Microsoft killing Zune to make way for the Zune HD
The original Zune failed to set the world alight in the way Microsoft had intended. Pitched against the iPod and poor early reviews, sales were slow in coming and remain stale. Thankfully, the Zune HD is on its way, however, Microsoft has decided to discontinue all existing models of the Zune to make way for it.
The Zune HD was confirmed in May after months of speculation that Microsoft had something up its sleeve. It was thought that the Zune name would be dropped altogether after the failure of the original device to make much of a dent in the market, but the Zune name is staying, just with an HD added to the end of it.
The Zune HD is being released on Sept. 15. There is a 16GB model available for $220 and 32GB model available for $290. But to make room for the Zune HD, Microsoft is killing off the original Zune. All remaining stock of the Zune will be sold and then there is no more. This includes the 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 80GB, and 120GB SKUs.
The Zune HD is shaping up to be a very good product that could indeed challenge the iPod Touch in the future. The OLED touchscreen, in-built Web browser, HD radio, and HD video are all nice additions to the hardware and mean the Zune HD provides more of a rival to Apple’s line-up than ever before.
However, this is still a risky move on Microsoft’s part. It means that anyone wanting a PMP larger than 32GB will not have a Microsoft option. The same goes for people who are looking to spend less than $200 on a device, as they will now have no option of buying a Zune.
There will likely be Zune HD SKUs with larger hard drives released in the future, and prices will eventually come down as well, but in the mean time Microsoft would appear to have narrowed its market. Which would appear to be a bad decision for a product that already faces an uphill battle gaining customers.
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September 7th, 2009
What a great way to boost a product line – kill off huge segments of your potential market.
You can just imagine the chat with a salesman in one of those fabled new Microsoft Stores:
-Hi I was interested in one of your mp3 players
-sure, here is the Zune HD
- But I wanted something smaller and cheaper
- Sorry, we only have the Zune HD. You’ll have to go next door to the apple store and by a Ipod Nano
- What about one that can hold my entire Music Library?
- Sorry, you’ll have to go next door again and buy an Ipod classic.
- Well can I at least add loads of different apps and games?
- Maybe, but at least you can show HD footage on your TV
- Cool, how many movies could I fit on there?
- probably only one short one if you also want to use it for music storage.
- thanks, I think I’ll just go and buy a Creative Zii Egg instead.
September 7th, 2009
I will for sure get one!! this is a great thing
September 7th, 2009
MS will make damn sure they enforce every digital rights crippling “feature” so all that sexy HD content they want you to pay for (per view, of course) will only work if you pay them or their content friends, the lawyer-happy studios.
Download content from anywhere else and they’ll blame some obscure codec problem – on files that play just fine in the free Videolan player.
September 9th, 2009
iPods sure have their faults, there is no denying that. But what they do have is a very well established brand name, a desirability from consumers as they want to have an iPod and also a wide array of functions. Oh yeah, and a wide product range.
Sure, the Zunes could be great products. But I think its a bit like Bing… it doesn’t matter how good it ever gets, it will never really make any gains on the market leader.