“Microsoft has removed references to all Zune hardware from the official Zune website, signaling the final nail in the coffin for the media player that failed to gain traction against Apple’s iPod lineup,” Sam Oliver reports for AppleInsider.
“As first noted by tech journalist Ed Bott, Microsoft’s Zune.net website was updated on Monday to remove all references to devices,” Oliver reports. “Microsoft last updated its Zune hardware in 2009 with the Zune HD, which aimed to take on Apple’s iPod touch with an OLED multi-touch screen and access to the $15-per-month unlimited download Zune Pass service.”
Oliver reports, “Microsoft has yet to officially announce that the Zune HD has been discontinued, but it’s a logical step as the market for devoted media players continues to shrink with more powerful smartphones offering the same or better functionality in a multi-purpose device… Reports first began to surface in March that Apple sic] planned to abandon its line of Zune media players.”
Read more in the full article here.
UPDATE: 3:02pm EDT: “Later Monday, the site was updated and the Zune HD hardware appeared on the site once again. A spokesperson for Microsoft told Bott the removal of the device from the page was a ‘mistake,'” Oliver reports.
MacDailyNews Take: Imagine is Apple deleted iPods from their website and then claimed it was a mistake. Well, since nobody buys Zunes anyway, for Microsoft, we guess is is a minor mistake. It’s pretty amazing that somebody noticed Zune going AWOL at all.
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Two items…
http://www.zune.net/en-US/products/zunehd/default.htm
and
the article says…
Reports first began to surface in March that >>>Apple<<< planned to abandon its line of Zune media players, first launched in 2006. Bloomberg cited anonymous sources who indicated Microsoft would shift the Zune brand toward its music store and subscription software, which will is available through handsets running its Windows Phone mobile operating system.
Wrong its Microsoft!
Precient call SteveJack.. You AND ZuneTang got it!
Heaven help the poor old sod who had the Zune logo tattoed in his shoulder..
.:.
Heaven help anyone with Anything tattooed on their shoulder!
Oliver reports, “Microsoft has yet to officially announce that the Zune HD has been discontinued, but it’s a logical step as the market for devoted media players continues to shrink with more powerful smartphones offering the same or better functionality in a multi-purpose device… Reports first began to surface in March that Apple planned to abandon its line of Zune media players.”
Apple made Zune media players? Did I just cross in to an alternate reality? If so, this is HELL!
“Reports first began to surface in March that Apple planned to abandon its line of Zune media players.”
phew, and i thought they were going to continue to beat that dead horse.
Welcome to the Social.
“…Apple planned to abandon its line of Zune media players.”
Dang! I bin saving my pennies for one.
The Balmer kids can now “flush with excitement” in anticipation of a new 128GB iPod touch….
Informative unbiased accurate news about Apple is interesting and what I think most readers want. Constant negative news about competitors seems a bit childish. C’mon MDN, you can do better.
You’re new here, right? 😉
Really, this is confusing because it’s just a matter of semantics. Technically Microsoft stopped selling the Zune in 2006. On the other hand, as long as they have stock, they’re still “available”.
It would simplify things to just state when Microsoft made the last Zune, which was in 2009.
I thought I found some first-gen Zunes the other day but it turned out the lavatory flusher was broken
Darn.
Wish I hadn’t gotten that Zune tattoo.
More like blood on the iPod’s touchscreen. If Apple hadn’t evolved it from its click wheel roots, the Zune would’ve actually stood a chance. The iPod touch burying the Zune HD was the nail in the coffin.
Great reporting out there, huh?
“Apple abandoned..”
Everyone’s dyslexic and nobody can spell!
Umm…the ZuneHD is still there under products. It’s the only place I’ve actually seen one, but it is still there on the zune.net website.
I rest my case!
Not so fast to dance on Zune’s unsettled grave. The removal of the web page was a mistake and Zune is back – now undead and ready to prowl…
Where is Zunetang?
He’s been removed as well?
“Microsoft has removed references to all Zune hardware from the official Zune website.”
http://www.zune.net/en-US/products/zunehd/default.htm
Kinda makes the whole story seem…….completely wrong.
Try buying one of those Zune HDs. “Out of Stock”. On Microsoft’s own shopping site. For a product that heretofore had some 17 weeks of inventory (as nobody really wanted it).
More likely scenario is that someone actually read this story and quickly restored some web pages, so that it seems nothing is out of the ordinary. Last thing they need is for Cook or Schiller to go out tomorrow and declare how Zune is the next iPod’s victim.
Is this the last victim of the click wheel? What a way for the old school iPod to retire! Bravo!
“Reports first began to surface in March that Apple planned to abandon its line of Zune media players.”
I sure hope Apple dropped its line of Zunes.
This is just a marketing ploy by MS to get click through to the Zune site. MS is trying to remind the world that the Zune still exists.
Why did it get noticed that Zune was missing from the Zune site? I suspect it was a MS marketing employee that reported the story.
of course they are back. MS only knows how to copy Apple so unti Apple officially discontinues the ipod classic MS is stuck with selling the zune.
they will not know how to discontinue it until apple does it first
The Zune was gone the day it arrived.
“Later Monday, the site was updated and the Zune HD hardware appeared on the site once again. A spokesperson for Microsoft told Bott the removal of the device from the page was a ‘mistake,’”
No, putting it on there in the first place was a mistake!
What absurd FUD!
We have a ton of Zune in boxes to sell this fall.
Come on by.