Zune still lags far behind in U.S. sales, but offers plenty of features for users
Marke Andrews
Sun
A display shows some of the features of the Zune, Microsoft’s MP3 player.
In its battle with Apple for the hearts, minds and wallets of consumers, Microsoft will soon establish a beachhead in Canada for Zune, Microsoft’s answer to Apple’s incredibly popular iPod.
No date has been announced, but Craig Tullett, group manager for Zune Canada, who was in Vancouver Thursday to demonstrate the device, said it will be some time this spring. Prices also remain a secret, though given the exchange rate, they should be close to those in the United States. In the U.S., the 4 GB unit sells for $149 US, the 8 GB for $179 and the 80 GB for $249.
This is close to iPod prices. Thursday’s prices at Future Shop were $149 for the 4 GB iPod, $192 for the 8 GB and $259 for the 80 GB.
Zune debuted in the U.S. in November, 2006, and so far has only been available for sale in that country. Within weeks of its release, it outsold other MP3 players to sit number two behind iPod, which leads the pack the way Secretariat led horse races — by a long shot. Zune has five per cent of the overall MP3 market, which gives you an idea how far it needs to go to seriously threaten the iPod.
A test drive of the Zune shows it has a lot to offer. The new Zune, which Microsoft refers to as version two, has added flash memory for showing videos. Touch control with the directional pad lets you sail easily through all its functions, and the full colour screen has decent clarity. You can use it to store music, video, photos and podcasts. Zune also has an FM radio function.
Given the popularity of social networking sites like Myspace and Facebook, the Zune has a function titled Social, where users can build a profile, post their favourite songs and videos from their playlist, send them to other Zune users (for a maximum of three plays) and see what others with similar interests are listening to. It takes 10 to 12 seconds to send a song. You can sample songs from someone else’s list for 30 seconds.
Software for the MP3 runs on Windows XP, Vista and the Xbox 360. Users can rip CDs and buy songs from online stores. Microsoft does have its own online store, Marketplace, which currently contains three million tracks, but that will not be available until later in 2008. New Zune users will be able to transfer all their MP3, AAC and WMA audio files to the player with the exception of songs purchased from iTunes.
The machine is meant to connect wirelessly to the home computer, the Xbox 360 and other Zunes.
By the time Zune debuts in Canada, it will have been in the U.S. market for 18 months. Expanding to Canada, which may be the first of many countries that will be able to Zune in, has taken some time.
“The goal was to get it right in the U.S. first,” says Tullett. “We haven’t announced any plans for other countries. But with Microsoft’s infrastructure around the world, it’s easy to imagine how we could expand.
“We want to make sure when we enter new markets we’re doing it in a tailored and proper way. We’re taking on a very established competitor in Apple, and we want to put our best foot forward.”
Tullett says Microsoft is looking toward the sale of television content in its Marketplace some time in the future.