If you are lucky, you may get a brand new iPod Touch, modelled on the iPhone, in your Christmas stocking this year. What you won’t get however, is a new Zune - unless of course you are really lucky enough to know someone who is willing to travel all the way to America to buy you one.
Microsoft unveiled its new Zune music players in the US earlier this week, but still has no plans to bring it to our shores, even though Apple had models of its revamped iPod lineup, which includes the iPod Touch, in stock here moments after their recent worldwide release.
When questioned if a local Zune release was in the offing, a local Microsoft spokesperson said: ”There's nothing to announce locally at this time.„
This is rather disappointing. It’s not that there isn’t an army of self- and reviewer-proclaimed ”iPod slayers„ out there, it’s just that we don’t like feeling left out Down Under.
But, we are not alone - it appears the new Zunes are not being made available anywhere else in the world at this stage either.
So, how does Microsoft expect to tackle the iPod if it’s not prepared to go the whole hog and flood the market with Zunes?
In America, Microsoft has sold about 1.2 million Zune players since its debut 11 months ago, but in June Apple claimed it had sold 41.4 million iPods in the preceding nine months.
Clearly the Zune has lots of catching up to do, so why limit its release?
Admittedly, even if every New Zealander buys a Zune it still won’t a dent in the gap between it and the iPod.
However, Kiwis are reportedly early-adopters and like to try new things, like electric no 8 fencing wire, building flying machines and parallel imported, hacked iPhones.
So surely, we should be given a chance to Zune, soon...
