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Microsoft to Launch Zune in EU
An anonymous reader writes "Happy with the sales from the little brown music player here in the states, Microsoft is working to launch the Zune media player in Europe by the end of the year. According to the Washington Post article, they are trying to have a realistic outlook on the entrenched Apple product line. They're not trying to play catch-up at the moment ... they're just trying to get on the map. From the article: '"Our next round of introductions will probably be in time for the holiday of this year." [Jason Reindorp] said Microsoft planned extensive research with focus groups in Europe to see how it could be modified for a European consumer. He said the Zune had a 10.2 percent market share in the U.S. in the 30 gigabyte category, according to the latest data, and that it was still in line to sell over a million units by June 30, the end of its current fiscal year.'"
Actually one exists, available in black and white.
Of course it is a funny statement to see coming from Microsoft.
Hey... there is a 30gig iPod. So out of 9 different iPod models, the Zune had a 10.2% share of one of those which effectively means 1.13% share against iPods. Mix in every other player in contention and their market share is probably more like 0.04%.
Most of the stuff on
the Zune had a 10.2 percent market share in the U.S. in the 30 gigabyte category, according to the latest data...
That's fishy to me because it sounds like they mean of concurrent sales (meaning it wouldn't include people who bought 30gb iPods when Apple still made them in that size).
What that means is, of all media players sold this year that store 30GB of data that aren't iPods, the Zune has a 10% market share which, factoring in Apple's huge part of that market, is much, much smaller a percentage than it sounds like.
Triv
The latest iPod comes in 30GB and 80GB. Where are you guys getting this notion that Apple no longer makes 30GB iPods? A quick visit to apple.com will prove that untrue.And now its just 10.5 % in the 30 gigabyte category? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5oGaZIKYvo Ballmer really has no clue at all. :P
In October 2001 a music player was introduced. By the end of that year it had sold just 125,000 units. That MP3 player was the iPod. The Zune's launch figures mean very little, what it does in the next few years is everything. It's far too early to call this match.
Yawns
it should also be worth noting MS predictions for sales mean jack squat. If memory serves, they predicted they would sell a million by Christmas 2006. When that obviously didn't happen, they threw up their arms in joy and said they were pleased and that a million by june was their real target. At this rate, im sure they will be say "just wait to the back to schools season, thats when we strike!"
How refreshing to read something about the Zune by a real consumer who actually has one and is saying things that have the ring of truth to them.
(It doesn't bother you that everything you've bought will go poof if you don't keep paying $15 every month?)
"How to Do Nothing," kids activities, back in print!
"But I think what GP said may apply to Southern and Eastern Europe."
I live in a part of Europe that's as far south as you can get while still being in Europe (Spain), and computers are everywhere, as are personal music players (mostly iPods) -- just about everyone seems to have some sort of broadband Internet link too. However, it is likely that the Zune will have a fairly difficult time here despite this due to the iconic status that the iPod has attained, especially among females, few of whom would even consider being seen with anything else.
I'm not going to change your sheets again, Mr. Hastings.
Yeah, all that peace and prosperity. I don't know how we survived the nineties.
I live ze unknown. I love ze unknown. I am ze unknown.