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Microsoft Confirms Zune Music Player & Store In ’06

UPDATED: In a Billboard interview released Friday followed by a statement from the company Microsoft has confirmed that under the Zune brand name they "will build a community for connecting with others to discover new music and entertainment and will deliver a family of hardware and software productswith the first products shipping in this year."  Zune will include both a player and a download store and be "one part MySpace, one part iTunes and one part Xbox Live".

Zune_logo_1"Today we confirmed a new music and entertainment project called Zune. Under the Zune brand, we will deliver a family of hardware and software products, the first of which will be available this year. We see a great opportunity to bring together technology and community to allow consumers to explore and discover music together." – Chris Stephenson, GM of marketing, Microsoft

Stephenson confirmed that the player will offer WiFi capabilities with sharing limited to ten users within a hotspot. Zune may also include wireless access to a paid content or a digital locker. The interview also reaffirmed that Zune will include a variable-priced digital music store (something the music industry has long wanted) and be backed by a massive marketing campaign. Stephenson also said that future Zune players will include more video and gaming features. MSN Music will not be integrated into the project leaving it a strange step-child in the Microsoft family.

Richard_winn_1As part of Microsoft’s viral marketing campaign several blogs have been created including Zune Insider and Madison and Pine by Microsoft employees working on the Zune project. Zune_wallpaper_2Madison and Pine is written by Richard Winn who is head of Artist Development and Music Marketing for the project. So far neither site provides much Zune info. Another site Coming Zune offers an animated teaser for Zune followed by a place to sign-up for updates. A follow-up email offers Zune wallpaper.

Stayed Zuned…

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6 Comments

  1. 2007 ought to be an interesting year indeed for CD-digital transition. Specially if Microsoft toss in several hundred million bucks into this digi adventure.

  2. Squashed thats very true indeed but will MS’s entry into the space do more then line the pockets of some ad agencies and media outlets? Any chance the product actually makes a dent? All the talk of wifi enabled reminds me of Music Gremlins product release last month which was a real snoozer…

  3. well whatever it is,
    1. There gonna be at least several hundred thousands more digital players on the street next year. Definite pricing pressure for everybody else.
    2. Even if the whole thing is a gigantic marketing failure. It raises public awareness. (Tho’ admitedly, Microsoft ads have been pretty lame, they are good at holding PC/developer ecosystem. But building image for new product is not one of them. we’ll see I guess)
    3. Microsoft created an entirely new division for this. So at least they gonna stick around for 2-3 years.
    Whew, if I were big label execs, I would be shaking in by boots. Not because of Microsoft, but how music will turn into battle zones between tech giants with tons of money to burn. And Big records label doesn’t control key technology anymore.

  4. Microsoft Announces Its Own iPod Competitor

    Microsoft officially confirmed on Friday that it is working on a music and entertainment “project” dubbed Zune, which will include hardware and software products that offer users on-the-go access to music and entertainment…

  5. The xbox 360 will be Microsoft’s ticket to success with the Zune product line. MS has one foot in the door with the gaming system, I bet the zune will be highly integrated.

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