Microsoft to introduce Zune song sharing incentive program?

You may have heard a rumor floating about the internet that the Zune would adopt an incentive-based distribution system. The idea, supposedly, is that each song sent to your Zune-toting buddy that he/she decided to buy at your recommendation would earn you a small reward (think Zune Marketplace Points) for promoting and sharing legal digital music. Good Morning Silicon Valley revived the discussion on Wednesday, and points out that J Allard recently discussed the system at the Music Tech Summit in Seattle, but Microsoft has made no official remarks on the topic. Well we went digging through the US Patent and Trade Office site and came across a 2003 filing from Redmond that describes a very similar system that says "The first license also specifies the conditions upon which the content may be redistributed and licensed for use on a second device" and that "these conditions may specify a price for the second license, and/or a requirement that a portion of the purchase price be paid back to the owner of the first license, and/or a requirement that the first license be revoked upon creation of the second license." GMSV also says that there seems to be some confusion about the role of Shared Media Licensing, the parent company of Weedshare.com, which apparently has a very similar patent. Still, the question remains, if this really exists, when's Redmond going to let it see the light of day?

[Via Good Morning Silicon Valley, thanks Gern B.]

[foxhaze @ Dec 3rd 2006 2:30PM]

And if a friend sends me a song, and I choose to illegally download it... no zune points?

[LPD @ Nov 30th 2006 11:06AM]

When? When they update the software and server to handle the feature.

[vincent @ Nov 30th 2006 11:22AM]

It kind of makes you wonder if Redmond was holding back this little extra sauce "just in case"--just in case sales sucked, I suppose. The Zune's been out for less than a month, and what one might presume is the basic patent was filed more than three years ago. That means a rewards system probably could have been readied for the launch, unless it was so difficult that it came with a much later implementation. It just looks like MS didn't really pull off a good launch and are casting about for ideas on how to generate some sustained buzz.

Personally, this kind of system might be okay once a critical mass of users is achieved. As it is, your friend, let alone the person sitting next to you on the bus, is probably plugged into either an iPod or a Plays For Sure device. Not helpful.

[mertz @ Nov 30th 2006 11:48AM]

To build off of the idea that "The Social" is lacking, I work at a major state university. Students are constantly walking all over campus with headphones in their ears. Over the last week I've looked around to see if I could spot any Zunes... not a one.

And there was also this tidbit that confirmed young people on this campus think the Zune is lame... A sign for a giveaway of prizes not only had the Zune listed last, but someone had written next to it "lol, installer crash."

Zune is a flop.

[martin Cinzar @ Nov 30th 2006 11:31AM]

So now, I need to have Microsoft points on my Zune to give to you, when I want to get a song from you? Or is it free and Microsoft just uses the honour system and see that you've transfered 5 songs and gives you five points. Can "o" worms if you ask me.

[Vilppi @ Nov 30th 2006 1:28PM]

But haven't you heard of the immense buzz that the zune apparently enjoyed prior to its launch on various campuses (campusi? campi?).
I mean, there were several commenters on different tech-blogs testifying to this. Or could it be that they were all lying? Surely not.

[stevievep @ Nov 30th 2006 11:31AM]

Unless that wi-fi can reach about 600 miles or more, I don't think there will be much sharing to be had...good luck.

[TxdoHawk @ Nov 30th 2006 11:44AM]

While I'd like to think this is in the pipeline to be deployed via software update, my guess is that it's one of those concepts that sounded great on paper but turned out to be a nightmare to implement, either in how it actually works or how to pitch it to the screaming crying whining babies (read: record companies).

[NuttyBars @ Nov 30th 2006 12:24PM]

Why does the sharing have to be limited to those within your proximity? Why not allow everybody to share tunes via the INTARWEBS and allow the Zune to connect directly to a wireless router? Sure you would end up with a lot of free tunes, but they would all be temporary and would entice you to either buy them or subscribe.

(and if you are subscribing to begin with why do the "squirted" songs have to time out at all?)

[Mig @ Nov 30th 2006 12:44PM]

I got a new zune for $125 today!!!! yay

[Whynot @ Nov 30th 2006 12:34PM]

Another completely hypothetical situation:
"Ok, so my friend Joe beamed me two songs, so I only have to pay 46 points for each on the Zune Marketplace, plus 3 credits that will go to Joe. Now, I beamed seven songs to Angela, three to John, and five to Roberto who beamed me back eight songs...and I have to take in account the two songs Jim beamed me yesterday but I already listened 3 times so the percentage of points changes...so if I add the points and deduct the ingoing points, multiply it by the number of Zune devices, take $1 off each song for Universal, substract the number of creditsdue to sharing too more than two devices,...carry to the ten...square root of logarithm...plus the derivative of the integral...So if I understand well, I'm left with..." *system failure*...*Zune Marketplace will reboot - please wait*...*due to technical problems, all your Points have been deleted and donated to the RIAA to which you own $4,980 for legally sharing music* "Wow! Thanks Microsoft! You solved my mathematical problem!" *Welcome to the social*

[Chris @ Nov 30th 2006 1:55PM]

oh jesus christ shut up you idiots, there not lossing they are on track why??? THEY WERENT GOING TO TAKE OVER 90% in 1 month, there expectations are 5 FRIGGING YEARS! And they are determined to release software updates as well as updatedhardware and different models over those 5 years... its just annoying people calling something a failure after a few weeks into a 5-6 year project jesus.

[tristanfey @ Nov 30th 2006 1:03PM]

Everyone here is missing the point. This is supposedly an incentive program. You send a song to a friend, they listen to it and if they buy it from the bookmark (containing metadata of who sent it) the originator gets a small paid incentive. Most likely through addition of points to their account.

Now most critics are going to cite that it is very, very hard to find another Zune user to share with and that makes this program worthless. But MS has indicated they plan on expanding the wireless service to allow connection through Wi-Fi hot spots to any other Zune using a hotspot. MS probably knew that an incentive program at launch would have been laughed at because of the futility of trying to find other users. But to release it in conjunction with the upgraded wireless capabilities builds buzz and makes alot of sense.

As for those who have said Zune is a failure, you are also not taking a few things into account. First, many DAP users had most likely just upgraded their iPods with the new releases from Apple. Secondly, they are locked into Apple's system and to make a change would require a big leap of faith. MS has to show that the change is worth it. Third, MS stated before the release of the Zune that they expected it to be years (I believe the quote cited something like 5-6 years) and millions of dollars before Zune had any real market saturation. MS does not expect this to be an overnight change and I don't know why anyone else does. MS has also never called this first gen player an iPod killer. The audience has.

Now before I get called out as an MS fanboy, I am merely pointing out Microsoft's stated strategy and expectations. I did not buy a Zune (I never buy 1st gen products), nor do I own an X-Box (third choice actually after the Wii and then the PS3). I only use Windows because it is my simplest solution. Even then, I use third party solutions in place of many of Windows built in features (browser, firewall, defrag, etc). Just something to think about.

[tony @ Nov 30th 2006 1:58PM]

good comment about that its new and it could take years to dig into Apples marketshare, After all Apple has been trying for about 20 years to get the mac into the main stream and based on there over all percentage of windows machines to mac machines world wide they have failed. even with there funny commercials

[stevievep @ Nov 30th 2006 4:24PM]

While that's all fair and nice in an ideal world with wi-fi hotspot to hotspot connections...i don't see it as very likely [could be pleasantly surprised], nor very well done given their track record, but we'll see...meanwhile i'm probably going to buy a free laser engraved ipod for someone this christmas. [free as in engraving, not as in ipod]

[Matt @ Nov 30th 2006 1:11PM]

Wurld Media the owners of Peer Impact also have a simmilar published patent that describes a simmilar incentive scheme .

http://v3.espacenet.com/textdoc?DB=EPODOC&IDX=WO2005038617&F=0

And here is the Incentive Scheme in action
http://www.peerimpact.com

[Chuck @ Nov 30th 2006 1:33PM]

No update in 2 weeks since launch? How could they. What slackers!

As for the glowing installation review on this site, nice touch saying zune caused raid failure rather than the other way around.

[LittleJoe @ Nov 30th 2006 2:01PM]

Great... now you too can be a music industry whore!

[Sasha S. @ Nov 30th 2006 3:56PM]

Microsoft has indicated that they want to be force to recon within 5 years. I have a message for Billy's Happy Bunch in Redmond: In order to start doing that you have to have a competitor that is SIGNIFICANTLY better - just to be able to be taken seriously and to start getting some traction.

Zune launch so far has Microsoft wheels spinning in mud (is this where the brown colour of Zune is coming from?). No traction. This latest addition is too little. What they need to do is TOTAL redesign of entire concept - namely:

1. DUMP any hint of them being evil and ripping customers off - read: real prices, lower then iTunes Store,
2. VERY generous DRM (better then FairPlay),
3. MUCH lower price (150 dollars would be about right)
4. Zune software should be able to convert FairPlay music into ZUNE DRM
5. Zune should support at launch EVERY single thing iTunes does and then does it with more grace
6. Microsoft should put all non-signed artists onto Zune marketplace (read: buy podsafe music network)
etc etc etc

But we know that they won't do that because Microsoft doen not know how to sell stuff to consumers. They sell Windows and Office to companies whom they can bully and pressure to dance on their music. (that is why they started licking Universal's ass from the start).

Dealing with consumers is not in their DNA and this is just another example of that.

So patient (read: Zune) is dead and there is no point in applying CPR. So long Zune, it was a brief existance but honestly with such bad DNA your parents provided - you never had a chance.

here be ZUNE
a music player with faulty DNA

2006-2006

[The Top Ramen @ Nov 30th 2006 2:42PM]

Sharing songs is useless unless you got someone to share it with. I have a better chance getting hit by a car than casually walking down the street, my zune recognizing another zune out there and is hapily ready to share a song with a stranger. Plus I have to like the song enough to buy it.

So yeah, it's pretty much useless. It's a FLOP!

[Opspin @ Dec 1st 2006 5:33AM]

So couldn't you just when you get a song from someone, re-share it to someone else, would that give them three plays/days more, or can't you re-share shared songs?

[pullease @ Nov 30th 2006 6:09PM]

Sascha: More lists please! They're great.

[mike @ Nov 30th 2006 7:16PM]

Sasha... seriously... everything you mentioned is the OPPOSITE of Microsoft.. more grace than Apple.. more features.. WHAT?!

[tekdroid @ Dec 1st 2006 12:06PM]

want to get rewarded for sharing INEDEPENDENT music?

Get a real player. A real player that can connect to virtually any computer (and virtually any operating system) and can share its files plainly - as data files. No freaking iTunes. No freaking Zune software. No RIAA-approved activities. No software needed at all. It's called USB Mass Storage.

Zune hasn't got it. Apple has only got it for data files, and NOT for playable audio on the device (which is encrypted). Sony's audio is encrypted on the device, too. Makes you wonder why, eh?

Now get your virtually ignored Cowon or Sandisk or device and copy said files on your friend's computer. Grab some tracks from your friend, too, while you're at it. It's a two-way street.

Now get thanked. And of course, you have more taste than to listen to what RIAA member companies are throwing at you, right? And more sense than to buy heavily restricted players, right?

Or do you need to be force-fed lifeless music via the Zune marketplace?