( Warning: this one is gonna be REALLY rant-y )
I’m a proud owner of a Zune. I freakin’ love the little thing. Not to Zune Guy levels, but I’ve really enjoyed owning it. But even I have to admit that someone as crazy in love with the product like Zune guy leaving the flock means that there is something seriously wrong going on. Things are not rosy in Zune land at all. In fact it’s lately become more like a Zune desert.
It almost seems like Microsoft has given up on the product, which is sad because it’s so close to success. Especially when you consider that Microsoft doesn’t even need to release any new hardware to fix the problems. Just software.
Unfortunately, as of late it seems like Microsoft is having trouble getting anything to quite work right. So I’m going to make it simple. Okay Microsoft, Ready? These are the things you need to do to fix the Zune.
WiFi Music Downloading
First things first. Every Zune ever built has WiFi right? I have unlimited downloads of music with Zune Pass Right? Why can’t I download my music straight from the device? This seems to me like something that is so obviously do-able that the fact that the Zune didn’t have this capability from day one is ridiculous.
The whole point of having the Zune Pass is that I pay $14.99 a month to have unlimited access to all the music I want. Now let’s say I’m with my friends, and someone mentions a song I haven’t heard in years. Imagine if I could pull up the Zune Marketplace via WiFi and download the song right then and there to my device! How cool would that be? Any song, any time I want. For the same $14.99 a month. Same for audio podcasts. It’d be great to be able to subscribe and unsubscribe from shows directly from the device, and automatically have new episodes pushed to my Zune while in the range of WiFi.
Sure you can wirelessly sync your Zune now with the Zune software, but it’s hardly a good solution, and it still involves you being near your computer and starting the Zune software. If I’m already at my computer, and turning on the Zune software, I might as well connect via USB, it’ll be faster, AND it will charge the device at the same time. Nice try, but not quite what I was looking for.
I can understand that downloading video via a WiFi store would be unwieldy simply because the person would be forced to stay near the WiFi hotspot until the content was done downloading, so just make the store on the phone audio only. Simple as that.
I wouldn’t even be averse to seeing this as a Zune Pass premium feature. Make it so that only Zune Pass customers can use it. That way users would only have to enter a username and password once, and not have to worry about keying in a password for each purchase, since downloading is unlimited anyway. it would also bring in more revenue for Zune Pass, and make the subscription model more viable. If the iPod Touch can download wirelessly, why not the Zune?
Where are my games and audiobooks?
Secondly, don’t announce features until you’re ready to release them. It’s been nearly a year since you announced that games would be coming to the Zune. I still don’t see a games tab in the marketplace or on my Zune homescreen. What’s up with that? Sure you CAN get some games on the device if you sign up as a developer and get the whole toolkit. But that isn’t viable for the average customer. Get them into the store already!
Same goes for the Audiobooks. Where are they? You announced your deal with Audible months ago, and a full update of the software has come and gone with not so much as a peep about them. I have an Audible subscription, and having to listen to them via my Windows Mobile Phone (also a Microsoft device) but not being able to listen to them on ANOTHER Microsoft device is just silly. Since most of my listening lately has been of podcasts and Audiobooks, I’m starting to think that the Zune is becoming more and more wrong for me.
Make the Social.. Social!
Thirdly, get someone competent to work on the Zune Social. This is an idea that has a lot of potential! Let people use it on the device! Make the Zune DEVICE the focal point, not the software! When I’m syncing my music I’m not thinking about going into the social to see what my friends are listening to. It’s current implementation is crap.
You want to make the Zune a social device? Here’s what you do. Add some of that location finding tech that the iPod touch uses to figure out where you are via WiFi. You don’t need GPS, the iPod touch can do it without GPS, so can the Zune Then you could add features on the Zune Social letting you know what songs are most popular in your area. Hook up with Ticketmaster or Eventful, let people know what concerts are going on in their area! Give people a reason to WANT to participate.
Frequent Updates and Feature Releases
Next, and this one is important; Release updates more often! Doing a big update every 6 months isn’t a good way to let people know you’re working on things! Release new ideas and new features! Use your blog to let us know about what you’re working on. Let us know when things are coming up, and let us know WHEN. Make us at least FEEL like you give a crap about this product. Especially considering the last update didn’t do much for adding features, besides adding buy-per-episode TV shows that I’m not going to download, and bringing back features like metadata editing that for whatever reason you got RID of with the 2.0 update.
The major problem now is that there are far more attractive devices and services trickling out into the market, and you aren’t doing much in the way of making us want to stay with the brand you’re trying to build.
Advertise!
Your hardware design is great, your software design is great. The Zune interface is fantastic. The Zune Pass service is fantastic. Let people KNOW about it.
Microsoft just spent $300 million to try and convince people that Vista doesn’t suck ( sorry, it’s not that great ). Spend some of that money promoting the great device you DO have. ADVERTISE.
I’m not talking about those weird and esoteric shorts you called “ads” that you put up once or twice last year. Sell the device! Sell the service! Don’t be weird for weird’s sake. It won’t work. Just put out the word that you have a cool little device that does cool things, and people will start to listen. Just make sure you do in fact get the word out there. Put out commercials! I think I’ve seen one or two Zune commercials in my life.. Maybe. Yet, every time you turn the TV on, there an iPod, iTunes, or iPhone ad. Make sure your ads are just as prevalent.
There are more people than you think out there, who don’t really want to pay 99 cents a song. Sell to them! They’ll listen and they’ll buy!
Cross Platform Compatibility
And for christ sakes, make your software Mac and Linux compatible. Why would you alienate nearly 25% of the computer market? The iPod didn’t become successful by staying Mac only. Embrace ANY user who wants your service and your device REGARDLESS of what platform they use.
I shouldn’t have to boot out of OS X and then boot into Windows just to use my MP3 player, but I do, because I like your device. Stop driving away potential customers.
And Finally…
Notice how none of these improvements require you to create new hardware? There is a ton you can do with the devices you have! Now, I’m sure you’re all working on some super-secret touchscreen Zunephonepodthing, just don’t forget you have some really cool, very capable hardware that’s not even coming close to it’s potential. There are millions of these devices out there that could be given a total makeover into bad-ass network connected media players of awesomeness. So what are you guys doing? Sitting on your thumbs? Get to work!
Tags:
Apple,
iPod,
Microsoft,
Zune 
