Microsoft is ready to launch Zune, its competitor to iPod, in November. The price has been set. This competitor to iTunes will be in place for the holiday gift buying season and the biggest and most anticipated challenge to Apple will be under way. But Zune doesn't seem to have enough different features to make a serious dent in iPod's domiance of the mobile music device market. If being able to share songs for three days wirelessly with others is important then this device rules. If. There is even some speculation that once a consumer downloads a Zune tune -- whether he or she shares it or not -- that it remains clogged on the hard drive. Only to be unburdened by an act of will -- deleting it. Each and every time. There is a reason second-to-the- market usually doesn't become the market leader. That's because the market leader is already busy being the market leader. Whether Microsoft will be satisfied with seconds remains to be seen. And seconds it's likely to be as Zune might have been a market leader had it gotten to market sooner. Having said that -- it's Apple's to lose not Microsoft's to win.
Zune price: $249.99
Microsoft is ready to launch Zune, its competitor to iPod, in November. The price has been set. This competitor to iTunes will be in place for the holiday gift buying season and the biggest and most anticipated challenge to Apple will be under way. But Zune doesn't seem to have enough different features to make a serious dent in iPod's domiance of the mobile music device market. If being able to share songs for three days wirelessly with others is important then this device rules. If. There is even some speculation that once a consumer downloads a Zune tune -- whether he or she shares it or not -- that it remains clogged on the hard drive. Only to be unburdened by an act of will -- deleting it. Each and every time. There is a reason second-to-the- market usually doesn't become the market leader. That's because the market leader is already busy being the market leader. Whether Microsoft will be satisfied with seconds remains to be seen. And seconds it's likely to be as Zune might have been a market leader had it gotten to market sooner. Having said that -- it's Apple's to lose not Microsoft's to win.
