The Vergecast Version History: Zune
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Nov 2, 2025 
Nilay Patel, a technology journalist known for his insights on product design, and Victoria Song, a Verge contributor with a passion for consumer tech, dive into the intriguing history of Microsoft's Zune. They discuss how the Zune boasted unique features like Wi-Fi and music sharing, but ultimately faltered in the market. Listeners will enjoy tales of personal experiences with the device, its ambitious ecosystem strategy, and even the infamous leap-year bug. Patel and Song also ponder what could have been if the Zune were reimagined today.
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Big Ecosystem Ambition
- Microsoft tried to build an integrated entertainment ecosystem called Zune that tied hardware, software, and services together.
- The ambition mirrored Apple's eventual ecosystem but Microsoft lacked product execution to realize it.
eBay Brown Zune Discovery
- David bought a brown Zune on eBay and found many playlists still on it, revealing previous owner's taste.
- He described playlists like "Christian Songs" and "Zune Gems," showing the device's persistent personal traces.
Interface Overlooked Proven UX
- The Zune tried to replace the iPod's click wheel with a touchy circular swipe control, which felt slower and worse in practice.
- Interface choices that ignore proven UX (click wheel) create major friction even if visually distinct.