Always Bet On Brown?

[Aaron Roma]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://johnfederico.brandbrains.net/archives/2007/01/01/the-great-zune-wine-wager/' target='_blank'>http://johnfederico.brandbrains.net/archives/2007/01/01/the-great-zune-wine-wager/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>&quot;Going back a few episodes of On Digital Media, I bet Ken and Chia-Lin each a bottle of wine that Microsoft wouldn&rsquo;t become the iPod killer that it&rsquo;s purported to be. Neither of them would take me up on that wager. So, I put it out to our listeners and one brave soul responded: John Wall of The M Show took us up on our bet, but he wanted better odds. So, if we win the bet, John sends us a bottle of wine but if he wins, we send him a case of wine. I even volunteered to road trip to the Boston area to drop it off.&quot;</em> </p><p><img alt="" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/zt/2006/wine-wager-010907.jpg" /></p><p>John Federico of the BrandBrains blog was taken up on a little wager he placed.&nbsp; His bet offers up a case of wine that Zune will completely flop, and not only will it fail to compete with the iPod, but won't even unseat current runner-up, Sansa.&nbsp; What do you think?&nbsp; Would you have taken up John's little wager?</p>

[NPrtmn4evr]

I really think that the Zune has a good chance of being a serious contender in the "non-iPod" mp3 player market, but it will be a long, long time before it will get close to taking over the iPod's spot (if ever). I thought I remebered MS saying during their CES keynote that the Zune was already #2 in the marketspace, but I really can't see that being true yet (or is it?).

Although, I must say MS lucked out with Apple just revealing the iPhone instead of an upgraded iPod. So this year the Zune may have a chance of catching up in the market for people just wanting a "standard" mp3 player. Had Apple announced just a touch-screen iPod instead of incorporating it with their iPhone, Microsoft would have been in real trouble.

So here's to someone getting drunk over this wager! :cool:

[cjhp]

I think it would be a pretty safe bet. However, if they are comparing it to Apple MP3 players as a whole and they must be if they are using Sandisk Sansa players as the silver winner then I don't think this is really a fair comparison. The apple line has a much broader form factor than the Zune line at this point. I would want it to be Apples to apples so to speak and compare the Zune to the 30GB IPOD video. I still think it has a good shot but it would be strengthened a great deal if they would add movies and TV shows to the marketplace especially if these will be part of the ZUNE pass. The sooner they do this the better, IMHO....

[Macguy59]

Apples iPhone release today just made it even tougher for the Zune to compete IMO especially when a non cellular version is released.

[NPrtmn4evr]

Apples iPhone release today just made it even tougher for the Zune to compete IMO especially when a non cellular version is released.

I really disagree. Considering the prices for the iPhone are $499 (4GB) and $599 (8GB), the majority of people are NOT going to buy an iPhone for an mp3 player. Now if Apple incorporates the touch-screen to a dedicated iPod, then the Zune will be in trouble.

BUT if Apple doesn't announce an update to the iPod this year (thinking the iPhone is the "new iPod"), then Microsoft could really come through.

[Macguy59]

I really disagree. Considering the prices for the iPhone are $499 (4GB) and $599 (8GB), the majority of people are NOT going to buy an iPhone for an mp3 player. Now if Apple incorporates the touch-screen to a dedicated iPod, then the Zune will be in trouble.

BUT if Apple doesn't announce an update to the iPod this year (thinking the iPhone is the "new iPod"), then Microsoft could really come through.

Wouldn't need to be dedicated per se just remove the cellular wireless from it and reduce the price. Don't know what affect that would have on iPhone sales though. Heck it's the same size as my Moto Q.

[NPrtmn4evr]

Wouldn't need to be dedicated per se just remove the cellular wireless from it and reduce the price. Don't know what affect that would have on iPhone sales though. Heck it's the same size as my Moto Q.

Well if they did that I'd like to see them up the storage space. I mean 4 to 8 GB is nothing for people who have a ton of song/videos already.