According to Microsoft's quarterly filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission, the [a href="vny!://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10149362-56.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0"]Zune platform experienced a revenue drop of 54 percent[/a], or $100 million. This compares to relatively healthy sales of the iPod, which were up 3 percent in the same period (though revenue did drop by 16 percent).
Obviously, with the [a href="vny!://gamer.blorge.com/2009/01/23/massive-layoff-at-xbox-division-closes-studio/"]recent job cuts at Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division[/a], pundits are wondering how soon until the Zune also gets the chop. As one pundit wrote: 'Microsoft, by now, should be realizing that it's [a href="vny!://tech.blorge.com/Structure:%20/2009/01/24/microsoft-to-exit-the-zune-business/"]never going to be as "cool" as Apple[/a], so why waste its time with the Zune where it has no competitive advantage?'
It's fairly easy to see why the Zune failed:
1. A mammoth uphill struggle to beat the popular and well-established iPod (as well as many other competitors)
2. The use of DRM.
3. The use of the word "squirt." Which is easily associated with bodily functions.
4. It came in brown. Which made "squirt" all the more obnoxious.
5. The lock-up issue.
I don't know if it was a factor, but it is deliciously funny that Microsoft's Zune did not play Microsoft's own "PlayForSure" music format. No-one will miss ithe Zune...except for this poor FOOL:
[a href="vny!://sydfish.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/zune-tattoo.jpg"]vny!://sydfish.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/zune-tattoo.jpg[/a]
And don't miss [a href="vny!://blog.wired.com/music/2008/07/video-zune-tatt.html" title="wired.com"]this[/a].
