Microsoft Ads Mess with Fuzzy Zune HD Feelings

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Yesterday Microsoft launched the long-awaited . By all reports, this is a pretty nice device with a large 3.3 inch OLED screen with HD video and HD radio playback. As a media player, it offers access to a limited App Store and a very nice $15 all-you-can-eat monthly music subscription service. It looks like Microsoft put a lot of thought into the design, and at the very least, I wanted to get my hands on one at Best Buy and take it for a spin. Yet in spite of these unusually fuzzy feelings for a Microsoft product, our friends in Redmond found a way to undermine them. Ars Technica reports that Microsoft has chosen to run pre-roll ads prior to launching its handful of free apps. Seriously Microsoft? Ads? Really?! What are these people thinking?

Zune Hasn't Been the Biggest Success

If you've followed Microsoft's foray into the MP3 player market, the results to this point haven't been pretty (as I wrote in my most popular post ever: Zune and iPod: The Tale of Two MP3 Players), but the Zune HD with its sexy redesign has some serious potential. It's reasonably priced and according to this review from CNET provides a very nice user experience. I found the original Zunes to be clunky looking, but this one looks sleek and cool like somebody would really want to own one.

Do You Need a Few Extra Bucks?

Given the time and thought, the company obviously put into this new product, the ads make little sense to me because people generally hate ads, and they really, really hate pre-roll ads. It's going to make people upset that Microsoft has chosen to roll an ad in exchange for a free app. I know, it's free, and maybe they *can* make some money here, but the question is *should* they? I don't think so. Last I heard, even with this economy, Microsoft was a cash-rich company. Don't forget tat one point.

I really don't think they have to nickel and dime their customers in this instance for a few bucks in ad revenue. It undermines the company's credibility (yet again) and there's no good reason to do it. Do they have a right to do it? Absolutely. Is it smart? Not really.

Why Kill The Good Will?

I'm just one blogger. I'm sure there are people who don't give a rat's pattuti that Microsoft included the ads. In fact, I'm not Microsoft's target market, and I'm probably not going to buy a Zune HD no matter how nice it might be. I've already got an iPhone and I don't need another device to run apps or play media. I know that the ads probably won't be a deal killer for most people if they want this device, but they sure were a good buzz killer, and Microsoft needs all the positive vibes it can get right now.

Dani AI

Generated

raised a key point about platform first impressions: when a device inserts unavoidable advertising into the immediate app-launch flow it converts a showcase moment into an interruption. That tradeoff matters more for a newcomer trying to build goodwill than for an entrenched, ad-native service.

Why this hurts: blocking the primary task creates friction, raises perceived wait times, and often imprints a negative emotion on the hardware and brand. Short-term ad revenue can be outweighed by lower app retention, worse reviews, and reduced long-term platform adoption. For a device positioned on design and polish, monetization that undermines the core experience is a risky choice.

Practical alternatives a platform owner could use instead:

  • Offer an explicit ad-supported tier and a paid ad-free option for apps.
  • Place ads in store listings or non-blocking UI areas rather than before app launch.
  • Use reward-based video (opt-in) so users choose to watch in exchange for benefits.
  • Make video ads skippable after a few seconds and apply frequency capping.
  • Share clear revenue splits with developers so they have incentive to accept ads.
  • A/B test any ad placement and measure retention, session length, and app conversion.

Common user mitigations include choosing paid/ad-free app versions, checking app reviews for ad behavior, and watching for firmware or marketplace updates that change ad policies. In short: ads are not inherently bad, but aggressive, mandatory pre-rolls are a poor fit for hardware-first product launches and tend to damage trust more than they help revenue.

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