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Seth Weintraub

Apple versus Google

What can Apple do to protect the iPod market share from the ZuneHD?

14 comments

TAGS:Apple, iPod, Microsoft, Zune
IT TOPICS:Macintosh & Apple, Mobile & Wireless, Personal Technology, Windows & Microsoft

You're probably thinking Apple can kick back and relax because its new iPod touch (shown all over the web today incidentally) has a built in camera and 70,000 apps compared to the ZuneHD which has no camera and only a few apps. The problem is that the ZuneHD does a few things that the iPod most likely won't do. Some of those things are pretty cool.

The prices of the two devices will be pretty similar. The iPod will be $199/$299/$399 for 16GB/32GB/64G. The Zune has been seen at Amazon for $219 for 16GB and $289 for 32GB. AT 32GB, the Zune wins, at 16GB, iPod.

The ZuneHD also will have an OLED screen. The recent pictures of the new iPod seem to have a similar screen as the current one. I'll assume they have the traditional TFT/glass screen, which isn't too shabby. OLED wins this, however, because of superior picture and lower energy usage. Just a note: the iPod and Zune both have 480 pixels across but the iPod has about 30 more pixels down (in landscape) at 320 pixels.

The Zune has built in HD FM stereo radio. Interestingly, the iPod also has the ability to pull in digital FM signal, but Apple up until this point has been unwilling to add this feature. Maybe the competition from the Zune will make Apple consider this "nice to have but not a deal-breaker" addition.

The biggest selling point (to me anyway) of the Zune is that it's made for playing full 1080P HD movies out through the added cable. Apple's cable-out only does 720P at the moment. Apple's chipset can handle full HD but you'd have to wonder if they'd kill the AppleTV if they made their iPod line as good as the ZuneHD at playing video.

Interestingly, they might do that.

All to save them from the mighty ZuneHD? Nah...

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Actual comparison of Zune HD with iPod touch

Submitted by ObamaPacman on November 13, 2009 - 3:07 P.M.

There are some problems with this article. For example the HD video output are totally wrong (covered on page 3 of the linked article). Here is a detailed technical comparison:

http://obamapacman.com/2009/09/microsoft-zune-hd-vs-apple-ipod-touch-3g-feature-comparison/

Zune HD is so much better that it is no longer on the top 25 sellers of Amazon electronics. Actually no version of Zune is on the top 100 sellers of Amazon.

iPod / iPod touch are still on top ten. That tells you something.

FYI, OLED isn't better overall. OLED is better in limited situations (say using it in a dark place, AKA basement), while LCD is better in other situations.

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Easy: Completely ignore it,

Submitted by Anonymous on August 19, 2009 - 4:44 A.M.

Easy: Completely ignore it, as they did with the Zune.

LOL

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Delusional?

Submitted by Dowland on August 18, 2009 - 10:11 A.M.

What a bizarre blog posting.

Someone can't possibly this delusional.

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nothing

Submitted by Nathan on August 16, 2009 - 11:34 P.M.

Actually, MS has a huge opportunity here: Thanks to all of Apple's lame and impenetrable restrictions on the app review process. If the Zune had a convenient app store AND an open (or relatively open, no one needs viruses) app story... having the apps Apple rejects would give it something it has never had: Authentic cool. Yes, there might be a baby shaker app--so what?

Fortunately for Apple, MS shows no sign of having ANY app story. And MS seems intent on copying slavishly copying Apple.

Pretty ironic for the largest purveyor of open platforms on the planet.

These things are computers now. The one that runs the craziest apps will be the coolest and that could establish an actual beachhead for MS.

But I see no evidence they have any such intention.

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I think Apple doesn't really

Submitted by Ben on August 16, 2009 - 4:10 P.M.

I think Apple doesn't really need to protect the iPod market share.

ZuneHD is simply too little too late.

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This is one poorly written

Submitted by Pats on August 15, 2009 - 11:18 A.M.

This is one poorly written article. As far as challenging the Ipod I would wait to see some sales numbers be for I would make such claims.

Just for reference the Zune cable is 49.99
http://store.microsoft.com/microsoft/Zune-HD-AV-Power-Pack/product/66C30489

Or the AV pack 89.99
http://store.microsoft.com/microsoft/Zune-HD-AV-Dock/product/D1386974

Turn your Zune HD player into a full HD experience
This all-in-one package enables your Zune HD player to charge sync and play supported 720p HD videos on your HDTV. Send music and HD Radio reception to your home audio system and control it all via a wireless remote.

Includes dock, three inserts (one for each Zune model), wireless remote, AC adapter, HDMI cable, and AV output cable. Zune HD player sold separately.

Don't see 1080p mentioned.

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Ha ha ha...

Submitted by desbiens on August 15, 2009 - 3:13 A.M.

Another Zune will kill the iPod because of the built in radio story? Really? Will they wow customers with brown Zunes again, too? Can you tell me one more time that iPod's chipset can decode FM transmissions... because it's only been news since the 3rd generation iPod.

Apple didn't implement then, nor when they first Zune came out, nor will they now. Maybe some third party will write an app for this on a touch. Maybe someone will write a shareware utility for OS X that turns macbook screens to green monochrome. Regardless, no one will use these features because color is the ALTERNATIVE to monochrome, just as iPod is the ALTERNATIVE to radio. Radio stations run off iPods now. Portable radios can be had for $5 at any Radio Shack, truck stop, or CVS Pharmacy. They're right next to the blank VHS tapes, and require no $200 auxiliary devices to run.

Similar to the Zune, HD radio is a flop. Similar to a Zune, HD radio diverts far too many resources to cater to a dying technology. In their case, this is AM radio... and if people cared about the clarity of their AM broadcasts, the stations would have leased FM airwaves a long time ago.

OLED screens are nice. My 5 year old Samsung phone has one... I believe it was the first commercial use of the technology. It, too, has the ability to playback radio. I would be amongst the happier people in the world if I could trade it for an ipod touch.

And finally... HD video. The thing you assume the Zune HD is about... with it's sub-SDTV screen. Remember this: you cannot view 1080 lines on a screen only 480 lines tall. And, unlike every other paid "critic" on the internet, this article states that it is only possible with an included video cable and, presumably, some kind of 1080p output.With this setup, assuming you have the 32gb version, you might be lucky enough to fit one movie on the think and

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Just because you don't

Submitted by Spawnywhippet on August 17, 2009 - 6:46 P.M.

Just because you don't listen to radio don't assume every else prefers mp3's to radio. I listen to more than 500 hours of radio for every 1 hour of mp3's. I prefer the live content, news, traffic and weather info, humerous DJ's, new music etc that an iPod cannot deliver (and don't start talking about podcasts - I said LIVE content). If my iPod Touch had FM or digital radio it would be used every day instead of blowing the dust off it only when I have a long haul flight.

My previous 3 Nokia's had FM radio, my brand new iPhone does not.

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paid critic? paid by whom?

Submitted by Anonymous on August 16, 2009 - 9:06 A.M.

paid critic? paid by whom? This author loves apple, hence his other site 9to5mac...You are a rabid commenter and your comment makes my head hurt. he is just offering an opinion, he didn't call anyone out as bein g"paid" and he didn't insinuate that anyone doesn't know what they're talking about, which is more than can be said for you.

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