Microsoft Zune to sell at $250 with monthly subs at $15

[Bob Crabtree]

Microsoft's iPod competitor, the Zune, will sell at $250 when it comes available in the USA on November 14 in time for the Thanksgiving holidays.

Individual music tracks will cost 79 Microsoft Points (there's 80 points to a dollar) and a monthly subscription - a Zune Pass - with unlimited download rights, will cost $14.99 per month.

Full details in this HEXUS.lifestyle.headline.

[autopilot]

Pushing the subscription model from day zero will be a killer move for MS IMO, and i think thats what will knock a good chuck out of iTunes if anything. Many people i have spoken to really like the idea - it's much better than paying to download crap quailty tracks with limited use anyway. I am suprised Apple never really bothered that much, or have they?

This whole points system thing is pointless and it will just confuse people. I think it could actualy work against them. All they are trying to do is trick people into thinking stuffs cheaper at the end of the day.

[Lakeuk]

This whole points system thing is pointless and it will just confuse people. I think it could actualy work against them. All they are trying to do is trick people into thinking stuffs cheaper at the end of the day.

I can see MS using it to make more money by periodically changing the exchange rate.

80 MS points = $1

change it to
80 MS points = $1.10 (10% increase/profit)

[charleski]

I think they'll run into trouble if they alter the exchange rate. The points system is a tie-in to the xbox and makes them $$$ simply because people will always have excess points in their account, so they won't want to jeopardise it. Luckily you don't need to bother with the points if you don't want to.