Microsoft Announces Zune HD Media Players

Last night Microsoft announced the upcoming line of Zune HD portable media players.  The new line of players brings a flood of changes to the device, from a new form factor to a multitouch screen to HD radio support to the ability to play back 720p video on your HDTV (with an optional dock).  From the press release:

• Zune HD comes with a built-in HD Radio receiver so users can listen to higher-quality sound than traditional radio on the go. Users also will have access to the additional song and artist data broadcast by HD Radio stations as well as additional channels from their favorite stations multicasting in HD. If you don't like the song playing on your station's HD channel, switch to its HD2 or HD3 channels for additional programming.
• The bright OLED touch screen interface allows users to flip through music, movies and other content with ease, and the 16:9 widescreen format display (480x272 resolution) offers a premium viewing experience on the go.
• The HD-compatible output lets Zune HD customers playback supported HD video files from the device through a premium high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) audiovisual docking station (sold separately) direct to an HD TV in 720p.*
• Zune HD will include a full-screen Internet browser optimized for multitouch functionality.
• Zune HD is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing for instant streaming to the device from the more than 5 million-track Zune music store.

In short, the Zune HD is aggressively positioning itself against Apple's iPod touch, with its multitouch capability and App Store.  What Microsoft is hoping will set the Zune HD apart are its HD radio offering and native integration with the XBox and Windows PCs, creating a sort of cloud for music and video content purchases from the soon-to-be-launched Zune Marketplace.

The devices will be formally debuted at E3, and will be available this fall.  No prices have been announced yet.

Read more about the Zune HD here, or read the full press release after the cut.

--Aric A.

Microsoft Announces the Expansion of the Zune Entertainment Service to New Platform and Markets; Confirms New Zune HD Portable Media Player

Premium Zune digital entertainment service to be available internationally on Xbox LIVE.

REDMOND, Wash. - May 26, 2009 - Microsoft Corp. today announced the evolution of Zune, the company's end-to-end music and entertainment service, to a new platform and new markets. Zune will extend its video service to Xbox LIVE internationally this fall. This marks an important development in the Zune strategy and brings the Zune brand to more than 17 million international Xbox LIVE subscribers. In addition, Microsoft confirmed the next generation of the Zune portable media player, Zune HD. Available in the U.S. this fall, Zune HD is the first portable media player that combines a built-in HD Radio receiver, high-definition (HD) video output capabilities, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) touch screen, Wi-Fi and an Internet browser.

"The Zune music player is an integral part of the overall Zune experience, and we're proud to be growing and extending our offering beyond the device," said Enrique Rodriguez, corporate vice president of the Microsoft TV, Video and Music Business Group. "Delivering on Microsoft's connected entertainment vision, this news marks a turning point for Zune as it brings cross-platform experiences and premium video content to living rooms around the world."

Zune Service Expands to New Platform

Zune will be a premium partner in the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace, bringing an exciting catalog of TV and film to the platform. Zune will occupy the first slot within the Xbox user interface in the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace, exposing the Zune brand experience to millions of new consumers for the first time. At the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) next week, attendees will see firsthand how Zune integrates into Xbox LIVE to create a game-changing entertainment experience.

Introducing Zune HD

Zune HD is the next iteration of the Zune device family and brings a new level of listening and viewing experiences to the portable media player category.

• Zune HD comes with a built-in HD Radio receiver so users can listen to higher-quality sound than traditional radio on the go. Users also will have access to the additional song and artist data broadcast by HD Radio stations as well as additional channels from their favorite stations multicasting in HD. If you don't like the song playing on your station's HD channel, switch to its HD2 or HD3 channels for additional programming.
• The bright OLED touch screen interface allows users to flip through music, movies and other content with ease, and the 16:9 widescreen format display (480x272 resolution) offers a premium viewing experience on the go.
• The HD-compatible output lets Zune HD customers playback supported HD video files from the device through a premium high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) audiovisual docking station (sold separately) direct to an HD TV in 720p.*
• Zune HD will include a full-screen Internet browser optimized for multitouch functionality.
• Zune HD is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing for instant streaming to the device from the more than 5 million-track Zune music store.

More information on Zune and related images is available at http://www.zune.net/press and http://www.zune.net/ZuneHD.

About Zune

Zune is Microsoft's music and entertainment brand that provides an integrated digital entertainment experience. The Zune platform includes a line of portable digital media players, elegant software, the Zune Marketplace online store, Zune Pass music subscription service, and the Zune Social online music community, created to help people discover more music. Zune is part of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division and supports the company's software-based services vision to help drive innovation in the digital entertainment space. More information can be found online at http://www.zune.net/en-us/press.

About Xbox LIVE

Xbox LIVE connects more than 17 million members across 26 countries to each other and the entertainment they love. Home of more content from one remote than can be found from any device connected to the television, Xbox LIVE is also a unified online social network bringing friends together, no matter where they are - in the living room or across the world. More information and Xbox LIVE membership can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/en-us/live.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

* Supported 720p HD video files play on the device, downscaled to fit the screen at 480 x 272 - not HD resolution. Zune HD and AV Dock, and an HDTV (all sold separately) are required to view video at HD resolution.

HD Radio™ and the HD Radio logo are proprietary trademarks of iBiquity Digital Corp.

Comments

[Jeremy Wa on May 28, 2009 at 07:13 AM]

Gosh, Microsoft trying to tie its Zune to Windows?

What a surprise! It has been trying to support its monopolies for decades.

The problem is that the Zune is considered (rightly, it seems, given its miserable share numbers) to be a kludgy, clunky has-been device.

Adding the "social" to "squirt" music was an abject failure and Zune probably will not get traction with HD. (Who listens to radio when you have your own pre-selected music?)

Result: probably still more failure in Redmond.

[John Sturgeon on May 28, 2009 at 08:19 AM]

Jeremy:

You obviously have never tried a Zune, or you might not be such an obvious forum troll.

IMHO, Apple iTunes is the kludgiest, crappiest piece of software out there and is the primary reason I would not touch an Apple device. My daughter has an iPod Touch, and unless you are an app-addict, for music and video it is just meh.

I look forward to the touch Zunes to enhance what is already the best music player out there. Whether it becomes an apps powerhouse like the iPod Touch, well, that remains to be seen. But at least there is a credible, worthwhile competitor to the Apple hegemony.

[zune hd on May 28, 2009 at 08:29 AM]

It would make more sense to have a hard drive for the 720p movies

[Adam Maas on May 28, 2009 at 12:52 PM]

@John Sturgeon: I doubt Jeremy's a troll. The Zune was never all that great, which is why sales were mediocre. It's only major feature of interest is the integration with the XBox, but since ITMS purchases aren't supported the music integration of the XBox and Zune is of little value on the market (ITMS remains the 800lb gorilla of online music sales).

The best music player remains the iPod Classic, it's got a clean, obvious UI without the extra cruft the Touch/iPhone added.

Frankly, I do't much see the attraction of the Zune HD. Then again I don't see any real-world advantages to the iPod Touch either. Both move away from what music players should do well to add video features in a form factor that will never be well suited to video due to screen size restrictions.

[rob sama on May 28, 2009 at 01:00 PM]

VAPORWARE, bro.

[SCSIwuzzy on May 28, 2009 at 01:26 PM]

HD FM may be nice, but why oh why can't someone make an mp3 player with AM? I'd love to be able to listen to the Phillies and college ball games without having to carry a radio and an mp3 player in my bag.
I carry the mp3 player so I don't have to listen to stale pop-radio, but the radio to listen to sports that are not on FM.

[Roger on May 28, 2009 at 02:38 PM]

@ Jeremy

Talk about monopolies. What is the ITMS?

The second generation of Zunes and the latest version of their software and marketplace are far from kludgy and clunky. The software trounces the iTunes sofware. It's clean, uncluttered and works very well. The hardware is a great video,music, podcast and audiobook device that is easy to navigate and maintain collections on and unlike the iPod Touch it can be easily navigated without pulling it out of your pocket or bag.

I agree that the Zune has a pitifully low market share but the best product doesn't always win. Apple has been criticised for years for having mediocre sound in their devices, a monstrously cluttered iTunes sofware, high prices and a 'my way or the highway' attitude. The reality distortion field has been in full effect for years and Apple has the momentum but their products are by no means the best, they're just the ones that caught on.

I blame the low market share of the Zune on Microsoft's poor marketing of it and the sheep mentality and undiscerning nature of the average comsumer.

People who give the Zune an unbiased chance come to really like it. It's not the best at everything but it's pretty good.

[Mister Snitch on May 28, 2009 at 03:13 PM]

Day late, dolla short, 'me-too'.

[AtomicTaco on May 28, 2009 at 03:44 PM]

I have a Zune 30 GB and an IPod Video 40 GB. I use the Zune much more than the IPod since I prefer the Zune software as well as the Zune Pass, which now lets me download 10 DRM-Free tracks per month as part of the subscription.

I mostly listen to music, though I do enjoy the radio feature of the Zune for when I crave talk radio or just to listen to something different than my music library. Video features of both players are used when travelling, though I prefer the Zune's better support for wider aspect ratio video formats.

I do use the IPod in the car or when connecting to my home stereo since both have much better built-in support for the IPod.

In short, I guess I'll be one of the 5 people excited to get a Zune HD when it comes out.

[Ryan on May 29, 2009 at 06:55 AM]

This hardcore Mac guy (my wife and I own a Mac mini, an iMac and three iPods) thinks Microsoft is definitely pointing the Zune in the right direction. Rather than compete on the iPod's strengths and lose badly, they're positioning the Zune as the anti-iPod. Leveraging the popularity of the Xbox is an no-brainer, and the addition of HD Radio is a very good move. I still think Microsoft is abysmally stupid for not making the Windows Media Player the Zune's interface, so for that reason alone the Zune won't get as much traction as it might. But for people who are tethered to the Windows platform, acquiring a Zune HD could make life a bit more bearable.

[discount moncler down jacket onlines sales on February 26, 2010 at 10:54 PM]

I was very pleased to find this site.I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it and I have ed hardy clothing you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post.