Zune Digital Coffee Table Book

I’m a software developer from the UK and anyone who know or meets me knows I’m keen on anything Microsoft, I’ve made sure to get every Xbox console including the hard-to-get Xbox Series X, but when I heard about Zune back in 2006, I knew I wanted one! Although Zune was never officially released in the UK, I managed to get a Zune 80GB, they would be a rare sight in North America – but even more so here in the UK! I took mine to events and met someone else there with one from Microsoft and told them how to get the most out of having one in the UK. A few years later in 2009, I heard about the Zune HD and was able to get one thanks to a kind person from California who was able to buy a Red Zune HD from Zune Originals and despite the import tax and duty driving up the price I loved it and still use it from time-to-time!

In 2010, Windows Phone was announced with Zune services being a key feature, but one that was not made available was the Zune Cards, part of Zune Social where you could share what you were listening to. I decided to create ZuneCardr which brought Zune Cards to Windows Phone and even allowed users to listen to full music tracks with their Zune Pass. As it turned out Microsoft never brought Zune Cards to Windows Phone, so my app ended up being the only one offering this functionality, gaining over 333,000 downloads!

I also ran a website that covered a variety of topics such as programming but also Zune, it featured press releases, information and images – many of which are used in the book, gathered from Microsoft sources. I also attended an event in London when I asked Steve Ballmer, then CEO of Microsoft, if the Zune was ever coming to the UK and he replied “No” and added “It’s all about the Phone now”, this was the first time Microsoft had confirmed this but also signalled the beginning of the end of Zune as a device, as the Zune hardware ended a few years later. Zune lived on for a while as the digital entertainment brand for Xbox and Windows Phone, but this ended too becoming Xbox Music and later Groove Music before itself closed and ended a decade of music services from Microsoft.

Today there’s a community of Zune owners, including myself, who share their passion for the device, many have rare, limited-edition devices, accessories and other Zune related paraphernalia. I have a collection of assets that I am sharing in hopefully a new and interesting ways along with photos and collections of those in the community. I hope this book not only brings delight to those who already count themselves part of the Zune community but also to allow people to discover Zune for the first time from this digital coffee table book.

Peter Bull