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Price drops make the Zune a more attractive buy. Image: AuroaBorealis/Flickr. It may ultimately be fighting an insurmountable uphill battle, but software titan Microsoft Corp. is seemingly not yet prepared to throw in the towel against Apple when it comes to the multimedia player arena. Specifically, the Redmond-based company has hacked down prices connected to its iPod-rivalling Zune device. Likely implemented to stoke the fires of consumer interest ahead of the looming Christmas rush, which is marked by the traditional Black Friday shopping explosion (November 28 this year), Microsoft has applied the cuts to its 4GB, 8GB and 16GB Zune players. The new price points now see the basic 4GB Zune dropped from $129 USD to $99 USD, while the 8GB model drops just $10 USD to $139 USD, and the slighty more sizeable 16GB player drops $20 USD to $179 USD. Sadly, those prospective buyers looking to snap up a bargain 80GB or 120GB Zune will have to make do with the smaller options as Microsoft has not extended the drop beyond its 16GB player. The larger models are currently priced at $229 USD (80GB) and $299 USD (120GB). The Seattle Post Intelligencer notes that both the 8GB and 16GB Zunes are now priced below the dollar tags attached to the 8GB and 16GB Apple iPod Nanos, which currently cost $149 USD and $199 USD respectively. In terms of whether Microsoft's retail maneouvering will positively affect its market positioning after more than two years of availability, the lower prices may well contribute to improving its somewhat lowly 4 percent share against Apple's dominating 71 percent, according to figures released earlier this year by NPD Group. To help bolster the Zune price cuts, Microsoft has also unveiled a new television commercial focusing attention on some of the features connected to the Zune's free software, which is capable of managing a user's music collection and also makes it easy for them to search and find related music. It remains to be seen whether the current downward economic climate will provide a solid platform for the new Zune price point and result in a sales spike for Microsoft, which recently bolstered its Zune line with a selection of new and improved players.
Price drops make the Zune a more attractive buy. Image: AuroaBorealis/Flickr.
It may ultimately be fighting an insurmountable uphill battle, but software titan Microsoft Corp. is seemingly not yet prepared to throw in the towel against Apple when it comes to the multimedia player arena. Specifically, the Redmond-based company has hacked down prices connected to its iPod-rivalling Zune device.
Likely implemented to stoke the fires of consumer interest ahead of the looming Christmas rush, which is marked by the traditional Black Friday shopping explosion (November 28 this year), Microsoft has applied the cuts to its 4GB, 8GB and 16GB Zune players.
The new price points now see the basic 4GB Zune dropped from $129 USD to $99 USD, while the 8GB model drops just $10 USD to $139 USD, and the slighty more sizeable 16GB player drops $20 USD to $179 USD.
Sadly, those prospective buyers looking to snap up a bargain 80GB or 120GB Zune will have to make do with the smaller options as Microsoft has not extended the drop beyond its 16GB player. The larger models are currently priced at $229 USD (80GB) and $299 USD (120GB).
The Seattle Post Intelligencer notes that both the 8GB and 16GB Zunes are now priced below the dollar tags attached to the 8GB and 16GB Apple iPod Nanos, which currently cost $149 USD and $199 USD respectively.
In terms of whether Microsoft's retail maneouvering will positively affect its market positioning after more than two years of availability, the lower prices may well contribute to improving its somewhat lowly 4 percent share against Apple's dominating 71 percent, according to figures released earlier this year by NPD Group.
To help bolster the Zune price cuts, Microsoft has also unveiled a new television commercial focusing attention on some of the features connected to the Zune's free software, which is capable of managing a user's music collection and also makes it easy for them to search and find related music.
It remains to be seen whether the current downward economic climate will provide a solid platform for the new Zune price point and result in a sales spike for Microsoft, which recently bolstered its Zune line with a selection of new and improved players.
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