"The software maker plans to announce on Wednesday a price cut for its flash-based models. The 4GB version will drop to $99, the 8GB model will drop by $10 to $139, and the 16GB model will sell for $179, down from $199. Microsoft is also cutting prices for several of its Zune accessories. The cuts take effect on Wednesday in the U.S. and on Friday in Canada."
Our colleague over at Zune Thoughts, David Tucker, is excited about the price cuts that Microsoft announced yesterday, and even calls them "welcome news." You'd be hard-pressed to get me to agree with that statement. Microsoft has been playing catchup with the Zune since they rolled out the first version of it. While the iPod didn't launch as a great device (in fact, the first generation iPods were awful and expensive) it matured in a few years and took over the market. Microsoft's general attitude with the Zune has been "Hey! We have an MP3 player out on the market, too!" They underpowered the WiFi and embraced DRM in insane ways (except, of course, for their own DRM, Plays for Sure, which they abandoned) and tweaked the design a little at a time but made no major changes. The software interface is all well and good, but it's still, in the end, not an iPod which means you don't have access to the number one digital music retailer in the world.
I'm not writing this to bash the Zune, and you'll rarely see me write a post like this here, but this was one time where I just had to. The amount of desperation exhibited by Microsoft here is almost to the point of being embarassing and if they want people to think of the Zune as a first-class device, it's time they stopped acting like it was a second-class citizen.
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I don't know if I would consider it a move of desperation. IIRC, the Zune has been out less than 2 years and it appeared in a market that already had a clear leader. Microsoft had to realise that it would be an uphill battle from day one. I think this move is more to be more competitive for the holiday seasons - although I doubt it'll make a lot of difference.
(Odd, I don't think I've actually ever seen anyone using a Zune "in the wild". Oh they must be there - someone's buying them, but the presence has to be very tiny).
I have two iPods, but have been willing to consider a Zune except for the fact that it doesn't work with Macs. I realise the Zune doesn't need Mac users in the way that the iPod really needed Windows users, but still I've always lamented the fact that even trying the Zune isn't an option for me as a Mac user. And for Windows users using iTunes, it's also not an option.
But in the world of tech, one has to be always ready to be surprised. 10 years ago, no one thought Apple would be in their current position of strength. When the iPod first came out, I don't think anyone could see it dominating the way it has. So it's not beyond comprehension that the Zune may actually strike it big one day. I've just learned in this world of tech, there are no sure things. And I certainly don't see where a real major competitor to the iPod would be a bad thing. Given the relative immaturity of the Zune compared to the iPod, I'm just don't think we can count it out yet.
Of course, most of the big box stores dedicate as much space to the Zune as they do to the iPod, so market presence isn't an issue from what I can see. This price cut just might help to nudge the Zune up a bit...
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XBox 360 S, 16GB iPhone 4S, iPod Classic 160 GB, Dell Inspiron Mini 1018; Macs: Mac Mini 2.4 GHz 6 GB RAM; Macbook 2.0 GHz 3 GB RAM; MacBook Air 11", 24" Cinema Display
Our colleague over at Zune Thoughts, David Tucker, is excited about the price cuts that Microsoft announced yesterday, and even calls them "welcome news." You'd be hard-pressed to get me to agree with that statement. Microsoft has been playing catchup with the Zune since they rolled out the first version of it. While the iPod didn't launch as a great device (in fact, the first generation iPods were awful and expensive) it matured in a few years and took over the market. Microsoft's general attitude with the Zune has been "Hey! We have an MP3 player out on the market, too!" They underpowered the WiFi and embraced DRM in insane ways (except, of course, for their own DRM, Plays for Sure, which they abandoned) and tweaked the design a little at a time but made no major changes. The software interface is all well and good, but it's still, in the end, not an iPod which means you don't have access to the number one digital music retailer in the world.
I thought I heard someone talking about me. I think you're grossly uninformed about the Zune. There is nothing "Me-Too" about the device. With all due respect to the success of the iPod...they're as different philisophically as Apple and MS are. The iPod does a few things and does them well. The Zune team has spent the last 2 years piling on features and quite frankly, on a value basis, the Zune blows the iPod out of the water. As you said, the iPod took several years to mature. The general consensus on the current generation of Zunes is that it is light years ahead of where it was and a solid competitor for the iPod. That MS is dropping prices on the Zune has a lot to do with current economic conditions.
There is no advantage to being able to use iTunes over the Zune Marketplace as far as I can tell...my access to movie & video is extensive. If there's something iTunes has that I don't...I haven't found it yet. And the lack of subscription makes it a moot point. I own no music and have no intentions of buying thousands of dollars worth of music to listen to any time soon.
As for WiFi & DRM...the WiFi on the Zune is more capable than the iPods that do have it and DRM isn't any more or less restrictive than on the iPod.
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Originally Posted by Vincent Ferrari
I'm not writing this to bash the Zune, and you'll rarely see me write a post like this here, but this was one time where I just had to. The amount of desperation exhibited by Microsoft here is almost to the point of being embarrassing and if they want people to think of the Zune as a first-class device, it's time they stopped acting like it was a second-class citizen.
I'm not sure it will even matter responding to this. This is the Apple site so I expect to see stuff like this. But its not desperation. Microsoft seems to be fully behind the Zune with new marketing, new devices, firmware updates coming at regular intervals.
The iPod is the 300 lb gorilla. Microsoft can't compete on features alone. It has the features. But it has to outprice the iPod to gain ground. That and solidfy the bonds between the Zune, 360, PC & WinMo.
Huh? I am all for op-eds, but this is just straight-up M$ bashing.
Underpowered wifi? What does that even mean? What "insane DRM" are you talking about? What does "the number one digital music retailer in the world" have to do with MS's pricing? (as an aside, you do realize that this is incorrect, don't you? iTunes Plus plays fine on the Zune)
(Odd, I don't think I've actually ever seen anyone using a Zune "in the wild". Oh they must be there - someone's buying them, but the presence has to be very tiny).
I have actually seen them quite a few times but only very recently.
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Originally Posted by crimsonsky
I have two iPods, but have been willing to consider a Zune except for the fact that it doesn't work with Macs. I realise the Zune doesn't need Mac users in the way that the iPod really needed Windows users, but still I've always lamented the fact that even trying the Zune isn't an option for me as a Mac user. And for Windows users using iTunes, it's also not an option.
I used to think that too. But I do think it would behoove MS to support Macs if only because its used as a large knock in most reviews.
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Originally Posted by crimsonsky
But in the world of tech, one has to be always ready to be surprised. 10 years ago, no one thought Apple would be in their current position of strength. When the iPod first came out, I don't think anyone could see it dominating the way it has. So it's not beyond comprehension that the Zune may actually strike it big one day. I've just learned in this world of tech, there are no sure things. And I certainly don't see where a real major competitor to the iPod would be a bad thing. Given the relative immaturity of the Zune compared to the iPod, I'm just don't think we can count it out yet.
Very true. I thought Apple wasn't going to survive to see the 21st Century at one point and there's no denying they've changed their fortunes. Of course the biggest difference is for Apple, the iPod is truly what saved the company. The success or failure of MS doesn't depend on the Zune in any way, shape or form. The Zune is merely a component, though I think an important one and I think MS feels the same, of its growing ecosystem that they are currently tying closer and closer together.
There is no advantage to being able to use iTunes over the Zune Marketplace as far as I can tell...my access to movie & video is extensive. If there's something iTunes has that I don't...I haven't found it yet.
I think iTMS has more TV shows, although I believe the gap is shrinking. It definitely has a much larger selection of movies, and it offers rentals, which Zune does not.
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Originally Posted by David Tucker
And the lack of subscription makes it a moot point. I own no music and have no intentions of buying thousands of dollars worth of music to listen to any time soon.
It's too bad more people don't "get" this. It's a solid feature that is quickly written off. I guarantee if the iPod had it first, those same folks would be trumpeting its genius.
There're a couple things to consider in the Zune vs. Ipod equation. The Zune is ugly compared to the iPod and I think that really does matter. As mentioned above, I'd be willing to consider a Zune if it worked with Macs, but on aesthetics, the Zune loses big time and it's not something I'd want to show off for its looks.
Also realise that most Mac users aren't going to be able to be objective about the Zune just because they can't use it! But Windows users can use iPods.
Features are great, and that's one of the things that I find attractive about the Zune. I've often lamented the fact that the iPod doesn't have an FM radio - seems like almost every other media player out there does. Wireless syncing is another area where the Zune beats the iPod - I wish the iPod would get this feature.
But on a gut level, I think most folks buy iPods because 1) everyone and his brother knows what an iPod is and 2) the iPod just looks so much better than the Zune. I have seen this several times in stores where folks are considering choosing between the two and hearing "Boy, that Zune is ugly compared to the iPod" or comments along that line. As superficial as it may seem, looks do count.
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XBox 360 S, 16GB iPhone 4S, iPod Classic 160 GB, Dell Inspiron Mini 1018; Macs: Mac Mini 2.4 GHz 6 GB RAM; Macbook 2.0 GHz 3 GB RAM; MacBook Air 11", 24" Cinema Display
I agree that the Zune flash players need an aesthetic makeover. Personally, I think the new iPod nanos look ridiculous (curved screen? Is this 1985?), but I thought the previous generation looked much better than the Zune.
The HDD players look better than the iPods, IMO. Then again, it might be that I'm not able to get past the much larger screen and the much nicer user interface on the Zune
It's too bad more people don't "get" this. It's a solid feature that is quickly written off. I guarantee if the iPod had it first, those same folks would be trumpeting its genius.
Boy have you got that right! I've only been an Apple user for about 3.5 years (I didn't even own an iPod until I bought my first Mac) but the fanboyism among Mac users is, for me, one of the most annoying things about being a user of Apple's products. Of course, I saw the same thing when I was an Amiga and OS/2 user...
Personally, I prefer to "own" rather than rent my music, but subscriptions don't really matter to me one way or another as long as I can buy music and video. But yeah, you're right. If the ITS ever gets a subscription model, you can be sure that Steve will make it seem like the greatest thing since sliced bread!
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XBox 360 S, 16GB iPhone 4S, iPod Classic 160 GB, Dell Inspiron Mini 1018; Macs: Mac Mini 2.4 GHz 6 GB RAM; Macbook 2.0 GHz 3 GB RAM; MacBook Air 11", 24" Cinema Display
Zune Price Cuts = Desperation
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