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Microsoft abandons Zune media players in defeat by Apple's iPod

By Daniel Eran Dilger
Published: 04:30 PM EST

Microsoft's direct effort to challenge Apple's iPod, introduced in 2006 under the Zune brand, is being abandoned after a failure to gain traction in the market.

According to a report by Bloomberg, Microsoft will stop making any new Zune models and shift its focus toward incorporating its music store and subscription software into mobile phones. more...

No big surprise here but can we REALLY trust a report about a Microsoft product by AppleInsider? ;)

CujoSR wrote:No big surprise here but can we REALLY trust a report about a Microsoft product by AppleInsider? ;)

Well, there's this:

Zune Hardware's Dead: That's the Least of Microsoft's Problems
March 14, 2011
By Lance Ulanoff

Dear Microsoft: Manage your message or someone will do it for you. Case in point: the recent, none-too-surprising news that the lovely Zune HD will meet a timely death. Within minutes of the news breaking, stories and tweets flooded the Internet declaring, "The Zune is Dead." This was followed by people asking if everything "Zune" was gone or just the hardware. I assured people that the obvious answer was the hardware only, but is it that obvious? And why wasn't Microsoft out in front of this information?

Yes, the fact that Microsoft is giving up on music player hardware is bad news for Microsoft and good news for Apple, but it's up to Microsoft to stand up and explain its decision and strategy. In the absence of clear information from Microsoft, everyone else can and will shape the message. So now, even though most within the industry are quite sure that the Zune software and service, which lives on in phones and PCs, is in no danger, average consumers are no longer certain. They could at this very minute be making plans to switch to Apple, iPods and iTunes. more...

Took long enough LOL!

I was sitting there thinking to myself... "I wonder which band Zune was with?"

Fail.

Hey now, my old Zune 30 helped pass the time driving from Rancho Cucamonga to Anaheim every shift, and helped pass the time back stage when I was running early. Later, it helped with playlists at work when I hooked it up to the sound system.

My Zune 120 helps me block out people at work when I'm not on calls. It keeps me company on plane trips without a large laptop or DVD player to annoy my seatmates.

For the price of a CD a month, I've been able to download almost anything I wanted every month for as long as I pay the subscription fee, PLUS able to download 10 MP3's that don't have DRM that I can keep even after I stop with the subscription.

Needless to say, this I do mourn for. When this trusty warhorse is gone, I guess it truly is gone.

T

There's always eBay. Unless they become highly sought after antiques. :p:

And I wonder what this guy is gonna do with his tattoo?

LOL!

Double T wrote:Hey now, my old Zune 30 helped pass the time driving from Rancho Cucamonga to Anaheim every shift, and helped pass the time back stage when I was running early. Later, it helped with playlists at work when I hooked it up to the sound system.

My Zune 120 helps me block out people at work when I'm not on calls. It keeps me company on plane trips without a large laptop or DVD player to annoy my seatmates.

For the price of a CD a month, I've been able to download almost anything I wanted every month for as long as I pay the subscription fee, PLUS able to download 10 MP3's that don't have DRM that I can keep even after I stop with the subscription.

Needless to say, this I do mourn for. When this trusty warhorse is gone, I guess it truly is gone.

T

YUP. I understand completely.

I suggest stocking up on a couple in 'fire sales' on ebay or maybe even amazon now. I figure everyone else will be dumping them. *shrug*

Even though my backround is technology, I have typically been a late adopter for critical business needs or personal use. Makes it more affordable and reliable.

Remember, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

As for that big guy that could only think to put a Zune tat permanently on his body....okay..... :p:

mapo

mapo wrote:As for that big guy that could only think to put a Zune tat permanently on his body....okay..... :p:

Judging from his expression, I am thinking it was a lost bet.

Freak wrote:There's always eBay. Unless they become highly sought after antiques. :p:

And I wonder what this guy is gonna do with his tattoo?

LOL!

He does have an alternative...if he lost weight it would just look like a vaccination mark. Yea, I know, old persons observation.