This is great news for Microsoft. The Zune HD of course only has two models but clearly this shows there is some excitement for the Zune right now. How long will it last is the big question. Can Microsoft build off of what looks to be a little momentum for the first time in a couple years? Microsoft really needs to do just a few things to really have a strong presense in the market.
They simply have to have a larger capacity Zune HD. There is no excuse for the lack of a 64 GB device. That the 32 GB device is selling so well shows people are willing to spend more for a bigger device.
They need a small standard player. I know people who just want a little DAP to take to the gym. I have a coworker who won’t consider anything bigger than a Nano. And get this thing out in multiple markets already! Whatever it takes just do it. Sell your soul for it. I don’t know if this would all translate to success but I can’t imagine Microsoft really considers what’s happened up until now a success.
I ask for a massive marketing campaign to get even more people aware of the Zune HD, it's capabilities, and it's awesome software (as the competitor is well aware of and would like to assimilate). More sales of a sales-worthy device will give Microsoft the confidence to expand into other markets. Right now, the Zune team must have a hard time pitching big projects to Ballmer due to some unfortunate histories. Microsoft finally has something good in its hands, and with Apple's lack of improvement in the iPod Touch, the field could not be any more set for Microsoft to finally make good play.
This will be a great for Microsoft I think. After seeing the Ipod Touch 3g, I think microsoft has a real winner on there hands. No if only they can kick it into high gear with Windows Mobile 7 and the Zune Marketplace Integration.
When I was at work earlier today, a coworker (who didn't know about my love for the Zune) just out of the blue announced - "I'm getting me one of those new Zunes. It's my birthday present for myself."
As far as I know, he's not a strong follower of the PMP market - just an average guy who thinks the new Zune is cool and wants one.
As far as I know, he's not a strong follower of the PMP market - just an average guy who thinks the new Zune is cool and wants one.
Let's hope more of that happens...
That is exactly what Microsoft should be striving for. Regular people, not just online forum members, to discover the Zune HD and feel excited for it. There is potential, they just need to successfully exploit it.
What's interesting is that the iPod Touch is an afterthought of the iPhone development that has been wildly successful nonetheless. It will be interesting to see, if the Zune HD succeeds (which I hope happens), first, to see if Microsoft attempts to push the technology into a mobile phone platform and, if so, second to see if Microsoft will let internal politics get in the way of using the Zune HD platform to build a mobile phone, or if there will be an insistence on kludging Zune into WM (or vice versa?) I hope that they have the courage to let a Zune HD phone cannibalize sales of WM phones (because I really think that they would cannibalize sales of iPhones, WebOS devices and Android phones far more profoundly.)
Zune HD #1 At Amazon!
Linear Mode
