Wal-Mart Says $284

[Darius Wey]

<span style="font-style: italic;">&quot;Thanks to some vigilant </span><a wal-mart="" href="http://www.engadget.com/search/?q=" style="font-style: italic;">Wal-Mart</a><span style="font-style: italic;" nd="1"> watching by a friendly tipster, we've got a good idea as to the </span><a href="http://www.engadget.com/search/?q=Zune" style="font-style: italic;">Zune</a><span style="font-style: italic;" nd="2"> pricetag, though we're still no closer to a specific launch date. By the time we got to the Zune's product page, the pricing info had been removed, but it can still be spotted in the MP3 player category listing at a lean $284 flat.&quot;</span><br /><br /><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/zt/2006/wey-20060919-zunepricing.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br />Earlier today, <a href="http://www.engadget.com/">Engadget</a> reported that <a href="http://www.walmart.com/">Wal-Mart</a> leaked the not-too-shabby price of $284. Microsoft still hasn't released any official pricing details, so the advice here is that until Microsoft spills the beans, take whatever figure you see with a grain of salt. ;-)

[randalllewis]

Now that the word is out that the Zune will not be compatible with any music store other than Zune Marketplace, the Zune could sell for $284 or $2.84 and it will be off my list. I guess I didn't realize just how closely Microsoft was planning to copy the Apple model. The reason I won't own an iPod is due to Apple restricting my choice of where to buy music. I won't own a Zune for the same reason. I frankly am amazed at how many people willingly buy into this lousy consumer model. Would you buy a DVD player that only played discs from Blockbuster? We should not be allowing electronics....and software.....companies to get away with this.

[Darius Wey]

Now that the word is out that the Zune will not be compatible with any music store other than Zune Marketplace, the Zune could sell for $284 or $2.84 and it will be off my list. I guess I didn't realize just how closely Microsoft was planning to copy the Apple model. The reason I won't own an iPod is due to Apple restricting my choice of where to buy music. I won't own a Zune for the same reason. I frankly am amazed at how many people willingly buy into this lousy consumer model. Would you buy a DVD player that only played discs from Blockbuster? We should not be allowing electronics....and software.....companies to get away with this.

In my opinion, sticking to a single store offers a company (be it Apple or Microsoft) the power to design and customise a media purchasing experience that best caters for the average Joe, not the geek (and there are more of the former than the latter in a global community of music lovers). When you stretch it out to multiple stores, it gets complicated because there are too many UIs and methods to purchase music, as we are now witnessing with the PlaysForSure initiative. I believe this is the reason why the iTunes Store and Xbox Live Marketplace are so successful, and I'm sure the Zune Marketplace will be right up there when it's given the green light.

[Jason Dunn]

$299, in a world where the 30 gig iPod is $249, is simply too much. No one is going to pay $30-$50 more for WiFi, when, out of the box, it's of limited use. Microsoft has to sell the Zune at $249.

[Phillip Dyson]

$299, in a world where the 30 gig iPod is $249, is simply too much. No one is going to pay $30-$50 more for WiFi, when, out of the box, it's of limited use. Microsoft has to sell the Zune at $249.


I agree. The price has to be right for MS to make any kind of run. Especially during its debut.

Still I think the biggest hurdle they will face, is how to spring all of the iPod users from their captive format. Until they can do that, it will continue to be an uphill battle.

Also, assuming that Zune is compatible with Windows Media Player (and that is a pure assumption on my part), I'm sure stores like Urge will not be left out in the cold. While allowing for the "seemless" integration with Zune Market place.

[Jason Dunn]

Also, assuming that Zune is compatible with Windows Media Player (and that is a pure assumption on my part), I'm sure stores like Urge will not be left out in the cold. While allowing for the "seemless" integration with Zune Market place.

There's a lot of confusion about that now - as far as I know, the Zune won't be compatible with URGE or other online subscription services. I'm unsure about one-off tracks from MSN Music or other services....

[Damion Chaplin]

$299, in a world where the 30 gig iPod is $249, is simply too much. No one is going to pay $30-$50 more for WiFi, when, out of the box, it's of limited use. Microsoft has to sell the Zune at $249.

Hey, that's what I was going to say! :)

[Darius Wey]

Hey, that's what I was going to say! :)

So the good news is, we may see the Zune below $249. More on that shortly. ;)