Consumption Rules

Microsoft is poised to debut its new Zune music player later this year to compete with Apple’s Ipod. The Zune will be similar in design to the Ipod, and have it’s own version of Itunes (the Zune Marketplace). As I see it, the Zune has two small features that are advantages over the Ipod. First, it has a larger screen, which makes watching movies or TV shows a little easier on such a small device. Second, it offers wireless file-sharing between Zunes. This will enable users to share their playlists with their friends, although the software only allows you to listen to the songs three times - an obvious middleground between the music titans and pirates. You can download the Zune fact sheet here if you’re interested, or check out their weak new logo here. It’s doubtful these small features available on the Zune will be enough to sway customers. In the end, with Apple having its stranglehold on the personal mp3 market, the only thing that is going to drive a consumer to buy the Zune over the Ipod will be price. Microsoft has yet to announce the price of the new Zune, but something tells me it won’t be cheap.