Zune still may be coming to Europe this year -- maybe

Ok, so we finally heard back from Zune PR, and they were about as cagey as we always expect when it comes to statements about future moves in the market. Anyway, here's what they said about Sunday's meme that the player wouldn't be launching in Europe this year: in a nutshell, Ballmer was mistranslated, and did not say either way whether Zune is launching in Europe in 2007. "He emphasized -- as we've been saying all along -- that focus is important to us and the US has been our focus to date. He also reminded those readers that Zune is an investment for the company... a multi-year strategy... but we are currently not making any announcements about future launches." Ok, so it might have just been easier for Zune to come out and say it is (or isn't) in fact still launching in Europe this year, and you can still chalk up the above to a non-denial denial if you like. But it still seems plausible this year may yet hold good news for our cross-Atlantic pals anticipating a Microsoft player of their very own, so don't give up just yet.

[JohnTitor @ Jun 5th 2007 7:27PM]

UK FTW?

[Brian @ Jun 5th 2007 7:29PM]

Not sure I will be to bothered...with the iPhone and most phones having music players why would you ever buy a Zune ?

[ShaleX @ Jun 5th 2007 8:14PM]

"Not sure I will be to bothered...with the iPhone and most phones having music players why would you ever buy a Zune ?"

Cause you don't want an iPhone.... Cingular's Crappy service, or spend $500 to be stuck in a contract.

[mentalsticks @ Jun 5th 2007 7:41PM]

Yes! YES! Let it be this year! I want one! I want one!

Oh hey, wait a minute, I don't.

[derek @ Jun 5th 2007 7:53PM]

that's still not Europe....

[andy @ Jun 5th 2007 8:04PM]

are these the ones they cant sell in the states? ;)

[michael @ Jun 5th 2007 10:10PM]

@Andy:

Oh, but they have sold in the states. Didn't you hear? Over 1 million. The fastest rate amongst Mp3 players ever recorded. All in 1/2 a year since they launched.

[andy @ Jun 6th 2007 6:55AM]

yes, i know, shame they were all sold to the retail chains and not to customers though, microsoft, experts and juggling numbers

[paul34 @ Jun 5th 2007 9:50PM]

Very true... lots of people will be disappointed when they lock themselves to Cingular. I used to be a Cingular fanboy, too... they let me down =(

[andrew harrison @ Jun 5th 2007 8:17PM]

OH THANK GOD

I was worried there for a second.

[brendan Sheehan jnr @ Jun 5th 2007 8:31PM]

Here this should help you Ryan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe
You're missing about 50 countries on that map. You really should exit the states more.

[zoara @ Jun 6th 2007 8:49AM]

Brendan, I think you need to give Ryan more credit. I think he's playing games with you.

[JohnTitor @ Jun 5th 2007 8:34PM]

Zune sucks anyway, I expected Europeans to be smarter than that

[brendan Sheehan jnr @ Jun 5th 2007 8:35PM]

Smarter than what?

[Russell @ Jun 5th 2007 9:00PM]

to buy a zune

[JohnTitor @ Jun 5th 2007 9:11PM]

smarter than Americans, they already got the green movement going, getting fast broadband, nicer phones, using Firefox more, etc.

[Russell @ Jun 5th 2007 8:59PM]

europeans aren't exactly missing would have been nice if it hadn't been released

[drtekger @ Jun 5th 2007 10:05PM]

plus our chicks have bigger boobs! German Fräulein FTW!

[andrew harrison @ Jun 5th 2007 11:23PM]

I'm 99% certain i'm missing the sarcasm here, but for the 1% chance that I'm not:

I'm fairly sure that the Zune's 1,000,000 units in 6 months is less than the iPod's 30,000,000 units in the same 6 months.

Data table is here [based on the 07 Q1+2 results released by Apple] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ipod_sales.svg

again, i'm sure i'm missing the sarcasm, so disregard this post as necessary.

[brutha @ Jun 5th 2007 10:13PM]

The Zune got unfair press...and i blame engadget and others.

[JohnTitor @ Jun 5th 2007 10:26PM]

it's not just that
we are talking Microsoft vs Apple
so they kinda got some people going that way

[SgtSally @ Jun 5th 2007 11:12PM]

The Iphone looks very slick. I would like to have one but I just got out of a Cingular contract and wouldn't go with that company again - ever.

Scandisk now has a mp3 player with wifi so Zune is kinda hurting unless they utilize the full potential of that feature. None of the phones with integrated mp3 players function very well in that regard (of the ones I've heard of.). If the Iphone truly does perform well as a music player, at least some of their net sales of these devices will be auto-cannibalization.

[Silver @ Jun 5th 2007 11:14PM]

Well, Microsoft has to find *someplace* to dump all the dusty Zunes that aren't selling in the U.S. Might as well be Europe...

[Michael @ Jun 5th 2007 11:26PM]

@andrew harrison:

I was talking about in terms of launch. Andy was saying that they weren't selling at all. I'm telling him that MS sold a lot since they're launch, for a first-timer.

[Brian @ Jun 6th 2007 7:24AM]

Not exactly a new MP3 player just a rework of a Toshiba.

But again for the love of god why....

I thought that device integration is what we are looking for not one thing for one purpose.

[Julian Bond @ Jun 6th 2007 2:40AM]

This is absurd.

It's only a bit of electronics. Why isn't it available worldwide from launch?

Oh. Right. It's missing the music store lock in. Well go and tell that to Sony, Creative, Samsung and any number of no name Chinese players. So MS can't sell the hardware because the deals with the record companies and the web music store aren't ready.

This is absurd.

[dw @ Jun 6th 2007 5:06PM]

That's exactly what I was saying about.... the PS3 and iPhone! (Both of which are not available worldwide at launch, ya know.)

;)

[ranma @ Jun 6th 2007 7:16AM]

@michael

Actually, they haven't sold a million yet. They said they were on track to hit a million by the end of June. Even then, according to Microsoft's accounting methods, that simply means they shipped that many. Not necessarily sold to customers.

Hope that helps!

Ranma

http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/32243/145/

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/OHr94njkBarXxC/Zune-Scrolling-Up-to-1-Million-Target.xhtml

http://www.electronista.com/articles/07/05/29/1m.zune.claim.misleading/

[michael @ Jun 6th 2007 12:23PM]

@ranma:

I heard from another news source that they did get to it. Check Gizmodo. They actually updated their post about the 1 million Zune thing, since it actually did get to that number sometime later. Or check other sources if you want to.

And about the way Microsoft counts stuff: How would you know Microsoft's accounting methods? You don't happen to work there do you? (Can tell that you don't). How are we to know if Apple's 100 million ipods aren't simply ones that made it to stores? I see we don't question Apple's claims here. And exactly what retailer does have time to count how many amounts of each product was sold, and then relay the info. back to the companies who made it? The thing is, we don't know. So stop questioning these things, and just accept it. Whether you believe it or not, those Zunes will get sold, and better Zunes will be made.

[brendan Sheehan jnr @ Jun 6th 2007 9:24AM]

And so fun these games are.. not :(

[Chris.L @ Jun 7th 2007 7:17PM]

Well when is it coming to Canada...

You can buy it off eBay and have it sent here, but I'd much rather buy it in a store so I can get a warranty.