While claiming that the move from Zune 1.0 to Zune 2.0 was exclusively the natural evolution of the device, and not a response catalyzed by Apple releasing its new lineup of iPods in early September, Microsoft proved that it was gearing up for the long haul on the digital media player market. The face-off between the Redmond and the Cupertino companies does by no means end with the comparison between Windows and Mac OS X, but has also transitioned between digital media players since Zune hit the shelves at the end of 2006, positioned as an iPod killer.
Over one year after the launch of Zune, Microsoft’s digital media player has failed to kill the iPod in any manner, and with Apple evolving its devices a month earlier than Microsoft, the general impression is that the Cupertino-based hardware company is firmly in the lead, with competitors trailing it at a distance in terms of both market share and innovation. Read the rest of this entry »
On October 2, Microsoft introduced the next generation of Zune digital media players. Zune 2.0 is not a response to Apple’s new lineup of iPods released just a month ago, but simply the natural evolution of the device. The Redmond company revealed for some time that it was cooking an overhaul to Zune, and the two new models unveiled are nothing more than a consequence of the planned growth. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and Corporate Vice President J Allard focused not only on Zune 2.0 but also on the new release of firmware for the players and the new version of the online store accompanying the devices.
“Twenty years ago we bet the company on an integrated productivity suite of word processing, spreadsheets and presentations, and we changed the way people work,” Gates said. “Today we’re making big bets on games, music, video and connecting these entertainment experiences to help change the way people play.” Microsoft is betting strong on two new features for Zune 2.0. First off, all devices will synchronize with PCs via Wi-Fi connections, streamlining the process. And on top of that, Zune 2.0 models come with the new Zune Pad, a touch-sensitive button. Read the rest of this entry »
