Effective November 14, Microsoft will redirect its music purchasing customers to the new Zune Marketplace to buy songs.

When it opened up in September 2004, MSN Music had a target focused squarely on Apple’s back.  It hoped the fact that its music could be played on a variety of Windows Media compatible devices would give it an edge.  But its lack of iPod supoort doomed it.

With Zune, Microsoft is battling back against the giant that Apple has created in the iPod and iTunes.  But the iPod owns 80% of the market.  Moreover, this move has upset Microsoft’s longtime partners who built mp3 players and services based on Microsoft’s technology.  Microsoft is going way out on a limb here.  They are alienating their partners ang going head to head against the clearly established market leader.  Apple is the underdog.  Apple is style, elan, elegance, panache.  Microsoft doesn’t carry the same reputation.  They are the bully.  Will the public buy from the bully?

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