Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Microsoft Targets iTunes Prices in New Zune Pass Commercial
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Here's the bottom line: do most people spend $180 a year on music? NO. I sure don't. So the typical consumer would spend MORE with a Zune Pass than they would buying songs a la carte in iTunes. Period.
Funny how this "financial planner" doesn't mention that.
Why do you think the record companies are so gung ho about subscription plans? BECAUSE THEY FORCE CONSUMERS TO SPEND MORE ON MUSIC THAN THEY NORMALLY WOULD.
The "duh" quotient here is off the charts. But then again, Microsoft's customers are idiots, and Microsoft knows it.
Funny how this "financial planner" doesn't mention that.
Why do you think the record companies are so gung ho about subscription plans? BECAUSE THEY FORCE CONSUMERS TO SPEND MORE ON MUSIC THAN THEY NORMALLY WOULD.
The "duh" quotient here is off the charts. But then again, Microsoft's customers are idiots, and Microsoft knows it.
Actually I do believe the Zune has become profitable, not just on music sales for the device, but for hardware. Even if it is not profitable in the short term, the long term plan might be 'hook' users on the device now, at a loss, so in the future they will choose a Zune rather than an iPod.
That's only assuming that they listen to the same amount of music in both cases. If you had unlimited access to a massive music library, wouldn't you go on a download spree? Fill in the albums where you bought individual tracks, try out artists you might have heard of but didn't want to spend money on, check out something totally wacky like Polynesian Alternative Polka.
And you know how record companies will really make money from this (even if they don't realize it)? People will find out they actually like Polynesian Alternative Polka and buy it. More access = more sales. That's why their revenues have only gone up since downloading started.
But you see Microsoft I like to own my music (well not own, thats the copyright owners job). I like to have it stored on my computer so I can listen to it at any point be it now or in 10 years time.
I don't want to pay a license to download a lot of music that I temporarily own.
I don't want to pay a license to download a lot of music that I temporarily own.
I'm highly doubtful of this.
Yep, that was their plan with the Xbox 360 too. "Lose huge money now, make huge money later!" Then their boxes started spontaneously combusting and Nintendo came in and kicked their trash to the curb with the "underpowered" Wii. Looks like the bait & hook strategy isn't such a good one after all...
No they don't have 9 to 10 percent marktshare, and they are losing money on the Zunes therefore they are "EPIC FAIL".
You guys should open your mind a little bit (just a little) and try to compare honestly iTunes vs ZunePass.
15$=
iTunes: 15 tracks, more or less
ZunePass: 10 tracks you own + millions of others you can easily download and listen on your PC/Zune
In conclusion: for just 5 bucks more a month Zune allows you to access its entire music catalog.
How this is supposed to be a bad deal? It's legal and pretty cheap. Here in EU I have to pay 3bucks a month for Last.fm (and I can't even choice which song to play or take them with me on my iPhone or other device).
And btw I don't get all this "ownership" issues, do you really listen every song in your catalog for 100 times? I'd bet that most people are annoyed after 10 times.
15$=
iTunes: 15 tracks, more or less
ZunePass: 10 tracks you own + millions of others you can easily download and listen on your PC/Zune
In conclusion: for just 5 bucks more a month Zune allows you to access its entire music catalog.
How this is supposed to be a bad deal? It's legal and pretty cheap. Here in EU I have to pay 3bucks a month for Last.fm (and I can't even choice which song to play or take them with me on my iPhone or other device).
And btw I don't get all this "ownership" issues, do you really listen every song in your catalog for 100 times? I'd bet that most people are annoyed after 10 times.
So why haven't all these other subscription models suceeded and taken over the market. People don't want to pay a monthly fee just to listen to music, if I want to hear music, there are numerous avenues to listen to music. This is why itunes is the top music vendor in the world.
This has to be the worst of Microsoft's efforts, it's lacking in so many facts it's unbelievable.
1. No-one would consider filling their 120GB iPod with ONLY iTunes purchases.
2. The majority of iTunes library's are made up from songs burned from people's own CD collection.
3. A lot of songs in peoples iTunes library also come from CD's borrowed from family members or friends.
4. The ZunePass might offer unlimited downloading for "just" $14.99 per month. However if you stop paying that subscription fee each month, any songs you "purchased" beforehand are no longer valid and don't play.
And, should people be inclined in such a way, there are "other" means of obtaining music out there.
A massively flawed ad from Ballmer and co.
1. No-one would consider filling their 120GB iPod with ONLY iTunes purchases.
2. The majority of iTunes library's are made up from songs burned from people's own CD collection.
3. A lot of songs in peoples iTunes library also come from CD's borrowed from family members or friends.
4. The ZunePass might offer unlimited downloading for "just" $14.99 per month. However if you stop paying that subscription fee each month, any songs you "purchased" beforehand are no longer valid and don't play.
And, should people be inclined in such a way, there are "other" means of obtaining music out there.
A massively flawed ad from Ballmer and co.
I don't typically but $15 in music per month, so the pass would be more expensive. Not to mention, I get to keep what I do buy.
As usual. Ludicrously dumb. Marketing that says "We think our customers are stupid, and we're telling them that in the hope that they are actually dumb enough to understand us."
"I'm a Mac, not a Piece of Crap."
As usual. Ludicrously dumb. Marketing that says "We think our customers are stupid, and we're telling them that in the hope that they are actually dumb enough to understand us."
"I'm a Mac, not a Piece of Crap."
I can't believe you guys have never seen a Zune 'in the wild.' I mean I probably see 10 iPods for every Zune, but I see a lot of Zunes as well. Must be a college campus thing.
As for ZunePass, I did not spend $180 on iTunes last year for music - but if I had ZunePass I would surely download more than $180 equivalent on iTunes - probably 10 times that actually.
As for ZunePass, I did not spend $180 on iTunes last year for music - but if I had ZunePass I would surely download more than $180 equivalent on iTunes - probably 10 times that actually.
Agreed you probably would. But you would be downloading a lot of junk you probably wouldn't listen to often or for long just because you could. The purchase model tends to keep your buying to what you really like and want, and yet the song v album model also lets you get what's hot and sample new artists without buying whole CDs only to find out they suck.
That's the plan with all console manufacturers, sell the console at an initial loss and generate a profit from the royalty on games sold and eventually the hardware becomes profitable. The Wii is the first time a console has been sold making a profit from the get go because it's "underpowered". But realistically speaking most profit comes from the games sold rather than the hardware. Either way its a win/win for the consumer.
No they don't have 9 to 10 percent marktshare, and they are losing money on the Zunes therefore they are "EPIC FAIL".
Ah I see. I like the part where you disputed the facts with your opinion and came to a logical conclusion, how very intelligent of you.
I personally have never seen a Zune in "the wild" here in Glasgow, and I've never seen one for sale in the high street electronics stores like Currys.
Everywhere you look it's white earphones and iPods, and even the term "MP3 player" has been replaced across the world with the term "iPod", just as Coca Cola is the common term for Cola, even if it's Pepsi on sale people will ask for a Coke.
The brand has sunk into the publics subconscious, and the Zune has absolutely zero chance of denting its popularity or market share.
Agreed, but I would also find more music that I enjoyed. I am not saying that I would want that, because at this point in my life I would not want to be tied down to the monthly fee - but it definitely has its advantages as well as its disadvantages.
Most of the music I listen to comes from free, not copyrighted releases also. If it did not, the ZunePass may be even more appealing.
No doubt, I definitely agree with all of that. I do not see them as a threat to the iPod, I just see them around.
Just wanted to point out that's probably because the Zune is only on sale in the USA and Canada.
Ah right, I honestly didn't know that ... I just assumed it was a product available worldwide, like the iPod.
True what they say then, you learn something every day!
Wow. I am at a complete and total loss for words.
Microsoft, you DID NOT just repeat the same ignorant line that I hear from customers at work, did you? Yes, you did.
I've had multiple customers ask me to explain to them how to use iTunes. When they saw that the iPod classic can hold 30,000 songs, they freaked out because they thought it'd cost $30,000.
Now, this ad was not only Microsoft's most asinine of all, but it seems that they're also being deceptive. Zune Pass customers are renting the tracks, not owning them, and they're still DRM'd when the iTunes Store is 100% DRM-free.
Microsoft is giving us an almost-daily reminder of how much they suck. Just keep it up, Redmond, it all has to come to an end eventually.
And now, for the wisdom of other fellow MR members:
+3.