Most of you might Be wondering what this
Zune is? Well, most of you might not even have heard about "ZUNE." It's
primarily because Zune was not that popular, especially outside the United States.
Zune is a music player developed by Microsoft as a rival for apple's iPod. Even
though Zune came out with pretty respectable specs, it couldn't compete against
the already popular iPod versions. By that time, several manufacturers started
making their versions of mp3 players.
It's hard to forget the Zune. After all,
Microsoft's mid-2000s bi
Zune was a line of digital media products and services marketed by Microsoft. Zune consisted of a line of portable media players, digital media
player software for Windows PCs, a music subscription service known as a "Zune Music
Pass," music and video streaming services for the Xbox 360 game console via the Zune Software, music, TV and movie sales, and desktop sync software for Windows Phone. The first
generation of Zune came into production in 2006.
The Zune, which was clunkier than the
iPod and came in black, white, pink, and putrid shit-brown, desperately wanted
to be cool. Unluckily, at the time of the Zune's release in 2006, Apple also
began airing its "Get a Mac" ads,
which cast Microsoft as terminally lame. Still, the anti-Apple sentiment was
strong even then among the nerds, and so the Zune was an underdog. Microsoft
tried to capitalize on this, and counter Apple's messaging, with its own "edgy" ads and
stunts like sponsoring a
VICE event in Toronto.
It didn't work. The writing was on the wall for the Zune
as early as 2008, as stores pulled it from shelves and revenues
dipped. In 2010, the final model was released, the Zune HD, and in 2012, it was
discontinued. The software was abandoned in 2015.
Apple won the war and barely broke a sweat.
Zune vs. iPod
Zune HD handles all of the
basics -- music, video, podcasts, apps, games, and photos. The Zune HD and the
iPod touch 4G share many of the same features, including a touch screen
interface and built-in WiFi. The Zune HD's screen is smaller than the one on
the iPod touch -- 3.3 inches compared to 3.5 inches, respectively. The Zune HD
also features an HD radio tuner, something the iPod touch doesn't have. But the
newest iPod touch features two cameras -- the HD Zune doesn't have a camera at
all.
Both the Zune HD and the iPod touch can
export video, though you'll need additional accessories to pull it off. The
Zune HD can export video at 720p, but its native resolution is standard
definition. The newest iPod touch has a retina display and can play videos at
720p.
The Zune HD also comes up wanting in a
few other departments, including battery life. Apple claims the iPod touch can
play music for up to 40 hours without recharging. Microsoft's Zune HD is rated
for 33 hours of music before you'll have to plug it in.
The Zune HD comes in three different
storage capacities: 16, 32, and 64 gigabytes. The iPod touch has a slightly
different lineup with 8, 32 and 64-gigabyte models. One of the biggest
differences between the Zune HD line and Apple's iPod touch is the price --
Microsoft's product is, on average, $50 less expensive than the comparable
Apple product. As of this writing, Microsoft prices the Zune HD at $179.99 for
16 gigabytes, $229.99 for 32 gigabytes, and $349.99 for 64 gigabytes. Apple's
iPod touch retails for $229 for 8 gigabytes, $299 for 32 gigabytes and $399 for
64 gigabytes.
Zune Music vs. iTunes
While the Zune store may not have the same vast
library as the iTunes store, it does offer a subscription service that
iTunes doesn't: $15 a month to download everything you want. It's called the
Zune Pass -- you can keep everything you download as long as the Pass is
active. Once you let the Pass lapse, you lose the content you've
downloaded. Microsoft also allows you to download and keep ten songs
per month while you have a Zune Pass.
Microsoft's Zune holds its own in the media-player
world. But the iPod is the product of Apple's single-minded dedication, and it
shows. It looks sleeker, and it's lighter, slimmer, and smaller. The iPod is
taller and wider than the Zune HD, but it's more than 1.5 millimeters thinner
than Microsoft's mp3 player. The iPod supports Windows, but Zune doesn't support
Mac OS X. Apple's FairPlay DRM scheme, while far from perfect and arguably not
all that fair, is play-oriented, not time-oriented, which most people see as a
more logical way to track and limit usage. The Zune Pass is a time-oriented
digital rights management (DRM) scheme, while Apple abandoned the FairPlay DRM
strategy in favor of DRM-free music.
Both the Zune HD store and iTunes allow users to
purchase television shows, movies, and music videos in addition to music. You
can subscribe to podcasts using either store. And both have social networking
elements: Microsoft calls its implementation The Social, while Apple has Ping.
These integrated social networking features allow users to share their musical
tastes and habits with friends and followers. Microsoft gets the edge here --
if you have a Zune Pass, you can stream music on your friends' social profiles
to your device. It's an innovative way to discover new music.
Making playlists has become an art in itself. Apple
has iTunes Genius, a feature that can create playlists from your existing music
and suggest new songs that you might like based upon what you already listen
to. Microsoft calls its version the Smart DJ. It, too, can create custom
playlists automatically. If you have the Zune Pass, Smart DJ can create a
streaming playlist for your device based on an album, artist, or song title.
The iTunes Store is such a tremendous plus for the
iPod, and it's hard to give it its due props. Not only does it offer an
exceptionally broad range of media, but its payment methods are more
straightforward than the Zune Store. For Zune, you need to purchase chunks of
points, and points don't match up to dollar amounts. For some reason, 79 points
are the equivalent of 99 cents, which is the cost of a song at both stores.
Both players automatically sync with their media-player software to download
purchased songs.
The Zune HD faces some tough competition. The HD Radio tuner in the Zune HD may not be enough to tempt
customers from choosing the iPod touch. And Apple has other iPod models aimed at other
users: the Shuffle and Nano models are small mp3 players that have clips on
them so that users can attach the devices to clothing. The iPod Classic can
hold 120 gigabytes of data. But for people who don't like iTunes, the Zune HD's
interface and lower price point may be just what they're looking for.
Almost everybody had a different reason
for getting one, and for hanging on to it. For some, it was the features—you
could share tunes with friends, subscribe to a Spotify-like music service, and
it could be synced wirelessly (all features the iPod lacked)—and for others, it
was simple hatred of Apple. Some kept their Zunes for those same reasons, or
the connection is now sentimental. For others, the app-less Zune is a sanctuary
from endless smartphone notifications.
Bad timing, lack of
innovation, and insufficient marketing were the main factors for why it failed.
The first Zune launched in 2006, five years after the release of its
competitor, Apple's iPod. The Zune came much too late, as the iPod had already rapidly
become the go-to source for portable entertainment.
The Zune HD's screen
is smaller than the one on the iPod touch -- 3.3 inches compared to 3.5 inches,
respectively. The Zune HD also features an HD radio tuner, something the iPod touch doesn't
have. ... Apple claims the iPod touch can play music for up to 40 hours without
recharging.
So overall, Zune was a
good product launched at the wrong time. If Microsoft developed Zune soon after
the iPod was out, it might have made a difference.
Kudos to the diehard fans
of Microsoft and Zune ……………
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