Responding to an NPD Group report that showed Zune’s share of the market dropping to 2 percent and fifth place after launching at 9 share, a Microsoft spokeswoman said the company expected more than 1 million Zunes to be sold by the end of June 2007. It’s the first forecast from Microsoft, which has avoided sales forecasts on Zune until now. From the Microsoft statement: “While this is expected, our focus is less on week over week numbers, and more on the incremental sales that are leading to overall growth of the category.” (Via Reuters) For context, Apple has sold more than 70 million iPods since November 2001; Apple sold 125,000 units in the first two months.
—More important for now, perhaps, the deadlines have started to arrive for refunded returns of devices acquired on or around the Nov. 14 launch. A lot of returns would suggest the device isn’t getting the kind of favorable word-of-mouth consumer buzz it needs. (I still haven’t been able to use mine with Zune Marketplace, which means Circuit City will be getting a return as soon as this roadtrip ends.)
Related: Zune’s Falling Fast on Sale Charts
—Microsoft Buys Weedshare’s Superdistribution & Rev-Share IP; Implementation in Zune?