Zune

Zune is a discontinued line of digital media products and services marketed by Microsoft from November of 2006 until its discontinuation in June of 2012. Zune consisted of a line of portable media players, digital media player software for Windows PCs, a music subscription service known as a "Zune Music Pass", music and video streaming services for the Xbox 360 game console via the Zune Software, music, TV and movie sales, and desktop sync software for Windows Phone. Zune was also the provider of music streaming for United Airlines in-flight, after a partnership in 2010. The Zune hardware players were discontinued in October of 2011. In June of 2012, Microsoft announced plans to discontinue all "Zune" products, and instead, Microsoft would distribute its digital media content and services under the Xbox Music and Xbox Video names, available on their line of products, including Windows 8 PCs and tablets, Xbox 360 game console, and Windows Phone smart phones. The www.zune.netdomain now redirects to Xbox's website, but the software retained the Zune name. The Windows Phone App succeeded Zune Software as the desktop sync service for Windows Phone 8, as part of Microsoft's discontinuation of the Zune brand. However, Zune Software must still be used for Windows Phone 7 desktop sync, and is still available to download from the Windows Phone website for all Windows Phone 7 devices. In November 2015, Microsoft retired the Zune music download and streaming service. Remaining Zune subscribers were switched over to Microsoft's Groove Musi c platform, whose subscription services closed on December 31, 2017.