Zune dead

[preslove]

I wonder how much $ microsoft lost on the Zune.

 

[QueBert]

I wonder how much $ microsoft lost on the Zune.

Hopefully a lot, I bought one because MS talked up the fact they would be releasing apps for it, I didn't expect App store numbers. But shit even 1 a week would have been better than what they gave us.

They shouldn't have even mentioned applications for it, because they totally didn't do shit with that.

 

[Deeko]

Hopefully a lot, I bought one because MS talked up the fact they would be releasing apps for it, I didn't expect App store numbers. But shit even 1 a week would have been better than what they gave us.

They shouldn't have even mentioned applications for it, because they totally didn't do shit with that.

I do not believe they ever said there would be an open app store.

 

[Deeko]

Anyway, I love my ZuneHD, but as soon as they add on-device SmartDJ to the WP7 Zune software, I probably won't use it very much anymore. As others have mentioned, the standalone MP3 market is slowly but surely declining.

So long as the Zune Pass service stays around, I'll be happy. Maybe this means they'll expand it to other devices? I doubt that though.

Not that he confirms there's a new Zune in development, but:
http://anythingbutipod.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62057

 

[maziwanka]

i suppose ill keep using my zune until the zune pass dies

 

[QueBert]

I do not believe they ever said there would be an open app store.

They didn't, but they did make it sound like they would be releasing apps for it themselves. Or why would they even spoke on it's app abilities? What they ended up saying a year later was some BS about how they were working on WP7 and were going to dedicate their app resources to that. Even a closed app store could have worked if they had put a 2 fucking programmer in the mix and let them free. When they realized they didn't care enough about apps or Zune HD owners, they should have been nice and at least opened it up for people who wanted to do their own thing. They didn't have to host anything or maintain anything, let me load apps on my ZuneHD without a ton of hacking.

I know there technically was/is an indie hacker scene with some apps. But MS could have given us ZuneHD owners a bone here.

 

[MotionMan]

Zune players were nice but makes sense for them. Zune could never catch that big of a hold of the market. Cut their losses and focus on other things.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/14/microsoft-reportedly-kills-off-zune-hardware-will-focus-on-soft/

Someone is bummed:

MotionMan

 

[Skott]

I almost bought a Zune. Glad now I didn't. A shame they didn't do better though. We need good competition in the market place to help keep prices low and constant improvement to technology and products.

 

[Absolution75]

It actually seems like they have a sense of vision. Think about the difference between a smart phone and an ipod/zune. Smart phone wins every category at similar price points (minus subscription costs). Why bother with an MP3 player and a phone when your phone is already an mp3 player? I think my good old Samsung P2 will be the last MP3 player I'll ever buy - my droid X is faster and has more memory.

 

[QueBert]

It actually seems like they have a sense of vision. Think about the difference between a smart phone and an ipod/zune. Smart phone wins every category at similar price points (minus subscription costs). Why bother with an MP3 player and a phone when your phone is already an mp3 player? I think my good old Samsung P2 will be the last MP3 player I'll ever buy - my droid X is faster and has more memory.

Sense of vision? They killed the Zune because it wasn't selling, if they were doing iPod Touch numbers they'd be releasing a Zune HD 2. The iPod Touch will stay around because it will continue to sell.

 

[senseamp]

Sense of vision? They killed the Zune because it wasn't selling, if they were doing iPod Touch numbers they'd be releasing a Zune HD 2. The iPod Touch will stay around because it will continue to sell.

Not sure I am convinced of that. If Apple comes out with a low end iPhone for $300, as has been rumored, iPod touch may be a goner.

 

[MotionMan]

It actually seems like they have a sense of vision. Think about the difference between a smart phone and an ipod/zune. Smart phone wins every category at similar price points (minus subscription costs). Why bother with an MP3 player and a phone when your phone is already an mp3 player? I think my good old Samsung P2 will be the last MP3 player I'll ever buy - my droid X is faster and has more memory.

Exercising.

MotionMan

 

[AstroManLuca]

Exercising.

MotionMan

Yes indeed. That's one of the niches where I can see MP3 players continue to succeed. Ones that are specialized in some way. Either super high capacity, or super portable for exercising, or maybe one that the audiophile community latches onto for having exceptional audio quality.

Players like the Zune, though, don't seem to have much place when so many people have smartphones. If you're going to haul around a Zune, you may as well haul around a smartphone.

 

[Deeko]

Exercising.

MotionMan

Running - GPS apps
Lifting - tracking apps like DeekFit

 

[MotionMan]

Running - GPS apps
Lifting - tracking apps like DeekFit

Size.

MotionMan

 

[H54]

I like the hardware but the software has always been rubbish. zMTP, no drag and drop, can't even sync with WMP. Forget about Linux support...

 

[zerocool84]

Size.

MotionMan

When I go out on walks or runs with my dogs, I don't take my cellphone. Too big and bulky compared to a tiny Sansa Clip+. I don't need any tracking apps or any of that crap.

 

[destrekor]

When I go out on walks or runs with my dogs, I don't take my cellphone. Too big and bulky compared to a tiny Sansa Clip+. I don't need any tracking apps or any of that crap.

I would like a GPS app or something else to track, but I refuse to strap a phone to my arm when my Zune HD so much smaller.

I was kind of forced into getting the Nike + watch thing... didn't get the Nike shoes because of it, though it was a convincing option - but for the short story, I was in love with the Lunar Glides or whatever they are called, and decided to get the Nike+ thing to go along with it. Cheaper than a GPS watch/pedometer, and still fairly accurate for running and walking - accurate enough for my purposes, at least.

It would be awesome if Microsoft would release a new Zune based on WP7, ditch the phone capability, but retain a GPS chip. Basically, Microsoft's real answer to the iPod Touch/iPhone approach.

 

[hanoverphist]

Hopefully a lot, I bought one because MS talked up the fact they would be releasing apps for it, I didn't expect App store numbers. But shit even 1 a week would have been better than what they gave us.

They shouldn't have even mentioned applications for it, because they totally didn't do shit with that.

this totally. i hate that there are still the same amount of apps in the market that there was last year. i do love my zuneHD, but its sole duty was music in my truck. now i have pandora on my phone. i havent used my zHD in a month.

i dont think zunepass is going anywhere tho, there is still a need for it on xbox360 as well as the winpho7. besides, they are getting constant cash from that, unlike the zune line.

 

[Nebor]

I have a 32 gb Zune HD that's about a year old. I use it mainly for music in the car, and going to the gym. When I run outdoors I use my WP7 because it has GPS tracking applications. The Zune HD is really an amazing little device. I like the interface, it's tiny, and they just came out with a 64gb version in the past 6 months. Plus with it's wireless sync, when I pull into my garage it just syncs all the new music, DRM rights, channels & podcasts right to my Zune HD. And when I rate something on my Zune HD or on my phone, the ratings are synced, music I don't like is dropped from both devices and my preferences are honed.

I would use the Zune HD a lot more if it had GPS. My WP7 can't replace it until WP7 gets Smart DJ, Channels and (most importantly) Audiobooks!

Anyone know why Audible.com is dragging their feet on a WP7 app?

 

[BabaBooey]

At least my zune software sees and imports all my music and when I add a cd it automaticly imports it as well,itunes ....not so much..will not import half my library on my HDD and will not import any new cd's unless I use itunes to rip it...:\


I liked my zune hd for what it was and hd radio was a very cool feature.

 

[jonks]

Sense of vision? They killed the Zune because it wasn't selling, if they were doing iPod Touch numbers they'd be releasing a Zune HD 2. The iPod Touch will stay around because it will continue to sell.

I'm not so sure about that. I feel the Touch's days are numbered as well. Seems like a mostly redundant device these days.

 

[AstroManLuca]

I'm not so sure about that. I feel the Touch's days are numbered as well. Seems like a mostly redundant device these days.

I don't know about that. It's a good way for people to get an iPhone experience without getting locked into an expensive 2-year contract. Good for teenagers and good for people clinging to their simple phones. Hasn't the iPod Touch had a "halo effect," sort of like how the old iPods got people interested in Macs?

 

[Deeko]

There's still a market for the standalone MP3 player like the iPod Touch, but its definitely a fading market.

One thing that gets glossed over in Apple's constant stream of record-breaking earnings releases is the gradual decline of iPod sales.

 

[H54]

...

One thing that gets glossed over in Apple's constant stream of record-breaking earnings releases is the gradual decline of iPod sales.

To me that says that the public is very easily impressionable and that Apple marketing is very effective. To get people to pay an enormous premium for an average product. Its all hype.