Zune coming to Europe? (UK accounts can now login)

[Richard]

I don't know if this is because of the recent Zune rollout on XBOX Live but yesterday I've noticed that I can now login to Zune using my normal, UK, account either in the software or website. Previously, only US-based Live IDs would work.

Is the Zune coming to Europe at last?

 

[Blazkowicz]

I had no idea the Zune wasn't sold in Europe.

that's a pretty interesting way to market a product.
now microsoft could try not to sell windows and word/excel

 

[Arwin]

Possibly, but I reckon that this particular thing does have more to do with the Zune videoservice launching in Europe.

 

[eastmen]

I had no idea the Zune wasn't sold in Europe.

that's a pretty interesting way to market a product.
now microsoft could try not to sell windows and word/excel

One of the biggest selling points of zune hd is its music subscription. Bringing it to europe would be a nightmare. In the states you just need 1 contract . In europe you would need one for each country you offer it in and i'm sure there are many other companys to deal with when liscensing music and makeing those deals.

 

[Richard]

Possibly, but I reckon that this particular thing does have more to do with the Zune videoservice launching in Europe.

Seems like it. Zune.net only shows Video-related links and info whereas the US one shows music, zune devices, etc. Drat!

Well, at least now I have a Zune card and it aggregates all my music plays, favourites, etc.

 

[Grall]

One of the biggest selling points of zune hd is its music subscription. Bringing it to europe would be a nightmare.

Yes, but somehow Apple still managed it, despite being a much smaller company than MS all told.

But if MS wants to keep kicking itself in the nuts by effectively embargoing entire continents with its Zune, then I'm all the more for it.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

Does Apple offer all the music you can listen to for a montly fee? Granted you can only keep a limited number if you cancel your service. I was under the impression that you had to buy anything you wanted to listen to on iTunes.

Regards,
SB

 

[Grall]

Does Apple offer all the music you can listen to for a montly fee?

Perhaps not, but what does it matter if the service isn't available anyway?

Even if the Zune was able to do cartwheels around your house whilst whistling the La Marseillaise it would effectively make no difference to us Euros since it's not sold over here.

 

[Blazkowicz]

shouldn't we be able to - gasp - buy itunes music and load it on your zune, or buy zune music and load it on an ipod? or is there vendor lock-in?

For now Apple gets away with its Ipod/Itunes thing. But if there's a 2nd major player/store offer that gets messy.
but I won't care that much. contrary to what apple wants you to believe, most portable music player are chinese USB sticks.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

Perhaps not, but what does it matter if the service isn't available anyway?

Even if the Zune was able to do cartwheels around your house whilst whistling the La Marseillaise it would effectively make no difference to us Euros since it's not sold over here.

What does it matter?

I was replying to...

Yes, but somehow Apple still managed it, despite being a much smaller company than MS all told.

That you wrote in response to someone mentioning having to get approval of recording labels in all EU member states. I'd imagine having the recording companies entire catalog available for a low monthly fee is going to require more negotiations and guarantee's than selling each individual title...

Regards,
SB

 

[eastmen]

Yes, but somehow Apple still managed it, despite being a much smaller company than MS all told.

But if MS wants to keep kicking itself in the nuts by effectively embargoing entire continents with its Zune, then I'm all the more for it.

Cool got a link to Apples music subscription ?

 

[eastmen]

Does Apple offer all the music you can listen to for a montly fee? Granted you can only keep a limited number if you cancel your service. I was under the impression that you had to buy anything you wanted to listen to on iTunes.

Regards,
SB

$15 usd for unlimited music rental and 10 songs to keep. Basicly its $5 bucks for renting music.

 

[Tchock]

I guess global licenses are tricky.

Pandora cut it off, Last.fm is now paid, Spotify requires kidneys for a yearly subscription and is JUST EU, Rhapsody is streaming only. Ouch.

MS is in a position to negotiate licenses. I'm just not too sure if they want to losslead anymore.

 

[Zaphod]

Spotify requires kidneys for a yearly subscription

€120/year? The prices of internal organs sure aren't what they used to be these days. I probably wouldn't have bothered only for the streaming, but with up to 3,333 offline tracks and mobile support, I'd say that's rather cheap.

 

[Richard]

Cool got a link to Apples music subscription ?

Zune isn't just Zune Pass. You can buy individual songs/albums just like iTunes/Amazon, etc. Besides, the original Zune was available in Canada without the Marketplace. But let's say for argument's sake that pan-european licensing was problematic and that MS only wanted to release the Zune HD along with the marketplace. Don't they think the UK market alone is worth it?

The licensing issues are complex but other companies did it, why doesn't MS? Maybe because the licensing isn't the main issue for the hold-up.

 

[Davros]

didnt ms screw people not too long ago wrt downloded music ?

 

[Richard]

didnt ms screw people not too long ago wrt downloded music ?

If you mean the MSN Music store, that's because it only sold DRM-ladden music. The Zune marketplace is practically MP3-only now.

 

[eastmen]

Zune isn't just Zune Pass. You can buy individual songs/albums just like iTunes/Amazon, etc. Besides, the original Zune was available in Canada without the Marketplace. But let's say for argument's sake that pan-european licensing was problematic and that MS only wanted to release the Zune HD along with the marketplace. Don't they think the UK market alone is worth it?

The licensing issues are complex but other companies did it, why doesn't MS? Maybe because the licensing isn't the main issue for the hold-up.

The biggest draw is the music pass option.

I know because its the reason everyone buys one after using my zune hd .

 

[Tchock]

€120/year? The prices of internal organs sure aren't what they used to be these days. I probably wouldn't have bothered only for the streaming, but with up to 3,333 offline tracks and mobile support, I'd say that's rather cheap.

Compared to Zune's whole store offline tracks, music discovery, Zune (HD) + future Winmo 7 support (and the 10 MP3 tracks to keep) it is.


Anyway I seemed to have thought that it was 15EUR/mo. At 10 it is still tolerable, but the region locks imposed compared to Zune Pass (US Live ID and you're set regardless of real location) is damn annoying when you're paying for their service already .



@Richard, WinMo 7. Silverlight hardware accelerated interfaces and Zune integration- at least that's what I always thought about their global reach in the future.

Pushing Zune now into an iPod lust market is kinda... off now? Why not wait until you have a proper ecosystem that can back the player, or at least Facebook/Twitter apps for checkbox ticking before you distribute it...

WM7 at least will fix quite a lot of it with its legacy app support and such, while MS is probably contracting a few devs in a headstart manner just like the Zune game developers.

 

[Zaphod]

Compared to Zune's whole store offline tracks, music discovery, Zune (HD) + future Winmo 7 support (and the 10 MP3 tracks to keep) it is.

The included 'liberation quota' is a good part of the Zune pass package. What prompted me to pay for Spotify, though, was that they got out a rather nice app for a mobile device I already own and always carry with me.

but the region locks imposed compared to Zune Pass (US Live ID and you're set regardless of real location) is damn annoying when you're paying for their service already .

Not sure I understand what you mean? Only the free Spotify service is region limited (after 14 days) when it comes to its use. The premium service can be used whenever, wherever. The limited amount of countries eligible for signup is certainly a drawback, though. As it also is with other such services. International rights seems to be a big hurdle for everyone, and I wouldn't mind more competition.