Zune Price
A commenter mentioned that they'd "read" that Zune would cost more than the 30GB iPod. I can only say: Don't believe everything you read. I can't specifically talk about price, but I can say that Zune won't be undercut on price by iPod.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
About Me
- Name: David Caulton
A Zune contributor by day, I'm also an avid hiker, biker, and father of three, I also work doing industry analysis and strategy. In previous lives, I've been a backcountry ski patroller, worked on the Windows Media Player, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Project, and Microsoft Team Manager 97, been a researcher in Cognitive Neuroscience, a grad student, and a kid.
Previous Posts
- Robot Chicken - Star Wars
- Adding codecs post launch
- Michael Gartenberg - Sonos + Rhapsody = Music Nirv...
- If Caruso could still sing, he'd become an Argonau...
- The awesomeness of Zune Central Command, 24 hours ...
- The very first Zune Prototype
- My first Zune Office
- The first Zune Meeting room
- Crater Lake Photos
- Ever more codecs...
46 Comments:
This is seriously sick. If the Zune launches for less than $299 (hopefully $250) then count me in. I'm defiantly picking this sexy piece of hardware up for Christmas or sooner.
So you are pretty much saying that it will launch at or below $250? If so that would be awesome.
I can't say more than what I've said, but the statements "The iPod 30GB costs $249" and "Zune won't be undercut on price" are pretty clear on that point ;)
Thank you for addressing that question.
you are kinda the man...
but im wondering: will the Zune have search capabilities? one thing I miss most about my Zen Vision: M is the easy search feature. Is something like this going to be implimented?
And what's the status on an API/SDK? Will this happen? Is this happening?
[[Heck Yes]]
nice but 30 gb are too small for me, wait for a bigger version.
i just would like to know how well it would sell at $200. Unlikely, but I wonder what apple would do in response
Does anyone know if the Zune will charge through usb or one of those stupid combination cables?
If the zune goes for under $250 i am going to buy one i am sick of ipods
this is such a copy of an ipod.. cant people make their own designs. You should be ashamed...
I bet the store will steal sheep also
David, whats the deal on the subscription based music with the zune. will it work with plays for sure? will there be an unlimited music service, Urge?
$199 would be the killer price point.
Is it achievable? MS seem uber capable of absorbing losses, so we'll see...
I predict a spike in sales once the DRM mechanism is broken/hacked.
this is even more awesome news. i thought 250 would be super nice. i'm still waiting for the zune. why can't it be now? now? now?
Microsoft is able to absorb losses because they believe that it is worth loosing money on something that could get them established on the market.
I am an Itunes user of ourse, but if i wanted to buy a Zune I wont be able to listen to my 4000 + itunes encoded songs on it, so am I really trapped to an ipod?
If i have 400+ itunes songs, of course apple encoded files, i cant play thm on a zune? What would be the point then, i am locked to ipod... how lame.
I'll just say that there's a difference between AAC files encoded with itunes from your CDs, and Fairplay content encrypted by apple and sold through their store.
Shame there's only a 30GB version. As it is, I have no use for one, which is a shame.
I'm glad to see that Microsoft is doing the smart thing and going for market penetration rather than being concerned about margin at the launch of a new platform. Way to go guys!
Too bad Zune has no flash base player
$249 is the price I am urging my wife to spend on our anniversary, so as long as Microsoft hits that mark, I will be Zuned by November 29.
How sweet the brownie points I have horded for this little magical music device.
I am guessing that most of you must work for MS, seeing as you applaud a company with zero innovation. To think that the only way that they will get people excited about Zune is to start off by subsidizing the cost. Isn't that what the BIG Three automotive companies have to do? Build inferior product then sell it below cost, or throw in rebates to move some units. Why don't you spend time and money working on a great idea or just buy an original idea from another company. But at least save face and do something original for ONCE.
surely im not the only person whos thinking that this offers absolutely nothing special over the iPod?? The extra $30 on an iPod would be worth it for the iTunes integration alone
Way to give Apple time to react. Wouldn't want to give your marketing department any sort of advantage on their own launch. It's important to be a big shot and blog about this sort of thing first. Congratulations on having an ego that's larger than the Zune launch. You are important.
The iPod is a really nice product. I mean that, honestly.
I like to think that some folks will be interested in an alternative that innovates in some different directions around community and services. We'll see.
Would have been wiser to keep quiet about this until Zunes were availble for purchase. Your competition knows how to keep a secret. You can be sure they are working on a counter to this, and it won't be announced until it's too late for you.
A counter?? Zune 1.0 is arriving DOA. There is no need to counter as Zune hasn't even caught up.
Community? The 3 times/3 days to share a song, pic, file is silly. Community is "here's my earbuds, listen to this song!" what's the point of beaming it?
Played for sure ;)
I would like to congradulate you on a job well done on design from what I have read and what has been released.
I just hope that the importance of battery life is on Microsoft's mind. With such a large LCD it will take some inovation to keep the thing going for long without one extremely expensive battery.
So the Zune looks cool and I think Microsoft is apt to add wireless in. The thing I hate most about the Infinite Loop's AAC Player is that it gives no tactile feedback in the wheel. That is my 2 cents. I hope the Zune corrects this in this or a future version. Also, a lightweight media manager would be nice. iTunes and Media Player seem to 'big' to me these days. Good Luck! I'll probably buy a Zune to check it out and if you've done a good job, it will stay in the family!
Addressing the comments about the Zune "lacking innovation" and the comparisons to the automotive world...
So what if the Zune copies the iPod a little on the interface? The iPod is currently the best selling mp3 player on the market and has one of the simplest interfaces to use, why not borrow from it? It's like saying "they already make cars with steering wheels, why doesn't somebody make one with a stick like a fighter jet?" Make a similar product with a familiar interface, some new features and a lower price point. Sounds like a tried and true marketing strategy to me. I will look into it just because I hate Steve Jobs (He thinks he invented the portable mp3 player, but Creative Labs were making Nomads before he ever "thought" of an iPod).
Besides, who wants another stupid "me too" iPod?
I just hope that the price will be as low in sweden as in the states, in sweden a 30 gb ipod costs 390$(!!) (in USA the price is about $250) that is sick, and for the 80 gb ipod you gotta come up with 516 dollar... that a lot.
well, depending on the price of zune i will se what i will do, my u2 ipod is totaly messed up right now but..
(PS. sorry for my lack of knowledge of the english grammar)
I heard from gizmodo that the zune might be going for 229 :) in that case im DEFINITLY GETTING IT! (And will be super happy waiting for the V2 device to come out or the "video version" with the hopefully full front viewscreem god i hope :)
BTW my page (click name) has a video of zune in the wild (at a club) also some suggestions for the team :)
BTW for thse that said "too bad microsoft doesnt have a zune flash player" i guess to compete against the nano?
Don't forget the rumors and the fact that microsoft has said Zune will be an entire new line of products and from what we've heard this is Version 1 of the music player....
Their are already rumors of....
Zune Phone
Zune Flash Nano (Pixas?)
Zune Video (full 6"-7" screen on the entire front PLEASE PLEASE?)
This simply looks like a microsoft sponsered blog. Are you seriousabout Zune? This looks like a joke. Zune will crash and burn. I can't believe that many people think of switching from the Ipod? And on a M$ product on top of that?
Lame!
Engadget says the men in black are coming to get me. A comment says I'm a shill. Which is true? Who knows. I'm LonelyZunester15!
Hi David:
I have studies iPod here in my Vietnam market and it attracts million of our young people with really kool design and services. However, there are still more than 25 mil young people love Microsoft stuff with convenience. Price must be comparable with iPod. Otherwise, Zune would miss the chance.
My company would like to bit for a distribution contract for Zune for Vietnam market. Could you just help me out?
Thanks.
Khanh Dang
khanhdq@gmail.com
for David Caulton.
-Does the dvice have true TPM build-in?
-Does Zune run full WM2005 OS?
-Can someone disable Wifi if I don't want someone dropping into my device and retrieving my family photos?
Thanks
answers:
-I don't think TPM is necessary given the closed p2p nature of the connection. See below for other security questions.
-Zune does not run full WM2005 OS.
-you *can* disable wifi. Also, you must SEND stuff to another, there's not "Pull" model. and if someone sends something to you, you must accept it.
on the 20th they anounced it will be releases at or below $229
Marcus Said
Pods were so last week
Unlucky to all AAC files.
Hello Im A MAC and im a PC!!!!!
Seems that the Zune was actually undercut on price hehe. 249.99 versus 249 for the Ipod...
Zune is getting affected by the Vista syndrome.
"We are on target to deliver Vista this year." Two days later, "ehh it will take a bit longer, see ya next year."
Well the Zune got undercut by 0.99. The ironic thing is that MS knew the iPod price for a couple of days before releasing their price.
So long as they don't get caught up in any Apple syndrome where leagues of lemmings buy the newest product that was released without proper testing and revisions (OS X being released with no firewire, Intel Mac's **requiring** a patch to have their network capability actually function over the largest provider of internet gear - Cisco)
I think it's an awesome idea to make the Zune cheap to dominate the market at a glance, then when the demand rises as fast as it's competition, then raise the price back up to match the existing market.
Why are American consumers so keen on having product markets monopolized or oligopolistic at best? The masses of consumers lose either way. People cheer for MS or Apple to conquer markets. I find this to be a strange phenomenon.
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