The Zune has officially been laid to rest. Zune, you know Zune, right? No? That’s precisely why its being “put down” as you read this. I can’t say that this will be a sad story or that many will mourn but for the very few of you that have grown to know and love the Zune I do believe it’s time for you to say your goodbye’s. For those of you (likely majority of you) who are completely oblivious as to what a Zune is, in a nutshell the Zune was Windows stab at the iPod.
Zune launched in November 2006 with great hopes of competing with (an ultimately beating out) Apple’s iPod. Sales from the Zune proved to be average, at best, but never came even remotely close to being a sufficient iPod competitor. Zune was separated into software and hardware divisions back in 2009 in an attempt better target the platform but this was obviously to no avail.
As reported today, Microsoft plans to discontinue the Zune video and music player but Zune software will remain available on the Windows platform as desktop software and it will be featured into the Windows Phone 7 and will focus heavily on smartphones. The production of the Zune has now ceased and when the last Zune is off the shelf the Zune device will be gone forever.
Microsoft has been pretty mum about the extinction of the Zune but those of us who have seen products come and go before know what’s what. According to an email from Caitlin McCabe, a Microsoft spokeswoman “We’re absolutely committed to providing the best movies, music, and TV show experiences through Zune on Xbox, the PC, Windows Phone 7 and Zune devices. We’ll share more information about the evolution of the Zune entertainment service and Zune hardware as future plans develop.” Yea, yea, tell me anything.
I’ve personally seen one Zune in my entire life and when I saw it it initially received the alien treatment. What is this little ditty? I wondered with intrigue. Looks something like an iPod (yet larger), acts something like an iPod (minus the touch screen…at least on the earlier version), seems much like an iPod (with an off-brand edge) but this here is no iPod. Apparently my sentiments regarding the Zune were shared by most as it seems no one really grabbed hold to the concept of the un-iPod device.
The truth of the matter is the Zune wasn’t that horrid of a device. In fact, it had a few capabilities that the iPod lacked such as radio reception and the ability to play high definition video to televisions. So, what was it about the Zune that just couldn’t catch on, you wonder? My guess is that nothing about it screamed “you can’t live without me.” Outside of minor details the Zune showed no proof of being better than the iPod, it had a Windows-only requirement and it wasn’t offered at a noticeably cheaper price. If I have the choice between a Mercedes and a Honda equipped with most of the same features and ultimately priced the same I’m going to go for the Mercedes but that’s just me. Apparently, it’s you too.
Well, that’s it. R.I.P Microsoft Zune—Gone and Forgotten.
7 Comments
In my opinion, the Zune really won’t be missed, it seems as if Apple has the “magic touch” when it comes to their products, whether it be Ipods or computers. Apple’s brand awarenes is so strong, that people tend to call any mp3 player an “Ipod” even if it isn’t one. Microsoft lost the race before it even startedwith the Zune, can we say do-over???
You can say that again! I just don’t know what they’d do at this point. At the risk of sounding pessimistic I’d say Microsoft (or any other company at this point) shouldn’t even try. Just let it go and walk away.
Uhm….I disagree! I for one will indeed miss the Zune!
@Christian_Tisby yes! and i hate it when people do that :/ its much like the playstation, last generation of gaming everyone called any game console (weather it be xbox PS2 or Gamecube [or any other console for that matter]) they called it a playstation, that’s lacking “tech-intellect” at its best and the big names are what kids want because other kids have them. it started with apple fetish parents that bought EVERYTHING that came out by apple and when it got to the children via ipods it spread like a disease. i have owned 2 Zunes and the description here is just plain faulty the early Zunes had more features than the early ipod nano’s of the time and Zune was a little late on the HD (touch screen) but they answered none the less! honestly the devices are all the same in realistic talk, i got one initially to not be like all the kids who had ipods (just sayin) i will miss the zune, but i also feel that there maybe some kind of Zune/portable xbox cross breed in the near future (simply due to the discontinuation) there software sells great but you can (usually) only sell the hardware once, unlike the ipod where you have to CONSTANTLY buy the new one or replace your broken one. R.I.P Zune, at least for now.
Zunes are the best thing that ever walked into my life.
The zune software alone is killer and totally worth it. I can’t switch to an Ipod. but in the end Apple had over half a decade head start on establishing their name and product. plus apple had very catchy commercials….. so the zune is dead……sucks to be me
Zune originally had ipod beat in all aspects. The new touch pad on the 120 gb, 4 times the space for the same price at the time by the way, ruined the control. Never integrating a search and downsizing the hd’s were simple stupid mistakes, but I believe those simple fixable problems along with earlier advertising could have put a serious hurt on apple, as long as archos stays quiet and unknown.
Archos>Zune orig 120gb>offbrand>radio, at least it can tell me what is playing>nano
But its all good, now there is nothing to keep me from hating microsoft altogether
The zune had so much potential Microsoft just went in the wrong direction