Neowin.net

+1

I can't agree more. I positively despise iTunes (and by extension Apple division behind it) for three reasons

1. The software performs horribly on the PC
2. Album Artist sorting still doesn't work correctly
3. Apple refuse to update older versions of their iPod's even when the underlying hardware is capable of performing the tasks of newer iPods (a perfect example is the improved sorting on the 5G model as opposed to the 4G models which never got a software update to offer the same improvements).

Until Zune came along, there was no real competition in this space, and whilst the sales figures may not showing (we can thank Microsofts terrible marketing for that), it is a good competitor. For me, Zune goes a long way towards fixing the above issues. The PC software, whilst lacking a few features of iTunes, performs head and shoulders better than it (and looks pretty nice too). Album Artist sorting has worked properly on the PC since day one, and has worked nicely on the Zune since the 2.0 firmware. Also, quite obviously, Microsoft are willing to backport features to older models.

Of course, living in Australia, I can't walk into a store and purchase a Zune. They are available on eBay, but without a store and access to the Social, we don't really get the whole experience.

For anyone who wants to get a sizeable foot into the portable entertainment market, his a few steps to get you going.

1. Build a good product (I think Zune has done this, albeit only with the 2nd generation)
2. Hire a good marketing firm (Zune has positively failed here)
3. Build an online store that only has DRM free music, and has a large selection of, as a minimum, DVD quality television and movies
4. Make it so you can take your bought content anywhere, TV via some kind of set-top-box (ala consoles), onto your portable, streamed over the web, etc

I do agree iTunes is terrible on Windows. It is quite possibly the worst software written for Windows. Luckily, there are alternative 3rd party software you can use to transfer songs on to the iPod. The only thing you lose by switching to a 3rd party software is the iTunes store.

They won't upgrade the firmware on older iPods. This is to promote sales of new iPods. Luckily, there is Rockbox, and it expanded my old iPod 4th gen to play back videos. Microsoft got great press when they announced the new Zune features would be also available to Old generation of Zunes.

Honestly, before the Zune came out, the next real competitor is Creative. They had about a 3-4% market share while Apple had 80%+ Microsoft today has about 4-5%. If anybody can compete with Apple, it's Microsoft, for they have the money that can help them dominate the market. The only thing Microsoft can NEVER do right is marketing. Just look at Vista. They have just now started the marketing for Vista, more than a year after it's release.

I think with a good marketing campaign, the Zune can easily gain 10-15% of the market. Also, if MS lowered prices on the Zune, it would be more attractive than the iPod. Also, if MS made the Zune software better and improved the store, it would look more attractive. There's many things MS can do to improve the Zune.

Agreed! I live in New Zealand and I have NEVER seen a Zune in my entire life (besides the internet, obviously). I searched up Google.co.nz and there's only two Zunes for sale here, and they're off TradeMe (New Zealand's eBay).

For me, I'm stuck in a situation where, even if Zune were available in New Zealand, I can't use it on my Mac.

Btw, if people think iTunes as being bad, try using the Zune software - its monumentally crap.

Damn, what is Microsoft filled with so many dumb people? and I thought the NZ parliament was bad!

Well, Zune application runs perfectly on Mac, just not on OS X.

Yeah, let's face it: Apple entered a small, undeveloped market with the iPod. and dominated. Now Microsoft is entering a huge, well-developed market, and is gaining ground. That in itself is an achievement.

This won't be a quick easy process, if Microsoft even manage to succeed beyond the market they have now.

Last edited by simon360 on 12 Aug 2008 - 16:42

Its pretty bloody difficult to catch up when they don't sell it in New Zealand, Australia, UK, numerous European countries etc. etc.

I just want to listen to music.

Wrong. If they "let it go" then there won't be any competitor to the iPod. As it stands the Zune is the "2nd best" media player. Without MS in the market, Apple has no real competition, which means bad things...

MS shouldn't let it go, they should keep going.

First of all, there are numerous other players which will continue to exist with or without the iPod or Zune. Second of all, bad things for what? The portable media player market? It's not like Apple can control anything via the iPod. It's not like controlling internet standards and infrastructure, or controlling PC hardware and software. The iPod is irrelevant, much less relevant than the iPhone and insignificant compared to PCs and the internet.

Bad things like possibly increasing the price, lack of innovation for new players? It's the same as if AMD went out of business. We consumers would be screwed, there needs to be competition.

Ha ha ha ha! What? What was that? Was that Apple's self-proclaimed "cultist" feeling threatened by Zune?

LTD, please. It took Microsoft no time at all to get Zune to the #2 best-selling portable music player status. But that doesn't mean they will make iPods extinct in the near future. It's alright. Your iPod is safe. For a little while longer at least.

In what mythical land is Zune in 2nd place? They are a distant 3rd. Samsung has almost three times the market share.

A little while longer? You've been saying the same thing for 5 years. Next year iPhone shipments will surpass all WinMo phones (that Microsoft doesn't make but Ballmer likes to pretend he does) -- we are already likely to see 12+ million iphones vs. 18+ million WinMo devices.

Last edited by dp123 on 14 Aug 2008 - 22:59