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Search on AmazonWhat Happened to Zune? ⚠️ Scandal
⚠️ Fate: Discontinued
Microsoft’s iPod-era rival with Wi-Fi sharing and the Zune Pass subscription.
Zune was Microsoft’s end-to-end music platform—portable players, the Zune desktop app, Marketplace, and the Zune Pass subscription. It introduced Wi-Fi track sharing and a distinctive, typography-forward UI. Later, the Zune HD earned strong reviews, but the iPod/iTunes lead and the rapid move to smartphones limited adoption. Hardware and brand were sunset by 2012, and services were folded into Xbox/Groove before being retired.
Timeline
- 2006
Zune 30 launches with Wi-Fi sharing and Zune Marketplace.
- 2007
Second-gen HDD (80/120) and flash models (4/8/16) ship; Zune Pass subscription gains attention.
- 2009
Zune HD debuts with OLED display and refined touch UI.
- 2011
Zune hardware/brand discontinued; services transition toward Xbox Music (later Groove).
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