“Microsoft’s attack on the Apple iPod began with a whimper Tuesday as Zune players made a lackluster debut in US stores,” Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports.
AFP reports, “Two boxed Zune players sat ignored on the top shelf of a Plexiglas showcase packed with iPod accessories in a Virgin Megastore near Union Square in San Francisco’s popular shopping district. ‘I didn’t even know they were there until a customer pointed them out,’ said sales clerk Jake Brooks. ‘I’m sure we have more in a closet in the back somewhere.'”
“By mid-afternoon the store had sold one Zune player and one other person had inquired about them,” AFP reports. “The scene was bleaker at a CompUSA store a block away, where the manager said that an oversight by Microsoft sales people had resulted in the store not getting Zunes for display. No apparent harm was done though, said the manager, because no shoppers came asking about Zunes.”
“Apple has sold nearly 70 million iPods since introducing them in 2001 and the devices command about 75 percent of the global MP3 player market,” AFP reports. “Apple’s online iTunes store sells digital music, podcasts, video, and films [with music library of over 3.5 million songs]. Microsoft’s online Zune Marketplace sells only music for the devices [with a library of about 2 million songs].”
Full article here.
Reuters reports, “Donna Murphy is no fan of the ubiquitous iPod music player so on Tuesday she became one of the first to buy Microsoft’s new rival Zune device. ‘I just needed a new MP3 player to play my music and watch videos,’ said Murphy, who bought a Zune at Best Buy’s midtown Manhattan store. ‘I’m not an Apple fan, not an iPod fan. So I wanted to try something different.'”
“But initial shopper interest suggested the Zune media player—heavily promoted in gadget reviews and television talk shows—was in for a slow building process,” Reuters reports. “An employee at the Best Buy store said two shoppers entered the place as it opened and purchased Zune players, and that about 20 were sold within the first three hours.”
“At the Virgin Megastore in New York’s Times Square two circular displays sporting Zune players with earphones attached were unmanned that morning, save for store employees restocking supplies,” Reuters reports.
Full article here.
Related articles:
Microsoft’s Zune incompatible with Windows Vista – November 14, 2006
Dvorak: ‘If anything is doomed to failure, it’s Microsoft’s Zune’ – November 14, 2006
Ballmer: Zune’s Wi-Fi will help Microsoft challenge Apple’s iPod+iTunes – November 14, 2006
CNN ridicules Microsoft’s Zune while gushing over Apple’s new iPod shuffle – November 14, 2006
Engadget: Microsoft’s Zune software: ‘It sucks’ – November 13, 2006
Early Microsoft Zune customer greeted with Zune ‘Installation Error’ – November 13, 2006
Zuned: What’s the ‘deal’ with Microsoft Points? – November 12, 2006
Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Apple has no need to worry about Microsoft’s cumbersome, chunkier Zune – November 11, 2006
BusinessWeek: ‘By this time next year, Microsoft’s Zune will be considered a dismal failure’ – November 10, 2006
USA Today’s Baig: Microsoft Zune is no Apple iPod – November 09, 2006
Forbes: Microsoft’s Zune stinks; like ‘Microsoft Bob,’ only more embarrassing – November 09, 2006
NY Times’ Pogue: Zune should come in green to match Microsoft’s iPod envy – November 09, 2006
Mossberg: MS Zune has ‘too many compromises, missing features’ vs. ‘thin, sleek, elegant’ Apple iPod – November 09, 2006
Microsoft to pay Universal for every Zune sold – November 09, 2006
Analysts: Microsoft Zune may end up being a flop – November 08, 2006
Are 58% of iPod owners really thinking of a Zune switch? – November 08, 2006
Survey: 58% of iPod owners planning another MP3 player purchase will consider Microsoft’s Zune – November 01, 2006
Zune is from Microsoft, but Microsoft doesn’t want anybody to know about it – November 07, 2006
Microsoft Zune to be US-only, no firm plans to launch anywhere else globally – November 03, 2006
Five Microsoft Zune TV commercials – November 02, 2006
JupiterResearch: Apple’s iPod will dominate for foreseeable future; Microsoft’s Zune insignificant – October 25, 2006
Ellen DeGeneres Show gives away Microsoft Zunes, studio audience goes berserk – October 23, 2006
More Microsoft Zune myths explored – October 20, 2006
Five more Microsoft Zune myths – October 18, 2006
Microsoft Zune intensifies chaos in Apple iPod+iTunes also-ran market – October 16, 2006
Newsweek Q&A: Apple CEO Steve Jobs discusses iPod’s impact, Microsoft’s Zune, and more – October 15, 2006
Microsoft’s Ballmer: Zune device not money loser, wishes Apple’s 30GB iPod was $299 instead of $249 – October 11, 2006
Microsoft’s consumer electronics track record: long string of failures – October 11, 2006
MP3.com founder: ‘Zune will be an expensive failure for Microsoft because consumers aren’t stupid’ – October 06, 2006
Microsoft fails to secure key Zune domains – October 04, 2006
Microsoft rigs Zune with tricky pricing and proprietary money schemes – October 03, 2006
Why Microsoft’s Zune won’t kill Apple’s iPod – October 03, 2006
10 Apple iPod vs. Microsoft Zune myths – October 02, 2006
Analyst: Zune could lead to ‘civil war’ between Microsoft and Windows Media partners – September 29, 2006
Thurrott on Microsoft’s Zune: ‘The makings of a disaster, what the heck are these people thinking?’ – September 29, 2006
Analyst: Microsoft Zune’s as good as dead on arrival – September 28, 2006
Microsoft sets 30GB Zune price at $249.99 – September 28, 2006
How Microsoft’s Zune can kill Apple’s iPod – September 21, 2006
Microsoft’s Zune insanity – September 21, 2006
The Microsoft Zune 1.0 dud – September 20, 2006
Microsoft’s underwhelming Zune a ‘viral DRM’ device – September 18, 2006
SanDisk teams with RealNetworks against new common foe: Microsoft Zune – September 18, 2006
Creative does Apple’s dirty work by immediately attacking Microsoft’s Zune – September 17, 2006
Motley Fool’s Jayson: Microsoft’s ‘just plain ugly’ Zune a meager offering, not an iPod killer – September 15, 2006
What’s in a name? ‘Zune’ a French-Canadian euphemism for penis or vagina – September 15, 2006
Crave at CNET: ‘Microsoft Zune, all the excitement that brown can bring’ – September 15, 2006
Microsoft’s Zune underwhelms – September 15, 2006
Enderle: Microsoft Zune ‘a design mistake’ – September 15, 2006
Microsoft hypocrisy exposed with Zune: What ever happened to ‘choice?’ – September 14, 2006
Analyst: Microsoft Zune with fake scroll wheel ‘hardly an Apple iPod killer’ – September 14, 2006
Analyst: Microsoft Zune won’t spoil Apple’s biggest iPod Christmas ever – September 14, 2006
Microsoft unveils Zune 30GB player, Zune Marketplace; declines to disclose prices – September 14, 2006
Analyst: Microsoft’s Zune an ‘underwhelming’ repackaged Toshiba Gigabeat; no threat to Apple iPod – August 30, 2006
Microsoft confirms brick-like Zune to be made by Toshiba – August 25, 2006
Microsoft Zune is chunky brick made by Toshiba – August 25, 2006
Microsoft to sell single Zune model this fall, rumors of Wi-Fi capability were greatly exaggerated – August 10, 2006
Microsoft to spend hundreds of millions, several years on Zune trying to catch Apple iPod+iTunes – July 27, 2006
Zune: Apple cannot lose. Microsoft cannot win. – July 26, 2006
Hey I tried to find this Zune Marketplace software, thinking it’s akin to iTunes, but I can’t find it anywhere on M$’s website. What did they do limit software availablity to CD’s included when you buy a Zune??? I don’t get it? It’d be nice to see the competition, I’d like to see how it works. Or doesn’t.
um, scottm, tried the zune site?
http://www.zune.net/en-us/meetzune/software.htm
You know what I’m tired of hearing? This pathetic corporate apology that MS is handing out every time they talk about how many of these they expect to sell.
“Oh, we know it’s going to take years, but hey, eventually, if we throw enough money at this, we might bungle out way into a cool feature or two.”
Think about the way Apple introduces things. Do you think they’re gonna put out a half-assed dumpy looking phone and tell everyone to just wait a few more generations until they get it right? NO!!! They’re going to introduce a product that is *READY*, and it’s going to be one that blows everyone away.
MS has exponentially more money, resources, partners, distribution and supply deals… and THIS is the best they can do out of the gate, complete with promises of great things to come.
psssshh… Whatever.
-c
MW: ‘cut’ (your losses and get out now. MSFT @ 20 next year)
People who just have to have something different will love the Zune because they can buy one knowing that no one else will have one! What a thrill! But some people did buy Zunes this morning, proving that morons like music, too!
MDN is not doing its job. It is far too early (after one day) to make any judgement calls on Zune sales. And it’s patent nonsense to extrapolate nationwide results by looking at one city.
Here’s a counterexample to prove the point:
From http://www.nypost.com/seven/11152006/business/ipod_slayer_zune_hits_the_ground_running_business_sam_gustin.htm
“Microsoft’s Zune media player, which the tech titan hopes will dethrone Apple’s market-leading iPod, was flying off shelves in New York on its first day in stores yesterday.
“‘It’s been crazy,’ said Eddie Feliciano, a sales manager at Best Buy at 44th Street and Fifth Avenue. “Our Zune area has been mobbed.”
(Rest deleted for brevity. See link above for full article.)
So which is it? Zunes being ignored, or flying off the shelves? The answer is both, neither, or possibly a bit of both. It’s far too early to tell.
MDN, if you want to be taken seriously as real journalists, then start acting like it.
This chick rejects the ubiquity of the iPod and wants to try something different? So what does she do…why of course, chooses a Microsof product since, afterall, no one knows about or possesses anything from this little known company.
This proves again that the difference between stupidity and genius is that there are limits to genius.
Selling like snotcakes…ahahahahaha..oh oh….I think I pissed myself.
I have met idiots who won’t buy things because they are popular or because everyone else has one, AND that is why they are idiots. NO logic, just because….nah!
The little lady wants something different to play her music on, well she got it. It won’t play her music unless she buys it again with all those points and other shit.
Jeeeeessss how many stupid fuckers are out there. Ask her in a month if she bought one and she will say NO. It will be hiddeen under all her teddy bears…
No body wants to admit they bought a shit sandwich.
Why am I not shocked…
mmmm….squirt
“I’m not an Apple fan, not an iPod fan”
It’s fine to not like Apple, but you don’t need to cut off your nose to spite your face – and line the pockets of multimillionaires which in turn helps bugg*r the music industry further just because.
Mixed Bag,
Since this is the only report I have seen claiming brisk Zune sales, I hope some bloggers investigate for more details. I suspect a typical Microsoft astroturfing operation.
MS has a history of dishonesty and faking success. I’ll bet that they or some of their shills faked this one too.
You know, I ‘m not an iPod fan, per se, I’m a MUSIC fan. I like the iPod because it gets out of my way and lets me enjoy my music.
ALL THE OTHER PLAYERS want to get right up in your face and show you all their features. JUST LIKE CELL PHONES.
They SUCK.
SUCK SUCK SUCK.
I have a Moto Shitty Flip Ass Phone that I hate. I take pics on it, but anything more requires reading a manual and subscribing to all kinds of services. I have to do a kludgy work-around to sync my contacts (and it only syncs ONE WAY)
Make the Machine Invisible. Don’t put ‘services’ between me and my data.
GET OUT OF THE WAY.
Apple is not perfect, but they are the ONLY company that seems to get this in any meaningful way. If they make a phone that works as well as an iPod…
The Game Is Over.
-c
MW: ‘make’ (me a phone that I don’t want to throw from a speeding truck)
ChrissyOne is spot on… about pathetic MS.
It’s your typical MS strategy; get the product out the door, buy some print ads, radio spots, give one to Jay Leno and pay Rob Enderle to whore it around the ‘net and if the wind starts to blow in the direction of S (for sales), then (that’s a really big then my friends) move the product into Rev B. and fix it’s Fscking problems. Maybe by Rev G. sp2*, they’ll have it working correctly.
Now, about Ms. Donna Murphy…. I’m sure she grabbed her Zune, jumped into her Jag’ and went back to the NY marketing field office of M$.
Haven’t heard anything about the Zune’s Battery life or the like. I remember last year that was the biggest point Sony could come up with for switching to the ‘Bean’ or Walkman….
thx – W.A.
LinuxGuy, you’re spouting ideology, not facts.
There’s zero evidence that indicates the NY Post article is faked. There’s zero evidence that the Agence France-Presse article that MDN quoted is faked.
In fact, there’s precious little facts at all about Zune sales. Two stores in one city on one day does not a sales report make. Even three stores in two different cities is too little information to get a read on Zune sales.
My point is that MDN is selectively quoting one report, but not the other. This is not what serious journalists would do. They would gather facts, report them, and put them in context.
As the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan so astutely observed: “You are entitled to your own opinion, but you are not entitled to your own facts.”
Enough is enough. You people just don’t get it.
Think of it this way: Apple implemented a graphic user interface (Lisa, Macintosh) which displaced a command line interface. I say if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it, but whatever. They took years trying to get it right until Microsoft crafted a masterpiece called Windows and the world is much better for it. Windows introduced things like icons, scalable fonts, a folder metaphor which Apple could only dream of using on their machines, so Apple copied it. Flash forward to 2006 and leave it to Microsoft finally get MP3 players right after Apple nearly destroyed the notion of portable music players just like they just about killed the idea of a stable, functional easy to use operating system.
Thank you, Microsoft! Welcome to the Social.
I just went to Best Buy to look at one of these. It lived up to my expectations. Boxy, ugly, Soviet-surplus design, annoying phony clickwheel, nice-sized screen but washed out looking next to an iPod. The screen is the only thing that makes you want to pick it up, then you look at it for a minute and want to put it right back down. No one was anywhere near it, and I didn’t see any in-store displays for it. The benighted thing was with the rest of the also-rans on a sad little table that looked very much like the Island of Misfit Toys.
Walking in, I was shocked to see a line of guys out front. “Could that actually be for the Zune?” I wondered for a second. Nope, they were camped out for the Playstation 3 release on Friday.
Ahhhh… such short memories people have.
DOS vs CP/M
Excel vs Lotus
Word vs Wordperfect
Windows NT vs Novell
Internet Explorer vs Netscape
SQL Server vs Oracle
Windows CE/Mobile vs Palm OS
XBox vs PSP
and now…
Zune vs IPod
I think you guys are being a little too hard on the lady in the article. It may so happen that the Zune is just the perfect size to insert rectally as an anal dildo.
Truth,
Your examples are invalid in this case since everything you cited is from the “corporate” world, except for the last one. But it’s not Xbox vs PSP, it’s Xbox vs PS3 and/or wii, and that war is far from over.
The consumer market is a completely different ball game where emotions and a lot of external forces come into the decision process. Everyone just wants to “be the same for the cheapest price” in the corporate world. Plus MS could bully their way into many of those markets. Not the same with the consumer market.
Zune Tang….will you go take a long walk off a short pier? its tiring to have to jump over your posts to continue reading the more intelligent comments on this thread. Join a circle jerk and go community squirt with your MS Zune loving dorks you call friends and stop bothering us…..stupid git.
Apart from the plethora of CAPS, I also agree with ChrissyOne’s take…its amazing how MS just doesn’t get it. Forget about the small percentage of people that are never satisfied and want this useless feature or that useless feature. Keep it simple and functional.
Apple (Ives) has shown time and again that this works.
I suggest that M$ should make a new ad with ‘The thrill is gone’ by Marvin Gaye as soundtrack.
XBox vs PSP
What about the Wii? It’s the only one of the 3 new consoles that will be in my home.
Zune Tang:
M$ also introduced the world when it crafted the masterpiece that allowed 114,000 new Doze viruses to “socially” interact with the world. Welcome to the social.
I don’t know why people keep quoting me…
Welcome to the social? WTF is that?
Zune Tang, you are truly mis-informed. I won’t even go past the first one. MS introduced icons? You’re kidding right. Can people be this dumb?