Vintage Electronics

Which MP3 player is actually the killer iPod of Zune

iPod killer was the claim made in November 2006 when Zune was launched by Microsoft. The Zune is a digital media player made for Microsoft by Toshiba. Video and podcast stores as well as online music will be provided by the new software which includes the Zune Marketplace.

Zune has a few features that they thought would help them overtake iPod in the market but and although the features are good they did not reckon with the faithful followers of iPod. Zune’s great new features include FM radio built in as well as the wireless ability to transfer songs to other Zune’s and Window’s PC,s. You can rip audio CDs, buy TV shows and video music and songs and manage files using Zunes software on Windows XP and Vista.

Zune’s advantages over iPod

The first Zune was released with a 30GB memory. The player although larger and heavier than iPod’s 30GB issue, has a bright colour screen that is half an inch larger than the iPod’s.

Zune supports unprotected AAC files which is better than using the default settings for ripping CD’s with the iPod and the FM tuner should give it a big advantage over the apple iPod.

Portable medial players forged new frontiers when Zune came out with connectivity to Wi-Fi. Using the Wi-Fi feature will open up a new music socialising universe. The portability is attractive to younger people who want to exchange songs with there friends.

The integrated Zune Marketplace is subscription based and enables users to access an online database of new music without having to download it first to your computer. The ability to download as many songs as you want for a flat fee is another important aspect.

Other advantages are it is easy to use the interface combines horizontal and vertical scrolling, with many top-level menus displaying horizontally across the top of the screen, while lists of tracks or track information run vertically. Generally much faster than the iPod the Zune interface runs almost instantaneously through the tracks playlist and shuffle play. Zune’s central select button on there main control is touch sensitive and it also has a four-position directional control.

Zunes larger display screen makes a big difference over the course of extended viewing and also boasts great quality audio, with clear and crisp video. Synchronizing nicely with windows media centre it has tons of cool features. Because Zune also works with Xbox 360 most people think it’s fun to use.

iPod’s advantages over Zune.

As we have already spoken about it the Zune is heavier and larger than the iPod.

Problems with Zune’s early models saw lots of firmware updates needed. And quite a few people had reservations about Microsoft’s Digital Rights Management policy.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation, in opposition to the Zune’s DRM, wrote:

“ Microsoft’s Zune will not play protected Windows Media Audio and Video purchased or ‘rented’ from Napster 2.0, Rhapsody, Yahoo! Unlimited, Movielink, Cinemanow, iTunes, or any other online media service. The Zune will not even play content previously purchased from Microsoft’s own MSN Music service. …The media that Microsoft promised would Play For Sure doesn’t even play on Microsoft’s own device.”

The following year saw less strict DRM from Microsoft and the allowed about 1/3 more tracks to be without it.

Zune like rival iPod will only be compatible with its own software provided by Microsoft’s from September 2008.

Another problem is when you receive a song from a friend as you are only allowed to listen to it three times before it will expire. You cannot resend it to a third party.

Zune Marketplace is not easy to use and iTunes is a much simpler option. Simple and elegant to use iTunes is also very intuitive. Just a click lets you pay your 99 cents with iTunes for a song using your credit card. You have to buy at the very least $5 of points when buying from the Zune Marketplace. So if you only need one 99cent song Microsoft are holding onto your other $4.1 until you want to purchase another song. The point system itself is not easy. One song will cost you 79 points which you may think is cents while the actual 79 points costs 99cents. Microsoft have complicated the easy process of buying music?

So can iPod be overtaken by Zune?

This brings us to the question can Zune overtake iPod. Well a recent survey from Piper Jaffray’s bi-annual teen survey showed that Apple’s share of the portable media player market among high school students increased to 84 percent, it was 80 percent a year ago. 78% said that if they where going to buy a MP3 player then it would be an iPod. Last year Zune commanded 2% of the market which has increased to 3% this year. Now 15% of the teen’s surveyed plan to buy a Zune if they purchase within the next year. This is up from 13% last year.

So it looks like the Zune is progressing in the MP3 player market but not at a rate that will cause the Apple iPod and problems in the near future. Another thought that goes agains Zune is that lots of young folk use Macs which Zune does not support.