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United to Offer Microsoft's Zune Audio on Flights

Jun. 3, 2010 Paul Thurrott | Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows

Microsoft takes another step in positioning Zune as a service:

AP: United Airlines said Thursday it has equipped all of its planes with Microsoft Corp.'s Zune digital audio service.

The airline said passengers can listen to up to 21 different playlists programmed by Zune, from classic rock to classical music and soundtracks.

Airlines are busy adding diversions to keep passengers entertained and, in the case of wireless Internet access, make more money. Southwest and other carriers are experimenting with charges to see how much passengers will pay to surf the Web or read e-mail at 30,000 feet.

Nothing yet from Microsoft, but that's an interesting way to get the Zune brand out there, I guess.

Thanks to Tim S. for the heads-up!

Discuss this Article 6

Interframe
on Jun 3, 2010

Well, when you think about, it isn't all hopeless for the Zune brand. Zune is a large part of the Windows Phone 7 OS, and tens of millions of Windows Phone 7 devices will ship in the future and that number will increase.

Some day in the far future, Microsoft may be able to ship 100 million Windows Phone devices a year, as it did with the PC industry. So when looked at it that way, the Zune`s future is actually bright.

james3mg
on Jun 3, 2010

I use and love Zune, and I don't even understand this one- unless they give each passenger some kind of interface to select their music, or skip songs, or create their own playlists, how is this any different than just having a dial with 21 "stations" to choose from?

Except presumably this would have short ad "plugs" so that the listeners would know they're listening to Zune.  

If you're just offering a number of pre-mixed "genre" stations, any service could do this- even manually.  There's nothing to distinguish one service from another unless it's customizable by the listener- they'll all play songs after all!  Therefore, no reason to think that it will leave a favorable impression in the listener's minds.

chipwinter
on Jun 3, 2010

This could be more of a marketing coup for Zune than the free wi-fi at McDonald's partnership.

lotsamystuff
on Jun 3, 2010

Is this part of their "cloud" strategy?

rr0de74@live.com
on Jun 4, 2010

I wish the Zune software worked with other devices, its so dam nice, especially compared to iTunes.

Waethorn
on Jun 4, 2010

Still no Zune Marketplace outside of the US (except for movies on an Xbox 360)....

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