since I got my Windows Phone 7. It's a delightful piece of kit, but when I can have the Zune experience integrated into a killer phone, the player-only hardware becomes much less compelling.
 

Anton P. Nym

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Sep 18, 2007
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Andy Chalk said:
The company also announced that the Zune HD is now available in Canada through the Zune Originals store. Canada, however, appeared to be largely unaware of this development.
That's because no one said so in Canada. I know this because I was asking... I have a 16GB Zune whose battery is finally going after three (?) years, and was looking for a ZuneHD to replace it but as of last December there was no Canadian listing suggesting that the HD version even existed.

I'm sorry to see it go; I love the heck out of my Zune. (It's a pity we never got the Zune Pass here, which should have been their iPod killer. Unlimited streaming and 10 song downloads a month for $12? Sign me up, please take my money Mr. Microsoft Man.)

-- Steve
 

kmg90

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Jan 21, 2009
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Gxas said:
If I could get the Zune software to work with my iPod, instead of fussing with the hell that is iTunes, I would just be ecstatic. That being said, I am sad to see that the only large competition with the iPod is now gone.
tl;dr This news shocks me very little, the devices had very few games, apps and was slower in almost everything over the competition. The Web Browser was IE6 Mobile! so most web surfering is non-existent

long version
The Zune (Especially the HD model) was so half ass implemented, I do remember the hype that surrounded the HD when its GPU chip, the nVidia Tegra, was announced and predictions were tossed around that it was going to kill the iPod Touch, in terms of graphics and HD video playback... I'll admit i was kinda impressed to by what I was seeing the little media box could graphics-wise. But I shrugged it off as just another attempt at Microsoft staying with competition (barely).

The surprising lack of support and drive for a feature-filled device came last Christmas when my friends GF got a Zune HD for Christmas, when she told me that it doesn't have a built-in speaker I couldn't believe it, yeah I know they are never the greatest way to listen to music. Another thing that jumped out at me was the lack of applications for the device, only around 20 games are available from the Zune marketplace, with only one that I wish would make its way to the iPod (Audiosurf).

In the end this news doesn't shock me, they were barely keeping up with the other players on the market, probably to distracted with Windows 7 Mobile
 

uppitycracker

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Oct 9, 2008
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I dunno, I loved my zune (before my roommate lost it). tis a shame, despite how incredibly frustrating the software was (only adding songs that it could recognize/were tagged), it was the perfect MP3 player for me.
 

fenrizz

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Feb 7, 2009
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I bet this guy [http://gizmodo.com/#!318794/zune-tattoo-guy-legally-changing-his-name-to-microsoft-zune-is-clearly-insane] is feeling really, really smart now:

 

Macgyvercas

Spice & Wolf Restored!
Feb 19, 2009
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Good that they're keeping the software. I have a Zune 120GB that I like a lot. And I hate crapple anyway, so no iPod for me.
 

Quiet Stranger

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Feb 4, 2006
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Can someone please explain to me why no one bought a Zune or hardly anyone? Like that guy said, it did everything an iPod does but no one (hardly anyone) bought a Zune, after seeing what the zune looks like, i might go out and buy a pink one
 

ryai458

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Oct 20, 2008
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Scrumpmonkey said:
FINALLY. How did they ever expect to sell the things without launching them in europe? :S
Whats Europe? Is that a new state I thought we only had to 36.