Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Microsoft's Zune - Long Term Effort

Zune name

I don't get the name Zune either...
I think a better name could be Xune,
no wait... Exhume...like, "exhume the zombie of a creative microsoft.

What am I saying!?!!?! Creative Microsoft!!? That's an oxymoron - like miltary intelligence!

And 3-5 years? Seriously man, I can appreciate you have to have a plan... but what about a little innovation and less copying. (have you seen the vista snapshots? Outright OSX ripoff) I don't understand why someone would say something like that. It's just pointless, from a marketing standpoint.
The subtext is: "We're unable to actually make money today or anytime in this decade - with this product - but dont forget to buy our shares."

Essentially, it seems like they're saying:
"We don't intend put our juices into this - ever. By the time, the whole industry is saturated with our worthless crap, and apple has come out with something else innovative...we'll have these selling for 15 bucks each"

Nevermind that in 3-5 years, we'll be dealing with the equivilent of a G4 that you can wear on your wrist or attach to you glasses... or for that matter to your tongue!
see link: http://www.livescience.com/technology/060424_ap_tongue_soldiers.html

I dont mean to cheer on the competition, but it would at least be nice to occassionaly have some.
 
competition is good

This news will hopefully inspire Apple to make the next generation iPods even more amazing. However, I don't see MS as the biggest threat to the iPod. I am much more concerned about mp3 cellphones with 4Gb flash (see e.g. SonyEricsson).
Apple needs come up with a revolutionary device that integrates an iPod with a cellphone and possibly even a GPS, in order to keep their mp3 marketshare.
 
Apple has done something VERY important with the iPod. They made it cool, especially among teens thru college-aged kids. Whenever I'm in an Apple store, it's very obvious just how strongly Apple is going after this demographic and I think it's paying off. Once Zune comes out, would you want to be the one kid in school who has a dorky Microsoft MP3 player? Sure, it will probably have more features. Just like those calculator wristwatch things. They are loaded with features too. That doesn't mean that 99% of kids would be caught dead wearing one.

Too many features can be a bad thing. I remember guy back in college... He always had the latest and greatest gadgets. Cell phone and beeper on his belt, you know they type. F'ing tool.

As long as the iPod keeps it's position as the "cool" MP3 player, they will be just fine.
 
Dr.Gargoyle said:
This news will hopefully inspire Apple to make the next generation iPods even more amazing. However, I don't see MS as the biggest threat to the iPod. I am much more concerned about mp3 cellphones with 4Gb flash (see e.g. SonyEricsson).
Apple needs come up with a revolutionary device that integrates an iPod with a cellphone and possibly even a GPS, in order to keep their mp3 marketshare.
Click to expand...


And when MRAM comes to the market - I hope Apple gets that first, it'll mean a HUGE advantage for whomever.
 
at microsoft the name they had to choose from were probably ipod killer or zune, and someone obviously chose zune....... what an idiot. it like fords new s-max which is reffered to as smack eg smacking ure kids...
 
Absolutely!!

Have any microsoft products ever been seen as 'cool'?! lol

Spagolli94 said:
Apple has done something VERY important with the iPod. They made it cool, especially among teens thru college-aged kids. Whenever I'm in an Apple store, it's very obvious just how strongly Apple is going after this demographic and I think it's paying off.
Click to expand...
 
bigmc6000 said:
$9,500,000,000 - that's just sitting around in cash with no long term debt. I think Apple's got plenty of "stamina"...
Click to expand...


31,100,000,000 is alot of stamina too, I remember when m$oft got in the gaming console business there was a lot of this talk, now look at them, they sell the thing for a loss. Now imagine if they did that for the zune, a 60gb video capable for $150.00. Something to think about.........
 
Applechild said:
It's too late for Microsoft - they are just riding Apple's coattails now, in a desperate attempt to create something that can compete with iTunes+iPod...but thats all it is, a desperate attempt :eek:
Click to expand...

Remember MS has a big pile of cash for marketing and windows install base is also huge. So this product will probably succeed in a way or another.

Is it gonna beat iPod? Who knows, but it will be hard.
 
I agree. I like MS strategy. They want to get their foot in the door and compete, then sell you all kinds of other ish. Look at the XBOX/XBOX 360, they may sell them at a loss, but with the Software, XBOX Live, and the Marketplace, they are making their money.
zapp said:
31,100,000,000 is alot of stamina too, I remember when m$oft got in the gaming console business there was a lot of this talk, now look at them, they sell the thing for a loss. Now imagine if they did that for the zune, a 60gb video capable for $150.00. Something to think about.........
Click to expand...
 
Apple's move

If the hints are any indication, I think Apple may be getting ready to one-up Zune before Zune hits the ground.

* iTMS has been featuring Woody Allen, M. Night Shyamalan, and a "Clerks 2" celebrity playlist since Tuesday. All three are related to current releases. iTMS had an exclusive clip of "Superman Returns" and a Brandom Routh celebrity playlist several weeks ago. (Fred Armisen from "SNL" had a celebrity playlist the week before "SNL" became available on iTMS.)

* Warner Brothers television shows were added to the store this week, so all but one of the major studios (Columbia/Sony) that make movies and television shows are represented in the TV Shows store.

* WWDC starts in 10 days. (I know; it's a developers conference and not a consumer conference like Macworld, but it's a major platform.)

* No new iPod so far this year, so it's about time for a new one. The previous rumors had been that a movie store won't arrive without a new wide-format device for playing video content.

* Recent rumors of book publishers prepping material for an iTunes bookstore, which would only make sure for a larger iPod device.

* Apple is running an iPod nano promo, which may indicate that they're thinning the stock. (A new video-capable device wouldn't be the nano, but Apple may want the marketing pop of reintroducing all of the iPod lines at once.)

I know that's a lot of random things to string together, but everyone knows that Apple will eventually launch a movie store and a handheld movie player. I'm just saying there's a lot of evidence that it may happen before Zune gets out of the box.

Also, Apple's new content announcement from E! Entertainment this week really makes me hopeful that Apple is working with Comcast to integrate iTMS with an HD on-demand service. (Comcast is the majority owner of E!) I could see an arrangement where you download a movie on iTMS and get to view it on an Apple-branded Comcast on Demand service.
 
bigmc6000 said:
Really depends on yoru defintion of success. Popularity wise it's been successful (360 is helped solely by the fact it's the only HD player out there right now) but as far as the stock holders and business men are concerned it's been a debacle - they've lost hundreds of millions of dollars in the XBox and have still yet to see a single positve quarter, financially speaking, since it's inception.
Click to expand...

News Flash. The 360 does NOT play any HD. They are working on an add on HD DVD, but it is not out. Therefore no HD. So the sole thing that the 360 is helped by doesn't exist.
 
Monopo-Zune

I'm curious. Are they really allowed to do this kind of stuff under their Monopoly status? I would think that, "Breaking into a market and losing Billions of dollars to crush your competition and former 'partners' while sustaining your product on your Monopoly money". Might be against some restriction they have. Am I just nuts or is someone asleep at the wheel.

As for their partners I think I'll be lining up for my lawsuit about now. Especially since I'm sure they have to pay to be "PlaysForSure" compliant, and may have shown MS their Software, Hardware and Music Stores in intimate detail to get that compliancy. In one way or another their money and knowledge in part will fund the very thing that MS will try to crush them with.
 
Spagolli94 said:
Too many features can be a bad thing. I remember guy back in college... He always had the latest and greatest gadgets. Cell phone and beeper on his belt, you know they type. F'ing tool.
Click to expand...
Almost everybody have a cellphone these days. Add a iPod to that and possibly even a pocket pc and we all look like that poor dweeb. I doubt toolbelts filled with gadgets ever will make it as a fashion statement.
As you said yourself:
Spagolli94 said:
As long as the iPod keeps it's position as the "cool" MP3 player, they will be just fine.
Click to expand...
IMO, Apple needs to integrate the "must haves" in the iPod, or they will soon loose the "cool factor".
 
Never too late.

Isn't that what people said when Apple released the iPod - its too late... Now look.

Applechild said:
It's too late for Microsoft - they are just riding Apple's coattails now, in a desperate attempt to create something that can compete with iTunes+iPod...but thats all it is, a desperate attempt :eek:
Click to expand...
 
Won't work.

While this could influence Apple's stock, the vast majority of America will never hear about it enough to remember it. All they know is that they want an "iPod", and even if Best Buy tries to sell them a Zune instead, they'll get the original.

However, Apple should try to combat it, because that's an even better way to make sure the Zune has no impact: make the iPod better!
 
Stella said:
Don't discount microsoft - they have money to lose for years in trying to get #1 for MP3 - slowly they creep up and overturn Apple - apple doesn't ahve the same stamina.

A long term commitment, not a short term thing.
Click to expand...

That's what worries me. They don't get #1 by being the best, they get to #1 because they can lose money for years and drive the competition to the ground. Look at the Xbox and Xbox 360 as a perfect example. They're still in the red, no a single cent of profit from the two consoles.
 
Why doesn't everyone copy the AACs from all of their iTunes purchasing friends. Have those friends authorize that machine, and then go buy a ZOOM or whatever. Let MS scan for purchased tracks, and then pay $100's in licensing fees for the one purchased zoon. Then, pass the zuun onto a friend so they can do the same.

Only available once? Resell on eBay and at least that is 1 less new one being purchased and produced. (Plus then THEY'LL be pissed they can't get all their itunes songs in zuun format for free, haha!)
 
kevin.rivers said:
The OP statement was that the 360 was the only HD player on the market right now. Which clearly isn't true. Upscaling isn't HD in my book. But that is me.
Click to expand...

I think the OP was talking about game play in HD. I've tried the component HD cable for my PS2 on my plasma HDTV and it's nicer, but it's only 480p at best, depending on the title. I use an upscaling DVD player that outputs to 1080i and though it is HD, it still doesn't have the image data of a true HD title. The only time I've been able to see REAL HD is through my DishTV HD programming--again, depending on the source--or connecting a Mac to the plasma and viewing Apple's HD trailers. You're right though, the HD content still isn't readily available.

Read a rumor about MS dropping the price of the 360 by $100 for the holidays to help combat the release of the PS3. That would put it almost half the price of the PS3!
 
jaxstate said:
I agree. I like MS strategy. They want to get their foot in the door and compete, then sell you all kinds of other ish. Look at the XBOX/XBOX 360, they may sell them at a loss, but with the Software, XBOX Live, and the Marketplace, they are making their money.
Click to expand...

Wrong. The Xbox division still hasn't made a cent of profit. That's with the Xbox/Xbox 360 and everything related to it.

rxse7en said:
That's not entirely true. The Xbox 360 doesn't play HD-DVDs, but it does upscale standard dvds to 720p. http://www.avforums.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-256882.html

Better link:
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/xbox360/physics.htm
Click to expand...

So what? That doesn't make it an HD-DVD player. And if you think the Xbox 360 is the only piece of hardware that can upscale standard DVDs to 720p, think again.

The only thing helping the Xbox 360 right now is the fact that it's the only next-gen console on the market right now.


Stella said:
Never too late.

Isn't that what people said when Apple released the iPod - its too late... Now look.
Click to expand...

Well, when Apple released the iPod, MP3 players were still a niche market with mostly tech-oriented buyers. Just like Microsoft grabbed the market in the early days of personnal computing and has the biggest share today, maybe Microsoft will have to be happy with a 10-15% MP3 player marketshare in 5-10 years.

MP3 player = iPod, just like personnal computer = PC = Windows these days.
 
Here is my take on this.

Apple has this market wrapped up. People don't know what an MP3 player is, they know what an iPod is.

Those who love the Zune are hypocrites. Everyone hates the iPod. Why? Inferior everything. Plus you are locked into the iPod/iTunes/iTMS and can't do what you want with your music.

Now, MS is doing the same thing. And everyone praises it. They are pulling the same add campaign as Sandisk was. Conforming isn't cool, don't be a sheep. If everyone starts buying a Zune aren't you still a sheep if you buy it? Not to mention they are dumping PlaysForSure, the DRM they helped build, and screwing tons of people who have bought PFS music already. Not to mention screwing their partners.

The fact that the will buy you out of iTunes shows what kind of game they are playing. They don't care about consumers, all they care about is winning. All I can say is they are 5 years late to the ball game. Good luck.

Also, it is slated that the big Zune will be $399, with a nice feature set including bluetooth, wifi, 30GB, big screen, etc.

Apple will release new ipods. If they will replace the current iPods or be a new product I am not sure. But we expect them to be the true video iPod. In which case it will have more capacity and the same feature set if not more for the same price. With the brand recognition it has already they will surely win.
 
Yvan256 said:
So what? That doesn't make it an HD-DVD player. And if you think the Xbox 360 is the only piece of hardware that can upscale standard DVDs to 720p, think again.

The only thing helping the Xbox 360 right now is the fact that it's the only next-gen console on the market right now.
Click to expand...

I clearly state it's not an HD-DVD player, nor do I say it's the only upscaling "player" out there. It IS the only game console that upscales standard DVDs at this point though.
 
Chaszmyr said:
This sounds just like what they said with Xbox. They want it to do something new, they expect it to be the next big thing, and it's gonna take a few years. I think once Wii is released, we'll see 360 take a market dive just like 360 did, and Zune may well face the same fate.
Click to expand...


surely if you look at it that way the ipod is in the position the 360 is in and the zune is like the wii.

however i really dont think microsoft will ever be able to compete.

they're fighting against a huge marketshare.
and ms will never be as "cool" as apple.

apple would have to do alot wrong to lose their position now.

as for microsoft calling it a "long-term project"
yeah...long-term like getting vista working?
 
rxse7en said:
I clearly state it's not an HD-DVD player, nor do I say it's the only upscaling "player" out there. It IS the only game console that upscales standard DVDs at this point though.
Click to expand...

And you really think this is a major factor for people buying a 400$CAD - 500$CAD game console?

Upscaling DVDs to 720p is something I expect from those 30$CAD no-name DVD players in about 6 months.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back