Engadget has conducted an interview with J Allard, Microsoft Corporate Vice President about Microsoft’s Zune, digital media, and the direction Microsoft is taking.
Allard: We actually really think about Zune more as a platform than a device… The world is gaga about iPods, but everybody in the world listens to music, not just 50 million people that have iPods.
MacDailyNews Note: Apple has shipped 60+ million iPods as of the end of June 2006. There are over 3,000 iPod accessories. Apple has 75.6% market share in the U.S. 70% of 2007 US vehicles in the U.S. feature iPod-connectivity.
Allard: …People just a want a system that’s end-to-end — all compatible out of the gate — and that’s what Zune does. Zune says there is no choice; you get a Zune device, you hook it up to the Zune service, and it just works.
On Tuesday, January 13, 2004, Macworld UK reported, “General manager of Microsoft’s Windows digital media division David Fester has suggested that iTunes’ emerging dominance would be bad for consumers, because it would limit them to the iPod… He told journalists at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas: ‘Windows is about choice – you can mix and match software and music player stuff. We believe you should have the same choice when it comes to music services…
MacDailyNews Take: First, Microsoft was all about “choice,” but they really, really didn’t like the choice consumers made: Apple’s iPod+iTunes+iTunes Store. So, now, Microsoft is all about “no choice” with Zune? According to Microsoft’s Allard, “PlaysForSure” will continue for those that want “choice” and Zune is for those that want “no choice.” In today’s full Engadget interview, Allard says, “So they’re two complementary solutions — not everyone’s gonna want Zune and not everyone’s gonna want PlaysForSure.” Finally, one statement from a Microsoft exec that’s for damn sure.*
*For our readers in Redmond: Not everyone’s gonna want Zune and not everyone’s gonna want PlaysForSure. They’ll want neither.
Related articles:
Microsoft unhappy with HP, Apple music pact; says deal will ‘limit choice’ – January 13, 2004
Analyst: Microsoft Zune with fake scroll wheel ‘hardly an Apple iPod killer’ – September 14, 2006
Analyst: Microsoft Zune won’t spoil Apple’s biggest iPod Christmas ever – September 14, 2006
Microsoft unveils Zune 30GB player, Zune Marketplace; declines to disclose prices – September 14, 2006
Microsoft sees room in music player market for ‘Zune’ to challenge Apple’s dominant iPod – September 06, 2006
Analyst: Microsoft’s Zune an ‘underwhelming’ repackaged Toshiba Gigabeat; no threat to Apple iPod – August 30, 2006
Microsoft confirms brick-like Zune to be made by Toshiba – August 25, 2006
Microsoft Zune is chunky brick made by Toshiba – August 25, 2006
Microsoft to spend hundreds of millions, several years on Zune trying to catch Apple iPod+iTunes – July 27, 2006
Zune: Apple cannot lose. Microsoft cannot win. – July 26, 2006
