“EMI Group, the world’s third-largest music company, said on Thursday it had signed a deal to provide preloaded music videos on Microsoft Corp.’s soon-to-launch Zune digital media player,” Yinka Adegoke reports for Reuters.
“The London-based company said the deal would see artists, including American actor Jared Leto’s alternative rock band 30 Seconds To Mars and English electro-pop band Hot Chip, featured on the player when it goes to market later this year,” Adegoke reports.
Adegoke reports, “The news dispels speculation in media reports this month that Microsoft would have to delay the introduction of Zune’s video capability until after its launch, which is expected to be in time for the year-end holiday season.”
Adegoke reports, “Sources at record labels, who have seen the new player, say its wireless capability and a feature that allows some sharing of music between users are what differentiates Zune from Apple Computer Inc.’s market-leading iPod.”
“EMI said it believes its artists’ videos will be preloaded alongside those from other record companies, but declined to discuss the device in detail,” Adegoke reports. “Universal Music, owned by France’s Vivendi, said it is in discussions with Microsoft on Zune but would not give any details. Warner Music Group Corp. and SonyBMG Music could not be immediately reached for comment.”
Full article here.
Zzzune… Yawn. Zune: Apple cannot lose. Microsoft cannot win.
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I wonder why so many Mac folks assume that everyone who uses microsoft OSs will go out and purchase Zune as soon as it has come in. MDN has it right: most windows users who have an MP3 player have an iPod. Just because microsoft is coming out with one doesn’t mean that people will buy it.
PS – contrary to popular belief, Microsoft acutally does make decent hardware (which is funny because they’re a “software” company). Zune will still probably suck, though.
MOSSMAN is absolutely right. Microsofth “thought different” on this issue. I, like most of my friends, wanted the instant gratification of actually being able to use/listen to my ipod when I bought it. But alas, we all had to wait until we’d set up itunes, etc. to use it.
Think of how many more ipods Apple would sell from those vending machines at airports and malls if the $150 Nano’s came preloaded with something…
The could at least put Apple ads on them.
Bottom line is, having pre-loaded stuff on the devices doesn’t hurt anyone.
Plus think of all the promotional/artist tie in’s M$ will be able do in order to get people talking about the devices…
“Methinks Apple cannot pre-load music onto iPods due to their agreement with Apple records not to sell music.”
I think you think rightly. Apple cannot ‘distribute’ media in packaged form. A loaded iPod fills that grey area handily, which is why, we think, they don’t.
But, remember when iTunes first came out? That did indeed have pre-loaded songs, in several genres. Some of you might even have kept some.
Me- I generally take the free offerings at the Store. Why not?
Nick, you and mossman are the only two people on the planet that care about that issue. most people are not “halfway around the world” from their computers when they buy an ipod. Would you seriously listen to anything on the ipod when you bought it?
and the beatles would have a field day.