4 ms·

The closest thing I can think of is Zune, but Microsoft couldn't seem to get that right. They're the only company that could have, but they failed. A big part

by byoung2 16y ago

The closest thing I can think of is Zune, but Microsoft couldn't seem to get that right. They're the only company that could have, but they failed. A big part of the appeal of the iPod Touch is that it runs apps from the App Store. It would be easy to make a media player that does most of what the iPod Touch does, but a real competitor would have a very tough time overcoming the app store barrier to entry. So your only real choice is Android as far as the apps go. So the question is why haven't there been any Android versions of the iPod Touch? I don't have an answer for this one. It could be that only Apple is in a position to sell a product for the price of a smartphone (up to $400) without the phone part. In that same price range you can buy most Android phones without a contract (the Evo 4G is $449 no contract), so maybe anyone who would have bought an Android version of the iPod Touch just gets a phone. Also, considering the price of the iPhone ($500-$700 without contract) vs iPod Touch ($230-$400), it could be that Apple sells the iPod Touch at a loss and makes up the difference with App Store sales and iAd revenue. A 3rd party would not be able to do this.

RBerenguel 16y ago
The iPod touch is cheaper than you say. Mine was 169€ (around 175$ I guess).
michaelbuckbee 16y ago
I think your last point is probably closest to the mark, that the iPod touch has much lower margins that are made up on app store sales.
- pchristensen 16y ago
  The base model probably has low margins, but there's a big markup on the extra 16 or 48GB of memory in the more expensive models.
justrudd 16y ago
"Microsoft couldn't seem to get that right" - I think the depends on your definition of "right" is :) The hardware and UI of the software on the Zune are (IMO) better than the iPod Touch. I enjoy the visuals of the Zune playback. I love scrolling through my artists, albums, etc. on the Zune compared to the iPod. I believe they did get that right. I also love the Zune Marketplace. For example, I love the song "No Heaven" by Champion. Which lead me to a group called Bane. The first few listens of Bane were good. But I soon grew tired of them. They didn't have the replay value that Champion does (to me. I mean no offense to any fans). In the iTunes model, I would have to buy the music and be stuck with music I don't like. So I think that Microsoft got it right there. I know there are others that do streaming as well Last.fm, GrooveShark, etc. but I think (or least I thought) that Microsoft had the leverage and money to get a comprehensive streaming library the size of iTunes and/or Amazon MP3. And this gets into the areas where I think they failed... Their marketing didn't exist. The only commercial I remember is some kid that traded a song with a convenience store clerk. And the only reason I remember it is because of the groan that came out of the audience that saw the commercial. I don't recall what Zune called the music sharing, but it was a stupid word. And the commercial forced its use. And the other big fail - it feels like a hobby to Microsoft. It feels like a product that they don't care if it succeeds or not. If it does, great. If not, whatever. It's hard to get excited about a product that a company isn't even excited about.
- pohl 16y ago
  I don't recall what Zune called the music sharing, but it was a stupid word. And the commercial forced its use. I believe it was called "squirting", which was very unfortunate at the time because zunes were a shade of brown. Jokers would ask "What's brown and squirts?"
- msie 16y ago
  And the other big fail - it feels like a hobby to Microsoft. I think that many divisions at MS pale in comparison (revenue-wise) to the Office (Sharepoint etc) and Windows divisions and thus feel like hobbies to the corporation.
- grantjgordon 16y ago
  I actually agree that the Zune HD is a worthy competitor, at least from a hardware and UX perspective. In many ways, Apple plays it safe from a design perspective with the iPod touch, and Microsoft actually went out on a limb and bet on the Metro UI paradigm. It wasn't a complete win, but I personally like many aspects of it, and am looking forward to seeing if Windows Phone 7 can successfully translate that into a useful phone experience.
- byoung2 16y ago
  Their marketing didn't exist. That's part of what I think Microsoft didn't get right. I remember one Zune commercial (featuring Mims - This Is Why I'm Hot). There was a whole field of Zunes, and the first one started playing the song, then a few more, then all of them. They didn't make it clear that the first one was sharing the song with the others. I use Windows PCs, have an XBox 360, and up until recently I had a Windows Mobile Phone. Microsoft failed to get me to want a Zune the way Apple fans want an iPod.
- beaumartinez 16y ago
  The Zune isn't available in Europe...
  - gamble 16y ago
    Or Canada. They even sold the original Zune here, then pulled out when the Zune HD was released.
arron61 16y ago
An Android version doesn't exist because there are strict hardware requirements and capabilities that devices must have before they can license the Android Marketplace. Right now this requires phone, internet access, and etc. Google is rumored to relax these restrictions in the upcoming releases so tablets and other devices can use Android and also be able to license the Android Marketplace at the same time. This is when you will see the Google sanctioned Android be on more devices.

by byoung2 16y ago

RBerenguel 16y ago

The iPod touch is cheaper than you say. Mine was 169€ (around 175$ I guess).

michaelbuckbee 16y ago

I think your last point is probably closest to the mark, that the iPod touch has much lower margins that are made up on app store sales.

pchristensen 16y ago
The base model probably has low margins, but there's a big markup on the extra 16 or 48GB of memory in the more expensive models.

justrudd 16y ago

"Microsoft couldn't seem to get that right" - I think the depends on your definition of "right" is :) The hardware and UI of the software on the Zune are (IMO) better than the iPod Touch. I enjoy the visuals of the Zune playback. I love scrolling through my artists, albums, etc. on the Zune compared to the iPod. I believe they did get that right. I also love the Zune Marketplace. For example, I love the song "No Heaven" by Champion. Which lead me to a group called Bane. The first few listens of Bane were good. But I soon grew tired of them. They didn't have the replay value that Champion does (to me. I mean no offense to any fans). In the iTunes model, I would have to buy the music and be stuck with music I don't like. So I think that Microsoft got it right there. I know there are others that do streaming as well Last.fm, GrooveShark, etc. but I think (or least I thought) that Microsoft had the leverage and money to get a comprehensive streaming library the size of iTunes and/or Amazon MP3. And this gets into the areas where I think they failed... Their marketing didn't exist. The only commercial I remember is some kid that traded a song with a convenience store clerk. And the only reason I remember it is because of the groan that came out of the audience that saw the commercial. I don't recall what Zune called the music sharing, but it was a stupid word. And the commercial forced its use. And the other big fail - it feels like a hobby to Microsoft. It feels like a product that they don't care if it succeeds or not. If it does, great. If not, whatever. It's hard to get excited about a product that a company isn't even excited about.

pohl 16y ago
I don't recall what Zune called the music sharing, but it was a stupid word. And the commercial forced its use. I believe it was called "squirting", which was very unfortunate at the time because zunes were a shade of brown. Jokers would ask "What's brown and squirts?"
msie 16y ago
And the other big fail - it feels like a hobby to Microsoft. I think that many divisions at MS pale in comparison (revenue-wise) to the Office (Sharepoint etc) and Windows divisions and thus feel like hobbies to the corporation.
grantjgordon 16y ago
I actually agree that the Zune HD is a worthy competitor, at least from a hardware and UX perspective. In many ways, Apple plays it safe from a design perspective with the iPod touch, and Microsoft actually went out on a limb and bet on the Metro UI paradigm. It wasn't a complete win, but I personally like many aspects of it, and am looking forward to seeing if Windows Phone 7 can successfully translate that into a useful phone experience.
byoung2 16y ago
Their marketing didn't exist. That's part of what I think Microsoft didn't get right. I remember one Zune commercial (featuring Mims - This Is Why I'm Hot). There was a whole field of Zunes, and the first one started playing the song, then a few more, then all of them. They didn't make it clear that the first one was sharing the song with the others. I use Windows PCs, have an XBox 360, and up until recently I had a Windows Mobile Phone. Microsoft failed to get me to want a Zune the way Apple fans want an iPod.
beaumartinez 16y ago
The Zune isn't available in Europe...
- gamble 16y ago
  Or Canada. They even sold the original Zune here, then pulled out when the Zune HD was released.

arron61 16y ago

An Android version doesn't exist because there are strict hardware requirements and capabilities that devices must have before they can license the Android Marketplace. Right now this requires phone, internet access, and etc. Google is rumored to relax these restrictions in the upcoming releases so tablets and other devices can use Android and also be able to license the Android Marketplace at the same time. This is when you will see the Google sanctioned Android be on more devices.