Why did Microsoft discontinue the Zune HD?

Going forward with a windows phone is not in my humble opinion the best strategy. The weakness here is that the likelihood of MS breaking into the phone market is not very high. If one considers the main opportunities for an MP3 player it is:

1. Portable listening while jogging/walking/exercising with headphones
2. Car Audio use
3. Hooked into an amplifier/docking unit.

While there may be an opportunity to use an MP3 player with a phone, I don't see this as being a significant contribution for those who use their phone for frequent communication. However, I would have thought that there could be a market for a whole new generation of small tablets for use with the following features:

MP3 player

MPEG player

Photo Viewer

HD Radio

GPS

Other options could be:

Wireless communications such as internet, G4, etc.

PDF/Book Reading

Personal organizer

One of the key uses of such a device is that it could replace the traditional car radio/CD/Tape unit with a docking interface to insert this small tablet (video disabled for vehicular use). I'd be using such a device most of the time either when driving, working out, tinkering in the garage, background music in the home and much more. Maybe there is a segment of the market that likes to use their phone for playing music, watching video, etc, but I don't see much of it--could be a generational thing.

Right now I'm using my Zune HD in a docking station for listening to podcasts/HD radio at home, a Sansa player for music, and a Nuvi GPS/MP3 player plugged into a HD radio in my car. I don't use a cell phone much, but I'd like to start using a book reader, personal organizer & portable notepad.

The bottom line here is that I think there is a loss of focus on multi-use devices. Creating a new category of use (such as automobiles) will certainly offer more opportunity than trying to jump on an existing bandwagon. However, without the right software specs even such a device may not go anywhere.

Hi Zombie79,

 

Thank you for your question and your concern. I believe the answer can be summed up with in the first sentence of the press release, "...going forward, Windows Phone will be the focus of our mobile music and video strategy, and that we will no longer be producing Zune players". We appreciate and share your feelings regarding the Zune device, however we have decided to move forward with a new strategy and we hope that we will be able to get you back on board soon.

 

Cheers!

 

robert

Wow, so without reading all the other posts I am going to post this. Instead of making the Zune, we are being forced to buy a phone if we want to upgrade? Fat chance of that happening. I think you are making a huge mistake and now that I find this out I am wishing that I wouldn't have paid for a year subscription to this service. You do realize that people are not going to drop the phone they have and pick a windows phone up just for the music player right? Unfreaking believable.

I agree, sort of. In the beginning customers service may have mattered, however when MS started, there wasn't a whole lot of options anyway. But your right, MS did care at one time, but I feel I'm correct also. MS is so big now that like I said, losing customers in 1 particular field of technology doesn't really matter to them. This is possibly why Apple seems to be dominating the MP3 player market, because they are offering as many "apps" as possible. Anything customers may want, Apple appears to be offering. (I admit most of them are worthless, but offered regardless). Even though I hear rumor that Apple is talking about discontinuing the iPod (I cant actually find anything confirming this rumor from Apple), it seems Apple is still selling their iPods because people want them, even though they offer a cell phone that does everything the iPod does. Where as MS appears to have taken the opposite approach, force people to buy their phone even though people still want the Zune player. Read through the forums, there's no lack of unhappy MS Zune player customers threatening to switch to Apple, and it doesn't seem like MS gives a sh*t. This is just one example I'm using to show where I got my opinion that MS doesn't care what customers want. So, your right, MS didn't ignore customers, however they are now, by taking the approach of "we will tell you what you want, not ask you what you want". You are allowed to disagree with me, but my opinion is still valid and I believe other people would agree with me.

My Zune player died so now I am forced to use my HTC Surround WP7, problem is there is some bug or somthing so playing Zune on the phone just freezes the phone up (great) plus there is only one volume so turning up the music makes the phone ring really loud!!! and to top it all, it doesnt sound anywhere as good as the Zune HD did (I did a side by side when it was working). end result... = FAIL, time to look at other options I think....