Microsoft Will Reportedly Stop Making Zune Devices

Once touted as an iPod killer, Microsoft's Zune media player is dead.

According to Bloomberg, Microsoft will no longer release new versions of the Zune player, due to poor demand. As recently as February 2011, Microsoft insisted that Zune wasn't going anywhere.

In some sense, this is true. The software, at least, will live on, as Microsoft moves its attention to mobile phones, using the Zune software to let customers access media on those phones.

Microsoft released the following comment to Winrumors:

We have nothing to announce about another Zune device - but most recently have introduced Zune HD to Canada via Zune Originals store and remain committed to supporting our devices in North America. We are thrilled by the consumer excitement for Zune across many new platforms, including Windows Phone 7 and Xbox 360. Our long-term strategy focuses on the strength of the entire Zune ecosystem across Microsoft platforms.

Zune, first introduced in 2006, did not crack the list of the top five in portable music players in 2010.

Comments

[subCleric]

12:09 AM on 03/19/2011

I own the latest generation iPod and Zune (HD), along with other portable media devices... and, frankly, iPod pales in comparison to the Zune. Other than the Apple hype—"underdog" mystique?—I'm at a loss as to how the iTunes-monopoly has garnered such a True Believer following.

[EdgarAllen]

08:43 AM on 03/17/2011

At least we are moving away from these things and are just using our phones.

I've never understood why the ipod were so popular when they broke so often. Horrible quality control. I've had three and they all had battery issues within months. This latest one keeps crashing constantly. They look cool and are easy to use, but not worth the money at all when they break so often.

[thehighbrowpoliticker]

07:51 AM on 03/17/2011

My entire family has Zunes. Too bad its a good player. When you put it together with Zune software and Zune Marketplace there was no better deal. For about $15 a month you get to download all the songs you want, plus you get to keep 10 songs a month. I guess I'll hang in there as long as I can. I am hooked on the Android platform; I love my Droid X. I hope Google's music service makes it worth my while to switch.

[oxjr]

03:10 AM on 03/16/2011

Queston? I love my ipod/itunes and was impressed when they upgraded my older itunes to a higher bitrate awhile back (hopefully they will sound as great as my 1994 Panasonic Shockwave cassette player some day lol) but when I went to put some music on my phone and on my nephew's mid priced Phillips the songs had to be converted to a lower bitrate to play on those non-apple devices. Is this an Apple issue or an issue with non-Apple devices?

[clsmithj]

08:21 AM on 03/16/2011

Sounds like an issue with your non-Apple device. Is the format you're working with mp3 or mp4? Before you lowered the bitrate to play back on the non-Apple device, did you check to see if you could play the file on your computer OK?

[oxjr]

02:58 AM on 03/16/2011

I saw one on the bus today and thought it was an old nano. How was the sound? I know apple upped the quality of all my old itunes library about two years back and I had no idea how much better it sounded until I converted some of my music to go on my windows based phone and the result was annoyingly tinny.

[spkninglsh]

02:46 AM on 03/16/2011

I though the Zune committed suicide years ago.

[Turtleposer]

01:00 AM on 03/16/2011

I used to have a Zune until the battery overheated. I ended up getting an Ipod 'cause it had a cooler color.

That being said, I really liked the Zune while it lasted. It had an easier user interface than the Ipod & I could move files to it without having to use Zune software. But even if I did use the Zune software, it was much easier than using Itunes.

[screwedrus]

12:13 AM on 03/16/2011

But, but...Apple sucks...fanbois...Steve Jobs is a nazi...

Blah, blah, blah. Another iPod killer shoots itself in the foot.

[NHBill]

11:47 PM on 03/15/2011

Let's pause and light a candle for these "iPod Killers" no longer with us:

The Zune, the Rio, Sony's Walkman Bean, Dell's DJ and DJ Ditty, and digital music players from Thomson, Olympus, iRiver and BenQ.

[oxjr]

03:02 AM on 03/16/2011

I am pretty sure the Rio was one of the original mp3 players so it was never an ipod killer - it was murdered by the ipod.

[NHBill]

08:23 AM on 03/16/2011

They came out with their own iPod killer model after the iPod.
The real question is Will the iPad follow in the same footsteps as the iPod.
So far the answer is yes.

[zencb75]

11:42 PM on 03/15/2011

I have had an 80 gig Zune for 4 years...Zero problems...No software glitches...No hardware problems...I've used it for 60 hours a week in a hot kitchen and it has never failed me...It is a good device...Lame name...but good device..

[littlebrowngirl]

11:10 PM on 03/15/2011

Expensive coasters.

[InABox]

10:19 PM on 03/15/2011

Why all the vitriol over an electronic toy? You'd have thought Microsoft insulted your mothers given the comments here. Just use what you like and be done with it. Sheesh.

[Rob Horton]

10:14 PM on 03/15/2011

Microsoft didn't just kill the Zune, it has been dead for years... It was never competitive with the iPod. It is interesting to note, however, that Windows Phone 7 was to designed to appeal to the Zune consumer. The death of Zune should also spell the death of Windows Phone.

[Don Quixote]

11:28 PM on 03/15/2011

Great. Guess what my wife got me for Christmas.

[Daly]

01:18 PM on 03/16/2011

difference is... most phones only last until the latest newest come out; the USA cell company model is to hook us on upgrading every two...and by then the junk they sell is broken or obsolete.

[SkeeBee]

09:54 PM on 03/15/2011

Spell Zune with only three letters: a-s-s

[Layman23]

09:33 PM on 03/15/2011

Whoever came up with the name Zune must be fired. It never rang a bell. Microsoft has heavy baggage that it carries, windows.

Its products will always be viewed as something that will fail frequently or need upkeep.

Oh the kinect.. i forget. The xboxes are going up in smoke as well. I changed mine twice and then the third time tossed it into the attic.

[MaxPowerXP]

10:10 PM on 03/15/2011

"Its products will always be viewed as something that will fail frequently or need upkeep."

Only by Apple fanboys and neckbearded *nix devotees who are convinced that *this* year Linux will finally be ready for grandma's desktop. Those of us who live in the real world, rather than clinging to 15-year-old FUD, know otherwise.

[Layman23]

11:36 PM on 03/15/2011

I live in the real world and have and am working with windows on a daily basis. Geez fanbois....