Zune won't hit the UK until 2008?

It's a good thing that Europeans don't mind waiting for "kit" that's been released in other regions of the world months earlier, because according to a Microsoft exec, the WiFi-enabled Zune may not hit the UK until sometime in 2008 -- well over a year after its US launch. According to Dene Schonknecht, the company's media and entertainment alliance manager, "the earliest date it will be in the UK is towards the end of 2007. However, it could easily be 2008." Schonknecht told New Media Age (subscription required) the reason for the delay is that "we haven't yet selected a music store provider to build Marketplace in the UK, which means we're way off launch," although now that a Zune International head has been appointed, at least there's someone to spearhead the project. Overall, it's not shaping up to be a very merry Christmas for the Brits -- while Americans will be busy playing their new PS3s and rocking out to their new Zunes, our friends across the pond will have to settle for the same old crap that was available last year.

[Via MCV, thanks Tob3z]

[Xander @ Oct 30th 2006 10:42AM]

Good... I didn't want to buy one of those crappy things anyway, the Americans can keep them.

[bradders @ Oct 30th 2006 10:44AM]

true, but Wii do get the Nintendo We nearly at the same time..

[Martin @ Oct 30th 2006 10:46AM]

Why not launch it anyway, and launch the marketplace at a later date? Not that I want one, I can't stand the things.

[Gil @ Oct 30th 2006 10:46AM]

What about Europe?

[J @ Oct 30th 2006 10:47AM]

Will the Zune even still be around by 2008??

[carpel tunnel @ Oct 30th 2006 10:48AM]

Does anyone actually care about this crappy first generation (Toshiba)Zune?

[keith waddington @ Oct 30th 2006 10:49AM]

Damn. This is a big mistake, Microsoft will lose at least half a dozen sales because of this.

waddo

[Ashley Allen @ Oct 30th 2006 10:50AM]

mmmm doesn't really match up with those report of european retailers saying they are getting the hardware either 15th Dec 2006 or 15th Jan 2007.

I really want a Zune but there's no way I'm waiting any longer than Feb 2007 for one.

[Simon @ Oct 30th 2006 10:50AM]

Who cares anyway, nobody I know wants one they all use phones or ipods.

[Semi @ Oct 30th 2006 10:53AM]

err... so they admit defeat to ipod even before they start... great!

bloody sony..[for delayed ps3]

[Craig @ Oct 30th 2006 11:15AM]

Hey we dont have to put up with the same old rubbish, we have all the nice new shinny apple stuff, thats what i want anyways.

[TexRob @ Oct 30th 2006 11:28AM]

haha, I love it, nobody cares about this because it's crap. The Zune paid blogger police haven't showed up yet, I sure hope they do, they are amusing.

[Michael @ Oct 30th 2006 11:32AM]

No wonder jobs wasn't worried.
Screw this i'm going apple.
Didn't want it anyway, with its crippled wi-fi!
And apple bound to release the 6G sometime soon anyway.

[Vanillacide @ Oct 30th 2006 11:32AM]

UK is the largest market for MP3 players in Europe, also has largest iPod sales in Europe, so it is in incredibly important market for Zune. So, yes ... this applies for Europe too.

The primary problem, at least according to the New Media Age piece (I am subscriber so can read the trade article) is that Microsoft can not hire anyone to spearhead the Zune's UK and European launch.

Considering that Microsoft have 71,000 employees one could consider that having difficulty hiring someone internal/external is caused by (a) the Zune is so bad that nobody is willing to ruin their career by having it on their resume or (b) Microsoft is actually expecting this thing to be a complete failure and aren't willing to put much money into launching it on a global scale.

Apparently they have internally appointed a head of Zune International who will be looking at finding someone to fill this European role.

The second problem is that they "haven't yet selected a music store provider to build Marketplace in the UK, which means we're a way off launch" according to Dene Schonknecht, Microsoft Media and Entertainment Alliance Manager.

It took Apple over a year to get UK rights, and even longer for European stores so it could be quite a while before other European stores are available.

[Mr. Mario @ Oct 30th 2006 11:42AM]

and I thought life was crap in the US because we get things so much later than the Japanese.

[Marcus Treamer @ Oct 30th 2006 11:42AM]

I totally agree! Why the hell would we want this cr*p on our shores??? By the time they get this to us, Apple (God love 'em!) will have a 7G iPod, which will probaly have software that detects nearby Lunes with Zunes and triggers a self destruct command and blows the Zune owners bollocks off! I see this as totally justified for one so stupid to buy this is the first place.

I am not a MS hater, I love my XBOX360, but this is just total tech pants.

[Chris @ Oct 30th 2006 11:46AM]

I don't think we're missing much with the Zune. I've always looked forward to the wii more than the PS3. Plus I'm not into lining Sony's pockets this time for an overpriced system which uses an expensive format that might end up falling victim to hd-dvd like betamax did to VHS.

[Cy @ Oct 30th 2006 11:53AM]

I am going for my second Apple iPod... I wouldn't buy this thing even if it arrives to me tomorrow. Who wants a device with so short battery life and that will add another charger to your bed table?

[Tob3z @ Oct 30th 2006 12:08PM]

14 hours not good enough for you?

[telepheedian @ Oct 30th 2006 11:55AM]

who cares?

[TheWakeUpCall @ Oct 30th 2006 11:58AM]

The Zune will be REALLY old technology by 2008. Can you imagine the iPod out by then. The Zune will be outdated in the next few months by Apple, let alone 2008. Microsoft obviously see the Zune as a USA product only.

[DM @ Oct 30th 2006 12:23PM]

Actually, its great news for the brits. We all know there will be flaws in the first generation zune , so let the dumbass americans waste their money and test it for us. Such brilliant strategy.

[homer jay @ Oct 30th 2006 5:19PM]

"Actually, its great news for the brits. We all know there will be flaws in the first generation zune , so let the dumbass americans waste their money and test it for us. Such brilliant strategy."

whatever helps you sleep better at night.

[bakersdozem @ Oct 30th 2006 12:25PM]

this is bull! i hate been in the goddamn UK. Need to find a store that will export to here. sheesh.

[Geoff @ Oct 30th 2006 12:40PM]

Ummm... do you really think when Microsoft launches the Zune in Europe in 2008 or whatever it is going to be the same one that is being launched in the USA now? No, it will be an updated model.

Yeah, the Ipod out by then will have a really, really, really bright screen.

[Josh @ Oct 30th 2006 1:04PM]

No big deal. Anyone who wants one will do what we do all the time anyways: Import it from the U.S. to take advantage of that fantastic exchange rate. (�219 for an ipod, Apple? Not when I can pay $300, which comes to around �155).

[tom @ Oct 30th 2006 5:13PM]

Josh @ Oct 30th 2006 1:04PM
"No big deal. Anyone who wants one will do what we do all the time anyways: Import it from the U.S. to take advantage of that fantastic exchange rate. (�219 for an ipod, Apple? Not when I can pay $300, which comes to around �155)."

Actually, the 30GB iPod 5G only costs �189 in the UK now.

[Dave95 @ Oct 30th 2006 1:18PM]

Where did you get 14 hour battery for the Zune?

They are claiming 12 hours! Oooch!

[Tob3z @ Oct 30th 2006 4:54PM]

http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/stretching-the-zunes-battery-life-to-14-hours/

[essexchaz @ Oct 30th 2006 1:26PM]

i predict that there will already be a specialist grey importer figuring out the cheapest way to get these things over here pronto - it amazes me that they moan about people grey importing and yet they do absolutley nothing to disuade it with any sort of reasonable release schedule - i think i will stick with my nano till it breaks anyway

chaz

[Ommid @ Oct 30th 2006 1:56PM]

Thankgod for that! Now can they promise that they'll never release it here?

[Julian Bond @ Oct 30th 2006 2:29PM]

So not only do they want to sell us a lame duck of a player, but they actually think we're going to buy over-priced, DRM infested low quality tracks from a lame duck music download service run by somebody else. And they can't sell us the hardware until they've got the download service in place. So first they have to con some poor fool corporate into building the service for them. When the last poor fools who tried that route got shafted by them dropping PlaysForSure DRM.

Hello?

And all this in the country where AllOfMp3 rivals the local iTMS in sales and nobody buys music any more anyway.

What's kind of sad is that they should go back and re-read the presentation Cory Doctorow gave to them a few years ago telling them to "Just Say No To DRM". There is actually a route here where they could change the market. But they haven't got the balls any more to do it.

iPod Killer? Bwahahahaha!

I think the funniest thing here is in the comments above about their inability to get anyone to take on the role of Zune Europe. I just have this picture of the head of Zune International being a upper management type who's first task on getting the job will be to get a US passport!

[Brandon @ Oct 30th 2006 2:54PM]

Oh my! It must be in style to bash the Zune and praise the iPod. You guys don't even wait for the product to be released before you bash the crap out of it.

I'm not saying it's great, but come on! At least have some first hand knowledge first.

At the very least, it'll keep Apple moving with iPod updates. You guys must have missed the memo about competition being a good thing.

(says the owner of an iPod)

[Tech^Cellfish @ Oct 30th 2006 3:06PM]

I hate this, but anyway.. the inhabitans of the islands making up Great Britain is not allowed to put music on it. Only music from the stores that doesn't exist. See here for info:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6095612.stm

[number40one @ Oct 30th 2006 3:15PM]

They do get pretty nifty cars every year though...

[E71 @ Oct 30th 2006 3:31PM]

Haha. Limeys always end up with the short stick. Too bad Zune ain't really anything worth getting excited over.

[Cps @ Oct 30th 2006 3:32PM]

I just bought a metallic blue ipod nano - way sexier than this thing. In brown? No way!

____________________________________________
MICROSOFT SALES REPORT 2008

Zunes (Brown) 71,000
____________________________________________
APPLE SALES REPORT 2008

Ipod (blue) 7,100,000
--------------------------------------*not real*

Why 71,000 you may ask? Well Microsoft will buy 'em up and give to their employees as an Xmas present!

RE: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6095612.stm

Just because we're not sposed to doesn't mean we don't!!

[Kris Burbidge @ Oct 30th 2006 4:26PM]

They should give Zunes as free gifts to everyone in attendance at each Kevin Federline concert, that'll move some units.

That being said, every time anyone even gets near the iPod, they blow them up with a sweet update/price. The Zune is not a bad thing.

[Josh @ Oct 30th 2006 7:18PM]

Now it is, but not a few months ago when I bought it.

[ninja @ Oct 30th 2006 7:33PM]

And so the Zune will R.I.P

[cire @ Oct 31st 2006 2:18PM]

Zune D.O.A...lol

[Tom @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:53AM]

I'm absolutely gutted, was readying the money for Nov 14th. Now i'm going to have to buy another damn ipod, no way i'm waiting until 2008. What's wrong with MS? Didn't even have a global manager, or any intentions for roll out outside the US for Zune, how the hell did they hope to compete with Apple.

[mvan @ Nov 3rd 2006 2:28PM]

Head of Microsoft UK confirms no UK Launch for Zune, another 12-18 months of ipod sales......strange business strategy...

http://hardware.silicon.com/pdas/0,39024643,39163800,00.htm

[AntiMatter @ Nov 10th 2006 3:09AM]

I think all the respondents have it right so far. This is a product which will struggle to make any sort of market penetration here in the UK. The Apple products are so much further down the development path, and I think most people want something which is proven and relatively bug free, iPods are now X generations down the line. At work I am a Windows user and from my experience, M$ products require many, many patches over the product life. Windows O/S, Office, Media Player, IE . . . etc etc. Quality control and product testing don't seem to be high on M$ agenda.

[macd @ Mar 14th 2007 2:46PM]

None of u have a clue what u are talking about, this device is amense !!!

[Coolhand27 @ May 2nd 2007 6:18PM]

To clarify I'm not an Apple hater. I picked up a Zune whilst in the states last week and what a player; sound quality way xceeds iPod, simple to navigate and ridiculously easier to download music and video (especially if you are familiar with Windows Media Player). Definitely will be a good buy for some people.

[neil @ Nov 15th 2007 8:15AM]

I love Americans myself. I don't know any so that helps! I hate everyone else I meet!!! I bought a pod 3rd gen 8gig for £159 as a gift and it is the dogs bo###ks. I was so freakin' jelous... and i was the one that bought it!! Figure that?? I really didn't want a pitiful 8 gig and having just bought a pod I wanted value for money. So one zune later 30gig and knowing I may only be able to upload cd's, I'm unsure about tesco download or even zunes usa marketplace- can I buy? Well £82.20 for a 30gig zune will suit me. 14 hours battery- I have a carm a motorhome and ciggy sockets aswell as a home. How long does a charge need to be? I hate the idea of being mr average, so as everyone has a pod already- I don't want one and Sony are going all mp3 instead of attrac due to pod etc... So put that pod down and get social with a zune.

[neil @ Nov 15th 2007 8:37AM]

Antimatter- I have never used an Apple mac p/c. So are you saying they never have patches, upgrades or updates. Or just saying you haven't used one either. But because you have had upgrades through Microsoft, that they are not interested in quality control? I think you are mis-informed or ignorant! My recent given gift of a pod has needed resetting 2 times in 2 weeks so is it bugged and lacking in quality control? Pods are the trendiest mp3 play back handheld device in our world. But very unpopular in Japan and the asiatics that take seriously their role in development and production. We as consumer countries just bemoan for wrong reasons and buy what is best marketed rather than best product. Japan has it right and they don't buy many pods because they are not technologically advanced a product for the great Japanese. The good things in a pod is size and marketing