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Microsoft Confirms Music Player Plans

Friday, July 21st, 2006 at 4:05 PM - by

In an exclusive interview with Billboard Magazine, which will publish the news in its July 29 edition, Microsoft's Chris Stephenson confirmed that the company plans to launch a portable music player, along with an iTunes-like service, under the name Zune.

Mr. Stephenson, who is Microsoft's new general manager of marketing for the MSN Entertainment Business, told Billboard that Zune "is the company's strongest effort yet to rein in Apple Computer's iTunes/iPod juggernaut, currently responsible for about 70% of the digital music market and 75% of the portable digital music player market," according to the Wall Street Journal (subscription required).

As previously rumored, Zune will be a self-contained system similar to iPod+iTunes, meaning that Microsoft will move away from the Windows Media ecosystem that licensed the technology to a variety of hardware makers and online music stores, only to see consumer confusion result.

The Wall Street Journal noted: "The ecosystem strategy worked brilliantly in PCs. But in music, instead of turning Microsoft's technology into the industry standard, the strategy has confused consumers with scores of different devices and services under different brand names that haven't always worked well together."

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A guest said: (hide)

Fri Jul 21, 2006 4:57 pm

Interesting I thougt all those analysts describing that such a methodology was bound to doom Apple's iTunes had gone quiet in recent months. Perhaps they now realise that the overwelming percentage of all non Wintel business is actually successful doing it the Apple way. Here's to MS hopefully not joining them.

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A guest said: (hide)

Fri Jul 21, 2006 5:10 pm

With apologies to Aretha Franklin, "who's zuming who" with this imitation system? MicroSoft has their work cut out for them, iPods and iTunes are firmly intrenched, some new autos have iPod connectors, headlines use iPod when they could use "MP3 Player". I am not saying that Apple couldn't be knocked back, but it won't be easy and MicroSoft better have something good. Hell, by the time Zume hits the streets, an Ipod will have cell phone capabilities and iTunes and the Music Store will offer full length movies for download.

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A guest said: (hide)

Fri Jul 21, 2006 8:21 pm

Will it have an FM tuner? If so I may dump my iPods and get a Zune

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dhp said:

member since 22 May 2003 with 182 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Fri Jul 21, 2006 11:57 pm

"Zune" sounds absolutely nothing like "Zen." Creative will be thrilled.

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A guest said: (hide)

Sat Jul 22, 2006 2:14 am

Bwahahahahaha!

Microsoft is in its death throes. Zune? Get Real - or better yet, Get Apple.

The chances of this 'zune' being anything but a total failure are slim and none.

Hey, Ballmer, you ape, its too late!

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A guest said: (hide)

Sat Jul 22, 2006 3:30 am

Guest wrote:
Will it have an FM tuner? If so I may dump my iPods and get a Zune

Sheeyaa! right! and you'll have monkeys flying out of your butt! Virus tainted monkeys along with a not so friendly interface!

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A guest said: (hide)

Sat Jul 22, 2006 10:12 pm

We live in a capitalist society. Money usually wins. MS can give away it's game console, and beat Sony or anyone else into the ground. Watch out Apple, MS will probably give away it's players below its actual cost, to drive out it's competition. Quality and inovation are not the only driving force in the market place

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A guest said: (hide)

Sun Jul 23, 2006 11:33 am

I doubt that MS will try a buy marketshare with Zune. The money in the iTunes/iPod system is in the iPod. If MS sells Zune at a loss how do they recoup their investment. Not with Music downloads. The profit in downloads goes to the Music labels. I see MS spending mega bucks advertising and giving away music and tie-ins with Xbox, Windows and whatever else they can leverage.

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A guest said: (hide)

Sun Jul 23, 2006 2:33 pm

well my take on this is that Apple has an advantage they can get mega discounts on the parts.

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A guest said: (hide)

Mon Jul 24, 2006 12:26 am

Quote:
Will it have an FM tuner? If so I may dump my iPods and get a Zune

...or, you could just add Apple's FM tuner to your iPod. Cheaper, better, faster.

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore?productLearnMore=MA070G/A

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A guest said: (hide)

Mon Jul 24, 2006 3:29 am

Oh I think the Zune-range will be a real contender; don't forget the built-in wireless connectivity (which this article for some reason omits...).

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A guest said: (hide)

Mon Jul 24, 2006 11:18 am

Guest wrote:
Oh I think the Zune-range will be a real contender; don't forget the built-in wireless connectivity (which this article for some reason omits...).

Assuming that the next iPod will not have this feature.

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A guest said: (hide)

Sat Jul 29, 2006 8:37 am

Look how well Mac OS X integrates wifi, now look at Windows crappy wifi interface. Or perhaps more relevant, Pocket PCs wifi interface is HORRIBLE. Typical Microsoft attitude, throw in a ton of features, all low quality, which all half work, in a half thought out interface. Yeah, thats going to be a real hit. Sometimes, quality really does win.

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Intruder said:

member since 07 Jul 2004 with 3149 posts, TMO Mac Specialist, send him a message or view his profile

Sat Aug 12, 2006 8:02 pm

topic locked after 10th spammer attack.

Spammers really should die a horrible death. Especially those who create zombie spambot networks.

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