Hang on to your Microsoft Zunes and get ready to sell them to vintage gadget collectors in about ten years. Microsoft just announced that they would stop producing Zune media players and will no longer be releasing new Zunes. It’s sad, but the news doesn’t really come as a surprise. Despite getting significant software upgrades, the device’s hardware remained the same since the Zune HD was released mid-2009. And unlike the iPod Touch, which was clearly marketed as the iPhone minus the phone, the Zune was billed as a music device, but it also had apps, cloud storage, is available in Windows Phone 7, etc. The device’s interface and design was definitely original, but it wasn’t enough to pose a serious threat against the iPod.
Although the device will be gone, the Zune service will continue to live on in Windows Phone 7 devices, including the one for Nokia. So don’t delete your accounts just yet.