New Zune is great but is it already too late?

Looks like Microsoft has fine tuned the latest Zune (review) offering and has produced a great mp3 player, but is it too late? The MP3 war is over. Apple and SanDisk have been battling for mp3 device dominance for awhile now. The Zune got into the game late but made very little splash. iPods are everywhere. The Zune may be a great device but consumers have already made too many ties to their beloved iPods.

Switching to a Zune would involve buying new accessories (case, car FM tuner, docking station etc), and adjusting to new software to upload music and buy music (itunes has firmly encompassed this market). Also consider your existing library. Are you going to be able to transfer those downloaded tunes?

Apple has put its roots into most consumers and supplanting them is almost impossible. Apple had the right idea. Get your device on the market and into everyone’s hands. Once everyone has it you can be almost guaranteed a revenue stream for life. Just take a look at their plans for the iPhone. Make your product the norm and then count your money.

So yes, it’s too late Microsoft. Nice product but a few years too late.