Microsoft surpasses 2 million Zunes sold Options

[Xbox-Scene]

Microsoft surpasses 2 million Zunes sold Posted by XanTium | May 10 00:33 EST | News Category: Xbox360

From thestandard.com: [QUOTE] It has been known for a while that Microsoft's Zune is the number two digital music player in the United States. However, just how far behind the number one device, Apple iPod, has not always clear since Microsoft has been slow to release its sales numbers. Now we have some. Since its launch in November 2006, the Zune has sold 2 million units. For comparison, Apple sold 10.6 million iPods last quarter. That equates to right around 2.65 million iPods sold a month. Since its launch in 2001, the iPod has sold, get ready: 140 million units. For the Zune, the phrase "distant second" comes to mind. [/QUOTE] Full Story: thestandard.com

[0794]

wow, there really is a very distant chasm between the two...unless you consider 140 million versus 2 million a tight race...

still, choice is definitely worth having, and many of the zune owners are very very satisfied with their purchase choice...so hopefully everyone wins...

[irnchriz]

I think it is pretty good of Microsoft to continue to manufacture and support the Zune even with its weak sales. Also with the recent update they added a lot of cool stuff into it.

I suppose that they don't take into consideration that iPod sales include

The shuffle $49
Nano 4GB $149
Nano 8GB $199
Classic 80GB $249
Classic 160 GB $349
Touch 8GB $299
Touch 16GB $399
Touch 32GB $499

VERSUS

Zune 4GB $149
Zune 8GB $199
(Zune 30GB $249 1st gen still available)
Zune 80GB $249

I wonder what percentage of ipods sold are Shuffles? (I have 4, 2x 1gb and 2 x 2gb)

This post has been edited by irnchriz: May 10 2008, 11:09 AM

[the soul poet]

They probably have a long term plan, in similar fashion to their gaming division. The Ipod has been a favorite for fashion lovers for quite some time.

Personally the Zune 2 80 (which I had to import ) absolutely blows away the Ipod, my friends who have seen it loved the screen quality and was impressed with the overall feel.

Why is Zune not marketed in the UK, this I do not understand.

[MickRick]

I bought a 30Gb Zune in Orlando (for about £100) at Christmas and I'm delighted with it. My 20Gb ipod was problematic from day one, the battery failed just after the year's warranty was up and the hard drive failed soon after. When I bought replacements the ipod just died. It is now sitting on my desk in pieces. When it worked, it was a nightmare to get working, and syncing, with my pc and the drm was a mess. Almost everyone I know that has an ipod (of any type) has had problems with theirs.

In comparison, my Zune was a doddle to setup on my pc and is recognised immediately by my 360. It syncs wirelessly via my wireless router and drm is not an issue.

I always get people at work an the gym asking what type of player it is and they just look in wonder when I tell them "it's a Microsoft Zune". Almost all have never heard of it but again, almost all would buy one at the price I paid, if only M$ sold them outside of the US and Canada.

This post has been edited by MickRick: May 10 2008, 04:02 PM

[Charbless]

They probably have a long term plan, in similar fashion to their gaming division. The Ipod has been a favorite for fashion lovers for quite some time.

Personally the Zune 2 80 (which I had to import ) absolutely blows away the Ipod, my friends who have seen it loved the screen quality and was impressed with the overall feel.

Why is Zune not marketed in the UK, this I do not understand.

It's to do with rights for the music thats why its not out in europe.

ipod has never been good it just has great marketing which is why people will pay the rip off prices for them no matter what.

[Elemino]

Apple has a great incentive plan though... they make your ipod obsolete after 30 days and then you need to buy another one. Who would not sell that many if you're that widely adopted and constantly requiring people who already have one to upgrade.

[StrictPuppet]

Almost all have never heard of it but again, almost all would buy one at the price I paid, if only M$ sold them outside of the US and Canada.

Actually they are still not available in Canada, but are supposed to launch here in the middle of next month. I bought a couple across the border @ launch time, and still think they're way better than an Ipod.

[trentdadi]

It seems the vast majority of people are very uneducated when it comes to mp3 players. All they know is iPod and probably dont even know what a Zune is. I dont think I have ever seen a Zune commercial. I bought a Zune and am so far incredibally happy with it. I love how they never go out of date or feel like you have to upgrade it because the patches basically keep it completely up to date with the new ones just coming out. Come to think of it, that is probably another reason the sales are so low. People probably dish out the cash to buy multiple ipods as they update them, but you dont have to do that with a zune.

Even at places like walmart, at least around here, they have entire sections dedicated to ipods and ipod accessories, and then in the back corner, they have their zune stuff. You actually have to look for it specifically to even see it.

[crapoid685]

The Zune hardware is awesome (big screen, interface is great, scroll pad is awesome). However, the software is just absolutely horrific. Let me use iTunes to manage my music on my Zune and I'm a happy camper. The Zune software looks like some high school students in Intro to Programming wrote it in BASIC or something. And talk about lack of features... I'll stop b4 I type an essay here.

[Elemino]

The Zune hardware is awesome (big screen, interface is great, scroll pad is awesome). However, the software is just absolutely horrific. Let me use iTunes to manage my music on my Zune and I'm a happy camper. The Zune software looks like some high school students in Intro to Programming wrote it in BASIC or something. And talk about lack of features... I'll stop b4 I type an essay here.

Can you use Windows Media player like I did with every other mp3 player I've ever come across that's not an ipod?