By any estimations, Microsoft have failed to give Apple's iPad a serious challenge. Demand for the Zune player has led the company to finally reevaluate their strategy and shift focus to other devices. According to an inside source within the company who has spoken to Bloomberg.
Microsoft will now concentrate on putting Zune software onto mobile phones, such as those running Windows operating systems. The Zune software will let customers buy songs and movies and pay a monthly fee to stream unlimited music.
The Zune was introduced in 2006 and has since failed to sell in any vast quantity, in some circles becoming almost a joke product to mock. The Apple iPod still leads the market with 77 percent of sales last year and the Zune failed to even enter into the top 5 hardware players sold, according to the NPD group.
Steve Ballmer optimistically said in June 2006 ‘We can beat them (Apple), but its not going to be easy.' Over the next five years Microsoft would spend hundreds of millions of dollars trying to compete against Apple, with aggressive marketing campaigns.
Microsoft have declined to comment on their plans for Zune.
“We have nothing to announce about another Zune device — but most recently have introduced Zune HD to Canada via the Zune Originals store and remain committed to supporting our devices in North America,” the company said. “We are thrilled by the consumer excitement for Zune across many new platforms, including Windows Phone 7 and Xbox 360. Our long-term strategy focuses on the strength of the entire Zune ecosystem across Microsoft platforms.”
KitGuru says: Their last model released was the Zune HD, brought to market in 2009. A version with more storage capacity was released a year later.
I thought it was ok, but what do I know 🙂
What a missed opportunity, they really are just clueless.
I hate Apple gear, but I have a 160Gb Ipod – because it’s my only choice.
The UI is awful, hopelessly outdated, slow, stupid and annoying, completely unequipped to handle the 21,000 songs I have on it.
Any major company could bring out a competitor that could make serious inroads into Apple’s market share – any major company that isn’t run by idiots that is.
They couldn’t even get a good name for it – Zune… yuck!