Fear not,
Zune lovers, your beloved media player isn't going anywhere just yet. Interviewed at the McGraw-Hill media conference, Microsoft's head honcho Steve Ballmer said that the hardware will continue to improve, but reaffirmed that its future may be as software / ecosystem found on other devices. "I won't say full steam ahead because that implies acceleration of investment," he said, "but we're going to sustain our investment." It's unclear from the transcription -- much of it paraphrased by
The Wall Street Journal -- whether or not Ballmer had given any indication as to the future of the hardware itself. Of course, should one of those mentioned hardware improvements managed to take a notable bite out of Apple's iPod business, we reckon those investments will see an uptick. We've already heard that the service would find its way on
non-Zune devices sometime this year, but mum's still the word on any details thereof.
posted Mar 23rd 2009 7:10PM
Some firmware updates to the existing Zune devices would be nice...
People actually own zunes? is the zune the best they can do? They should discontinue, start from scratch and create something new and something that can compete with the ipod/ itouch
The Zune is actually very good when compared to the iPod classic, hell i'd choose it 100x over for the larger screen, monthly music pass, and software (on and off the device)
however im now an iPhone owner, so i no longer use the zune. they dropped the ball on not copying that device, they would have a much easier time gaining market share with a phone than an MP3 player. hell make a iPhone clone, do some good software and multitouch, then make a deal with verizon, they need a phone that directly competes. simple as that.
"People actually own zunes? is the zune the best they can do? They should discontinue, start from scratch and create something new and something that can compete with the ipod/ itouch"
That is more or less what they are doing. Microsoft, IMO, are the big platform people. The little Zunes are perfectly good devices, but obviously not any kind of threat to the iPods. If they make Zune a platform for mobile media which 3rd parties can develop for they could stimulate some decent innovation and a nice bit of competition for Apple to push back against.
What's a zune?
To fix what? I recently got a Zune (won it at a Microsoft conference) and I think it's already a whole heck of a lot better than my iPod Classic. The desktop software is better, the on-device menu system is easier to navigate, and the Zune Pad is just straight up superior to the Click Wheel. Personally I think the ability to stream full albums from the Zune Marketplace over WiFi right on the device is about the coolest feature ever.
Someone needs to get the original of that Ballmer photo and photoshop in Steve Jobs with Jobs' head in Ballmers hand so that it looks like Ballmer is sucking the lifeforce out of Jobs' body.
What they should do is have the Zune have a touchscreen and a touchpad, but instead of the touchpad being a magic button, have it have individual ones. It would be perfect.
Nothing illustrates the sanctimonious nature of iPod owners more than the mere mention of the 'Zune'.
For this reason and others, I embrace the Zune.
Nothing illustrates the pathetic nature of Zune owners more than the mere mention of the 'iPod'.
For this reason and so many others, I embrace the iPod.
"Nothing illustrates the pathetic nature of Zune owners more than the mere mention of the 'iPod'.
For this reason and so many others, I embrace the iPod."
Nothing illustrates the pathetic nature of iPods owners more than their need to appear on Zune threads to criticize people that had the nerve to use something other than the Apple product.
There are some good alternatives to the Ipod but the Zune isn't one of them.
For the record I own Macs and Windows machines and I'm a big fan of Bill Gates.
But its sooooooooooooooo fugly!
@ All
I was not trying to be rude..is there anything I said that was not the truth?no.
I honestly don't know anyone who owns a Zune.
Zune cannot compete with the ipod/ipod touch. I mean what are the statistics, when every 300 ipods sold 1 zune is bought?.
Aside from creating a more innovative gadget they should work on their image as well.....starting with steve ballmer
@shism
You must be talking about yourself, self-projection maybe.
@ Just some girl
So you don't own one, and you don't know anyone who owns one, but you feel you need to weigh-in on the quality of the product and whether it shoud be discontinued.
Thread-crapping 101.
I have used iTunes and Zune marketplace and I prefer the latter. Zune's playback is generally rated better than iPods. I have the flash player, and while it lacks the 'coolness' of the iTouch, it's a high quality, compact player. AND for $14.95 a month, you get subscription service and 10 downloads. Not a bad deal.
While the iPod is a good player that suits the needs of many people, it is also the prefered choice of posers everywhere.
@why should I have all the fun
I’m not saying it should be discontinued because it’s a bad product…. but because it obviously cannot compete with the ipod/itouch.
If it is a good device and no one wants to buy it is because of bad marketing and I also said they should work on that.
I’m not really sure what “posers” have anything to with this, posing for what? Lol
So no touch screen zune? I wanted that. :(
Likely will be on WM7.
Yea, WM7 will probably be the improvement in music players people are looking forward to. WM6.5 shows a little bit of what they are planning. Should be some awesome devices by then. Plus with wm we can sync through bluetooth none of that cable mess.
Thing is, I already have a phone. Generally I don't like mixing phones and PMPs anyway. I'd like a touch Zune before (if) they nix hardware. You know, go out with a bang.
There still probably will be a touchscreen Zune, here's a quote I pulled from the article: "Hardware will continue to improve."
So there will still be hardware versions, at least as of now, and probably the 3rd generation of Zunes will have touchscreens (it's the next progressive way to go) and will be released, as well as finally being released in Europe and Australia. Perhaps there will be even multi-touch support, considering Microsoft continued work in Surface and Windows 7's multi-touch capabilities.
and I guess iPods are for people who eat pods full of iShit. I rather sniff a fart then eat shit
Well we definitely know which devices won't be getting zuned...
It is really that difficult for Engadget to ever use a photo of the Z80 instead of constantly pulling up choped images of the old brick?
It would be breach of contract.
Have to agree here.
Ross, for the love of everything you love, use this image:
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/6484/zunenew.jpg
I hope AOL doesn't have any restriction for you guys to use a picture of a new Zune!
How would they give a negative connotation then?
What's the matter? Afraid of your (and your devices') heritage?
I generally agree that Engadget should use the new version, but Microsoft doesn't even use it on their own Ford Sync site.
www.syncmyride.com [click on Media Players]
@ KarlW
Well, they don't do that with iPods. If every iPod article had the first iPod there'd be lots of comments on how outdated it looks.
better than sniffing steve jobs gentles.
I only sniff my own farts when no one's looking
I really just wish they'd let you create playlists on the fly, still shocked to see that its missing.
I know how you feel, I really hope they add the ability in future updates.
Being unable to store a playlist made on the go sucks so bad.
First thing is first, throw out the code to the current desktop software. its really terrible.
Where have you been? The current software is worlds better than iTunes and is really good and smooth, especially in terms of presentation. They have already thrown out the software from 1.0 and rewrote the whole thing from scratch for 2.0, I doubt they would do it again.
I wouldn't say that, while I could certainly see a massive improvement in stores it's still unintuitive to me. I could care less about radio when... You know, I'm only using the damn things in my car.
I forgot to mention slightly slower in response (while that might be a perception thing, I've used other players before and still do, so I don't see why I'd be biased in that regard).
I buy all my music from Amazon, so I can't comment on the Zune marketplace. The software for music management and organization is great, though. It runs much better than iTunes and it looks way better. They simply need to open it up for more customization.
And also they need to update the Zune hardware so it shows up as an external drive. That would go a long way to distinguishing it from the ipod among the enthusiast crowd. Okay, more file format support, too.
Yeah iTunes isn't exactly that intuitive, but once you get the hang of it...
I don't care about on-computer intuitivity (unless it's really awful - I'd say iTunes is on par with your general Windows experience), it's the device that matters to me because each second I spend tapping/scrolling/whatever on that pad to do what I want is a minute less in battery life.
iTunes looks like spreadsheet software.
I don't care about the "look" of iTunes, but I do care about how fucking impossible it is for me to move my music around. I update and purchase new machines fairly frequently and shift services from device to device for load balancing and even after doing it twice before, when I moved my music library to my newest media server I had to look up a tutorial on it. Just ridiculous.
Genitals. There you go my fellow Zune fan.
Zunes are versatile devices if you know what i mean, which i don't expect you to since you have already proved you will pay any amount
of money for a crippled feature-less player.
And i do not expect you to understand the complex statement i just made too.
* Sell Zune software to run on non-MS hardware
* Discontinue Zune hardware business
* Start new MP3 player hardware+software+DRM ecosystem that is not compatible with Zune *or* Playsforsure
* Wash, rinse, repeat.
I'd rather they sell everything Zune to someone else. I'd rather see the Zune actually taken places by someone like Archos or Creative that would actually develop and advertise a good products. MS seems to have decided their halfass effort was good enough and that anyone who likes the Zune hardware are inconsequential.
I personally dislike the Zune simply because of how sluggish and unintuitive it is, it's the reason I gave up on my Creative players so I don't see why I'd pick a Zune up.
I got 3 4G iPods so far (two of which were gifts), I'm disappointed by the battery life if anything, and the one I gave my girlfriend after she basically ended up killing her Sony player) is having the weirdest issues when formatted on an OSX-based computer.
No device is perfect, but the interface is what makes me stick with iPods... At least the flash-based, non-glossy ones.
Portable Media Center (PMP OS) gets upgraded to Zune (OS + hardware from Toshiba) gets turned back to a software platform under a new name
Engadget, can we PLEASE stop using generation 1.0 zunes in all of our stories!?
Engadget, can you please not used photos of Steve Ballmer in your stories?!!!
The frighten me a bit.
But seriously, they've gone this path before and they felt the need to get themselves involved in the hardware business because manufacturers weren't doing it right in their opinion, why would it be different now?
* Zune firmware for all Windows Mobile devices.
* stand alone Zune firmware for thrid party PMPs.
* Zune desktop software opened up for all Zune firmware devices, and also for any other company that wants to write a "driver" to allow it's gadget to connect.
*Zune desktop software built into Windows 7.
The idea is a new, more open Ecosystem. MS may be in charge of it, but other players can join in... iRiver, Samsung, Sony etc... If it's a big enough ecosystem then it gets traction.
iTunes/iPod gets some genuine competition.
Microsoft as the Open Systems hero, fighting the Closed Proprietary company.
It would be so cool and ironic.
That's exactly what I was thinking. Microsoft is NOT foremost a hardware company. They're about software. So, create Zune software and let the other guys make some nice devices for it. Then Microsoft would have a Computer OS, Phone OS, and Media Player OS- all sharing elements of each other and communicating. They'd get better market presence (and wouldn't have to spend money developing hardware) and consumers would probably get better hardware to boot (not that I don't like Zune hardware much, but I bet there are others who could do better). Then Apple's closed-wall system would look archaic and limited...
I don't know if anyone remembers Portable Media Center, the OS from which the Zune software sprang. It interfaced with Windows Media Player on the desktop, and was available to a number of different manufacturers: Creative, iRiver, Toshiba, Samsung etc. It still bombed. Microsoft then added insult to injury and tread on a lot of its partners' toes when it released the Zune in direct competition with them.
The Zune OS is a major refresh, and the Zune PC software is many times better than Windows Media Player was, so perhaps they will be more successful this time around if they open it up to 3rd parties. I am no fan of closed, proprietary lock-ins, I just wonder which company is likely to take up Microsoft's offer.
I love my Zune, moved away from my iPod a long time back, I love the design, ease of use and the online store is fantastic, it features a lot of dance and indy music you cannot find on iTunes A+
The evidence is clear. Microsoft cannot keep up with Apple excellent technological pace. Miscreansoft is clearly using the "lets wait for Apple to announce whats next" strategy. Implementing the strategy is beyond their technological means though. Five years and untold billions wasted on Vista ( attempt to copy Mac OS X ), has resulted in failure. Millions and millions more spent on Zune, the "me too" device of the decade, produced more hilarity in the tech industry. Further cementing Miscreansoft DNA as nothing more than a "me too" company.
Apple's technological pace? They just added copy and paste to the iPhone, in a massive, massive, unmissable moment of ME-TOO.
Once again I must correct the naive poster. Newton. If you open your eyes, the cut, copy and paste implementation from Apple is designed 100% for touchscreen UI.. Unlike other devices after the Newton that uses the same old UI behavior.
Way to troll dude
And he's back. Jesus, do you just lurk and wait for the next Zune article to pounce on? (Note: I am not actually asking Jesus)
Apple's excellent technological pace? More like, they cant spew out enough trash like Steve Jobs can, that stinking greedy bastard. He takes the credit of the entire company and he does not deserve one ounce of it. And the vast majority play into it, with the common person worshiping Jobs, giving no credit to the engineers, the designers, the programmers who come up with and implement the ideas that make some Apple products great. What a pathetic person. Ballmer is no better, but Jobs is truly an imbecile.
EYES WIDE OPEN.
The Newton is not the iPhone. I don't know how you could think they're the same thing.
What am i doing? DFTT.
Every time I see a debate about how an iPod is better than the Zune, or how the Zune is "feature-less", I laugh so hard and continue rolling on the ground for 4 minutes. The Zune doesn't only beat the iPod in numbers, but the experience one get through the creative service and software makes you love music rather than just listen to music. I would go on talking about how great the Zune is, but I might fill 7000 pixels of anyone's monitor and even then I will not be done talking of even half of its features. :)
How much is Apple paying you to use images of old Zune models?
according to past articles every good review/demeaning photo earns them $.65
$1 dollar :rolls eyes:
this would be great, I love my zune software, although i wish it could compete with itunes' music store :ducks:
seriously though, i'd like to carry my music files on my phone's zune software. I was going to get windows 6.0 for the zune software, but it seems like it's just not there yet. my zune 30 has been real good to me.
That's all well and good, but have they figured out that it's not okay to play Audio Book chapters during random shuffle?
I really like my Zune and its software. I have a Zune 30 and a 16 and find them both to be responsive and I'm appreciative that the newest firmware works on my old Zune 30.
The software is a thousand times better in its 3.0 release than it was in its original form. More responsive, better organized, and far more intuitive. I've also found that the software runs much better/faster and crashes less than the latest iTunes (which I admit to occasionally using to create playlists with genius).
On to the marketplace. While the proprietary points system is annoying for any ecosystem I am satisfied that the Zune and Xbox share the same points ecosystem. I'm trying out the Zune Pass service for a few months to see if I like it (this move was mostly prompted by my schools blocking of P2P). So far I'm pretty happy, especially since they now let you download 10 drm-free mp3s a month which basically turns the equation into me buying 10 songs a month and the subscription for an extra five bucks. I also get a nice warm fuzzy feeling knowing that I'm not "stealing" from the arti *ahem* labels.
Although it has been a while since any new firmware or hardware has been released. I wish they'd at least have a little bit of transparency as to the direction they're going with the software/devices.
Zune has a future?
More of a future than Terminator.
STOP THREATENING ME.
Ballmer is going to let 3rd parties innovate? Like they did when they announced the big Plays for Sure, iPod killer plan? That worked out well fore everyone, didn't it?
Face it, Zune is a dead product. Ballmer and the boyz won't admit the truth -- that they wasted half a $Billion of shareholder money on this crap gadget and the bung-hole marketplace. No. they will pretend that it's an ongoing "investment" and that someday, somehow, they will earn all the money back they pissed away.
LOL
I agree, Microsoft has made many errors in the implementation of the Zune device/software, and that may have cost them dearly.
That said, the Zune devices themselves are beautiful, and the software runs extremely well. The interface is easy and intuitive to use (I've still yet to get used to pressing Menu to go back on iPods) and I have nothing to complain about it. To say it is a crap gadget is seriously not true.
Oh, and personal pet peeve with Zune: on the smaller flash players, why not make the screens bigger, say 2.0 inches. There is more than enough room to do so, and could make quite a difference.
And what is wrong with sniffing one's own farts?
it would be a shame to see the zune go, it's the only hard drive player (60GB+) with great sound quality, at least that i've heard of.
The zune isn't dead. the only thing really still holding it back is marketing....they just don't do it at all.
I like the idea of expanding the brand, and they've been saying they're gonna do that forever. I highly doubt the hardware is going to go away. It's too well designed to just toss aside and there is still alot they can do with it.
It's a shame they can't seem to get their s*it together for markets outside the US, too.
Last year, they launched in Canada (finally). My local WalMart had a display set up and everything. I'd heard good reviews of the hardware, and special-ordered a nice, red "Zune Original" for my wife's birthday last summer.
A month later, the Zune display was gone from WalMart. "They didn't sell. I sent 'em all back," the electronics manager told me. No wonder; there was NO advertising to support the product launch.
My wife likes her Zune (the larger screen is great for vids and photos), but buying music for it is really a hassle. See, Zune Marketplace STILL hasn't launched in Canada. In the meantime, Apple has removed DRM from its music, so guess what I'm doing? I'm BUYING MUSIC OFF iTUNES AND TRANSCODING IT TO MP3 SO MY WIFE CAN PLAY IT ON HER FREAKIN' ZUNE!!! I'm guessing this isn't what Microsoft intended.
Zune. Great product. Questionable marketing.
@Thunderbuck Have you tried downloading from the Amazon MP3 store? Their selection is pretty good. All DRM free. I use my PSP for listening to music and I buy all my songs from there.
Oops, strike my last. The Amazon.ca site doesn't have an MP3 store. Sorry about that.
I'd love to see Microsoft do a Zune iPhone app. If 3.0 lets third party apps read and write to the music player database, they could roll in wireless sync features (like AirSharing does already, or possibly something more elegant) and top the default music app.
You really think Apple would let in a Zune app? Really?
Yeah it boggles my mind that they advertise Windows more than the Zune while I see a barrage of Apple ads about the different iPods... I think they should do some kind of contest where the community would have to come up with a good ad for the zune.
i want an Microsoft genuine product!
you know what would really help? selling the zune outside of the states...
And give the rest of the world another reason to hate us? No thank you.
I like Zunes, they play more stuff than iPod
Why not just skip both and get a real DAP/PMP that will play everything? And be cheaper. And not need proprietary hardware/software. And sound better.
Zune and iPod, dumb and dumber.
In my opinion, the computer-based Zune software is leaps and bounds better than iTunes. I feel less strongly about the software on the device--although I personally find it easier to navigate.
They can discontinue the Zune hardware when:
1. They put a web browser on both hard drive and flash-based zunes
2. You can buy from Amazon MP3 directly from the Zune
3. They support the same apps as the future Zune on Windows Mobile etc
4. You can sync via Windows Media Player
Then I will be satisfied.
I reckon get the WMP and Zune software folks to come up with one universal media system for windows / winmo. Not congruent, MS!
I've always wondered why the Zune has never been sold outside of the US.
It's tricky, but you can get them. There are guides to setting up the software and a zune tag on a non-US system. I've got a Zune 4 and I'm in New Zealand. People think it's an iPod D:
I noted in a post above that Zune launched in Canada last year. With no advertising support.
Zune Marketplace STILL hasn't launched here, which means that buying music for my wife's Zune means either: A) buying CDs and ripping them, B) wading through the sucky selection on eMusic to find the 3 decent tracks they actually sell or (my favorite) C) buying the non-DRM'd cuts of iTunes and transcoding them to MP3.
My wife likes her Zune, at least as a piece of hardware. It's a solid unit with great sound quality. It has SPECTACULAR headphones. I, too, would like one, but until they actually start selling MUSIC for it, I'm a little reluctant.
so they're going back to Plays For Sure?
i wasn't very Sure about my Zen V Plus' future when MS ditched Plays For Sure and did Zune....
I have an idea. How about a comment system that allows users to click on a specific button, and if the button gets pressed enough times, then nobody would be able to reply to the user in question until mediated by someone further up. That would quell all these flame wars. Really people need to just count to 10 and cool down before replying. However, in response to the article, and ignoring all previously stated comments (because I didn't want to be drawn into them myself), I have to say:
NO......DUH....
The most obvious statement in the world. Why should the Zune software be limited to one device! Get it as exposed as possible to the world! Make it run on many different devices well for good market saturation.
This makes me feel happy that Ballmer seems to be using his common sense!
Give me UMS and filetree browsing and I am sold.
The scent of feces is how we Zune owners mark our territory, like the Alaskan wolves.
I would very much like a touch screen Zune, but with the squircle.
@ Howard Berry, @ Zhalfim Deyn
Last time I checked, Canada was outside the US. They sell them in all the major box stores up here.
Now what would actually help is if the Marketplace and Zune Pass was available. Even without it, though, I still like it better than the Classic.
I'm in the market to get a Zune for several reasons. First being now I'm not tied down on iTunes because of iTunes+ thank you Apple. Second and the biggest reason for the switch is although buying music requires points which is a big turn off to me they do however let you download the music you buy at any time so if you were to have some sort of hardware failure you can obtain your music collection with a click of a button which iTunes does not do(I believe this needs to be a huge push for Microsoft especially to the less computer savvy). The other reason is because I myself buy mostly albums and Zune pass is really interesting because if I pay $10 for an album and I can pay $15 and get all the music I want plus 10 songs to keep I find that's a better way of spending my cash. Last but not least their players hold their newness and I say this because when new firmware does come out you get that upgrade and you can use all the functions of that upgrade which I find nice because well I'm not going to give Apple $200 every year. The Zune has a lot ageist it and they don't have the will to push the product like they should and that's the only reason why its not doing as well as it should be if Microsoft had started when Apple introduced the iPod I believe this would be a closer competition, people say the players are better its just the software that needs a little twicking.
I'm not sure of the implementation difference between the Zune MarketPlace and the iTunes Store but Apple will allow you to download tracks again, although I believe there is a limit to the number of times you can do this per year. However, I would always advocate a back-up of any data you own since it is much easier to restore from an external drive than it is to download (assuming that is even an option). We should all be responsible for our own data and the price of external drives means that there really is no excuse today.