Microsoft says Zune to sell for $249

1356789

Comments

  • Reply 41 of 174
    Very valid points, but the problem is that the Zune appears to be a complete dud, while the xBox and the xBox 360 were/are both technologically superior to anything on the market, and they offer something that others cannot: first-party exclusive games like Halo. What does the Zune offer? A brand new Beatles album with formerly lost songs from Lennon?



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DotComCTO


    Microsoft has the cash to throw around. They are trying to buy mind share. They understand that it is unbelievably hard to compete with the iPod - just as they realized that XBox had a tough road up against the PS2. However, in a few short years, the line of people waiting to get an XBox 360 was unreal...and Nintendo isn't the #2 player in the home console market anymore (in the US). People would clearly say that the leaders now are Sony and Microsoft (although look for a strong comeback from Nintendo with the Wii).



    Microsoft isn't dumb. They know that their first cut of the Zune will not take over the iPod, but if they can supplant the #2 player in this iteration, then they've accomplished a lot. From the #2 spot, they can start to exert a lot more pressure on Apple.



    It seems that people here are thinking too short term.



    8)



    --DotComCTO



  • Reply 42 of 174
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DCQ


    As to all the fanboy comments, just think about this:



    Apple dominated the market for PCs with a Graphical UI for years.

    MS came out with a 2nd rate, obviously plagiarized competitor years after Apple did.

    Who dominates now?



    as i have said before, the only reason microsoft became popular was because they licensed their software. well, wht i mean is you can put windows on anything. apple only allow their software to be used on their own systems.
  • Reply 43 of 174
    repeated post, read above
  • Reply 44 of 174
    and again, read above. god im a retard
  • Reply 45 of 174
    You need to take a histoy lesson about Apple and the history of PC before making these, um, irrelevant comments.



    Miscrosoft's rise was due to software anyway and not its own hardware manufacturing.



    When was Apple ever a dominant force in computing like it is in the DAP market?
  • Reply 46 of 174
    iq78iq78 Posts: 256member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mbaynham


    right that would be one of the stupidist things that apple could do. the vast majority of ipod users are running windows. i have to admit that i didnt have a clue about itunes or what an ipod was untill it started on windows. that was the reason for the amazing success apple have had with the ipod/itunes thing.



    Dude... he's talking about MS not Apple. MS would break iTunes on their OS/Browser.



    IQ78
  • Reply 47 of 174
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    What's amazing to me about this Zune is that it apparently doesn't use MS's "PlaysforSure." So are all those dead now? Or are they going to remain, and this is going to be yet another competing standard, like Sony's ATRAC?



    For those talking about Windows winning through licensing, that may be true, but from what I understand this Zune is going to be MS through-and-through, not licensed like PlaysForSure. MS wants to emulate Apple's model with Zune.
  • Reply 48 of 174
    shetlineshetline Posts: 4,695member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DCQ


    As to all the fanboy comments, just think about this:



    Apple dominated the market for PCs with a Graphical UI for years.

    MS came out with a 2nd rate, obviously plagiarized competitor years after Apple did.

    Who dominates now?



    I know things don't exactly compare. But Apple would be stupid to dismiss any threat from Microsoft, even for a product that is inferior (and the Zune is roughly feature-equivalent to the iPod).



    I think Zune's chance for success is low, but no, I wouldn't totally rule it out, and I would certainly recommend the Apple not let its guard down.



    Back when PCs got ahead of Apple IIs and Macs (that was long enough ago that many people, and especially schools, were still clinging to their old Apple II +/e/c, etc. systems) in the GUI game, personal computers of any brand hadn't reached the market penetration that iPods have today, and PCs were able to play up a substantial price advantage.



    Unless Zune's price is cut even more, it currently has no price advantage at all. And think about the iPod ecosytem that's already in place... not just all the myriad accessories (including things like sneakers and alarm clocks), but you can buy CARS that are built for hooking up an iPod. How long will it take Microsoft to convince auto makers to add Zune-compatible interfaces, in addition to, or exclusive of, iPod interfaces?



    Zune's success isn't impossible, but it is an uphill fight.
  • Reply 49 of 174
    shetlineshetline Posts: 4,695member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mbaynham


    as i have said before...



    Not only have you said this before, you've said it three times in a row in this very thread.
  • Reply 50 of 174
    An article I read says that users can purchase 80 Microsoft points for $1.00, but songs will cost 79 Microsoft points. I did the math and for $79.00 you can get 80 songs from the Zune Marketplace but it will cost you $79.20 for 80 songs from the iTunes Store. Can anyone (marketing types) offer a reasonable explanation for Microsoft selling "points"? The only explanation I can come up with is that Microsoft wants to distract the consumer from knowing how much they are paying for something by not assigning an actual dollar amount on content similar to how Dave & Busters has "Power Cards".
  • Reply 51 of 174
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by shetline


    Back when PCs got ahead of Apple IIs and Macs (that was long enough ago that many people, and especially schools, were still clinging to their old Apple II +/e/c, etc. systems) in the GUI game, personal computers of any brand hadn't reached the market penetration that iPods have today, and PCs were able to play up a substantial price advantage.



    That's the main issue. The PC market was still relatively open back then and expanding, while the DAP market is now cloying with competition, and Apple's share of that pie is so large that only a truly superior product with clever marketing can surpass or equal the iPod's success. We are assuming, of course, that the iPod will continue to be revised, and that its furute iterations will be solid products.
  • Reply 52 of 174
    eckingecking Posts: 1,588member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kim kap sol


    In-fucking-credible. Is there an MS product that isn't a loss-leader besides Windows and Office? I can't believe MS is still racking in the cash every quarter with so many loss-leaders.



    Consumers should be kissing Apple's and Nintendo's collective asses for making Sony and MS sell their products cheaper than they can make them.



    It's just sad that MS and Sony are trying to grab market share by throwing money at the problem.



    Post of the the year. Nuff' said.
  • Reply 53 of 174
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by troberts


    An article I read says that users can purchase 80 Microsoft points for $1.00, but songs will cost 79 Microsoft points. I did the math and for $79.00 you can get 80 songs from the Zune Marketplace but it will cost you $79.20 for 80 songs from the iTunes Store. Can anyone (marketing types) offer a reasonable explanation for Microsoft selling "points"? The only explanation I can come up with is that Microsoft wants to distract the consumer from knowing how much they are paying for something by not assigning an actual dollar amount on content similar to how Dave & Busters has "Power Cards".



    So a song is 79 points, which is actually $1.00? Sounds like how AMD started calling their 2000 Mhz chips 2400.
  • Reply 54 of 174
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by troberts


    Can anyone (marketing types) offer a reasonable explanation for Microsoft selling "points"?



    So that they only take the hit on credit card purchasing once every $20 or $40 rather than for every 99ç.



    I remember there being a lot of info when iTMS first launched about how Apple was essentially gambling that people would buy songs together and would wait a short period and combine the purchases into a single credit card transaction. I've not heard much about that since. Maybe MSFT couldn't afford to take that hit on single sales.





    Obviously allowances and gift cards offer the same kind of thing.



    More info: http://rentzsch.com/notes/creditCardMicropayments
  • Reply 55 of 174
    rainrain Posts: 538member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by shetline


    My theory is that Microsoft is going after a monopoly position on all media -- software, video, music, games, electronic documents -- all electronic media of all kinds. They want anything that anyone does anywhere with any form of electronic media to be ultimately dependent on a Microsoft-owned operating system, Microsoft-controlled licensing, Microsoft-designed formats, and Microsoft-held DRM keys.



    But if Microsoft doesn't at least try to counter Apple and the iPod now, if they make no attempt at all, then the media-monopoly strategy I believe they want to pursue would be totally and complete lost, as opposed to merely unlikely to succeed.





    I would have to agree with this assessment. It's about making sure Apple doesn't get to a place where AAC is the household name, like MP3.

    When you start seeing AAC built into micro systems and on DVD players etc... (little stickers on hardware) then Apple truly ownes the market; and they are not there yet.

    M$ needs to circumvent Apple from reaching that level of success.

    Most people still think in MP3, the iPod is still referred to as an "MP3 player".



    With billions of songs being placed in the market as AAC format, it's just a matter of time before they begin to saturate the marketplace to a point where having AAC playback is a must.

    M$ will not let this happen. And therefore it won't.



    The Zune will take a big chunk out of Apple's pie. Expect Steve to not show a market share pie chart at the next WWDC.



    I heard my aunt and cousin talking the other day about how they love their new Mp3 players. (I think they are Creative)... mostly because of built in radio. They had 2 Nano's, and got fed up with them because of various problems. And tired of dealing with Applecare (which we all know is a total bitch)

    It's just one case, but it does show that there is a strong market out there that doesn't have a fervent loyalty to any company, like we share... and sometimes forget that the world doesn't revolve around Apple... like it does for us.
  • Reply 56 of 174
    The hardware doesn't matter. The company that gets rights to the Beatles and Led Zeppelin libraries will have won the war.
  • Reply 57 of 174
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rain


    I would have to agree with this assessment. It's about making sure Apple doesn't get to a place where AAC is the household name, like MP3.

    When you start seeing AAC built into micro systems and on DVD players etc... (little stickers on hardware) then Apple truly ownes the market; and they are not there yet.

    M$ needs to circumvent Apple from reaching that level of success.

    Most people still think in MP3, the iPod is still referred to as an "MP3 player".



    With billions of songs being placed in the market as AAC format, it's just a matter of time before they begin to saturate the marketplace to a point where having AAC playback is a must.

    M$ will not let this happen. And therefore it won't.



    I'm not sure why AAC matters. iTunes does mp3 just like it does AAC. Other devices won't be able to play back AAC with Apple's copy-protection anyway.
  • Reply 58 of 174
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Malligator


    The hardware doesn't matter. The company that gets rights to the Beatles and Led Zeppelin libraries will have won the war.



    Who is holding out on Led Zeppelin's music? My guess would be Jimmy Page.
  • Reply 59 of 174
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by troberts


    Who is holding out on Led Zeppelin's music? My guess would be Jimmy Page.



    I know Page bought out Plant a while ago. I'm not sure if he has 100% control of Zeppelin's music, but I know he's the major player.
  • Reply 60 of 174
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by dac0nvu


    Sorry, but I don't see anyone walking around with a Zune yet. Microsoft may have been the first to ANNOUNCE their new product, but the launch date is...??? Some time this year? Early next year? We all know that MS is known to be late with everything. Apple is known to have their products available for purchase on the day it is announced.



    excellent point. i unintentionally exaggerated the situation.
Sign In or Register to comment.