Zune is a former brand of Portable Media Players (PMP) and digital music services created by Microsoft. The Zune brand was discontinued in 2011, but its legacy can still be seen in the Microsoft Groove Music app.
Zune was first introduced in November 2006
Zune was Microsoft's answer to the highly successful Apple iPod
The initial Zune lineup included the Zune 30, Zune 4, and Zune 8 models
Zune launched a music streaming service called Zune Pass in 2008
The Zune hardware line was discontinued in 2011, and the music streaming service was rebranded as Xbox Music and later as Groove Music
Apple iPod was one of the primary competitors of Zune in the PMP market. It was highly successful and dominated the market before the advent of smartphones.
After the discontinuation of Zune hardware, Zune music services faced competition from several other music streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, and Google Play Music.
The first device to feature the Zune brand, the Zune 30, had a 30GB hard drive and a 3-inch QVGA display. It could play audio, video, and display photos. It also featured WiFi connectivity and an FM radio tuner.
The last Zune device ever produced was the Zune HD, which featured a 3.3-inch OLED touchscreen display and Nvidia Tegra chipset. It supported HD Radio reception, had an HDMI output for video playback, and used multi-touch navigation.
Zune Pass was a music subscription service that gave users unlimited streaming and downloading of DRM-free music. It was rebranded as Xbox Music Pass in 2012 and later as Groove Music Pass.
Zune was discontinued in 2011, and the music streaming service was rebranded as Xbox Music and later as Groove Music.
Yes, Zune was Microsoft's answer to the highly successful Apple iPod.
Zune as a brand is no longer relevant. However, its legacy can still be seen in the Microsoft Groove Music app.
Zune Pass was a music subscription service that gave users unlimited streaming and downloading of DRM-free music.
The last Zune device ever produced was the Zune HD, which featured a 3.3-inch OLED touchscreen display and Nvidia Tegra chipset.