Zune Can Beat iPod
11.29.06 - 07:11pm
The Zune is the but of jokes everywhere even hitting late night Letterman and Leno, yet Microsoft Corp. Chief Officer Executive Steve Ballmer says “we can beat them, but it’s not going to be easy,” referring to Apples dominance of the digital music player market. “The market will have two big players for a long time, us and Apple. Obviously we’re the David in this one. Apple’s the Goliath.”
The Goliath Apple is, as Microsoft is struggling to win sales. Even with free concerts by artists including rapper T.I. and rock group Red Hot Chili Peppers the Zune has not seemed to win over music fans. It has fallen on the Amazon’s list of digital music players from number seven initially to number 21. Still Microsoft has maintained that sales are where they should be. Zune Director Jason Reindorp stated initial sales “indicate we are on track to meet our internal business projections.” What their internal projections are, however remain secret as Microsoft has refused to disclose them.
One does wonder what Microsoft will be doing with the Zune in the future. Microsoft already announced that it would take the Zune’s wifi capacities and expand them to other Microsoft products. “We will take it even further on connecting the Zune to the Windows PC or Xbox,” Gates told the company’s annual shareholder meeting. He also said that the Zune’s wireless connectivity is just one way Microsoft is changing how people enjoy and share various multimedia. “We’re changing entertainment from something you do in isolation to connected entertainment.” So while the Zune may be the butt of jokes at the moment, Microsoft’s plan for it may go farther than we can see.
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