Microsoft Closing Down Windows Live and Zune Brands

[btarunr]

Microsoft is reportedly killing off two of its service brands, Windows Live and Zune. The two will be restructured and amalgamated with Windows 8 and its store. Windows Live has been a collection of optional services bound to the MSN/Live ID for Windows 7 that provides communication (Windows Live Messenger), calendar/planner (Windows Live Calendar), contacts, photo-organizer; Zune Music and Video player join them on the chopping block. These services will be instead come to be known as:

• Microsoft Account (Windows Live ID)
• Mail (Windows Live Mail)
• Calendar (Windows Live Calendar)
• People (Windows Live Contacts)
• Photos (Windows Live Photo Gallery)
• Music (Zune Music Player)
• Video (Zune Video Player)

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[Bjorn_Of_Iceland]

Will this affect GFWL account as well (Im assuming yes, since thats a Live ID?)

 

[v12dock]

Will this affect GFWL account as well (Im assuming yes, since thats a Live ID?)

I am sure there will be a migration process

 

[FordGT90Concept]

• Microsoft Account (Windows Live ID)
• Mail (Windows Live Mail)
• Calendar (Windows Live Calendar)
• People (Windows Live Contacts)
• Photos (Windows Live Photo Gallery)
• Music (Zune Music Player)
• Video (Zune Video Player)

Also known as "what comes standard on Windows Phone 7." It is becoming more and more abundantly clear that Windows 8's goal is to merge desktop, laptop, tablet, and phone OS into one. I smell a disaster approaching.

Will this affect GFWL account as well (Im assuming yes, since thats a Live ID?)

At first, I thought yes. Then I thought about it and concluded no. GFWL is more than just a name--it is a certification/branding program. If anything GFWL in Windows 8 might be renamed to Xbox Live or something: same service, different name. Windows Phone 7 more or less does this and all the above changes pretty much mirror Windows Phone 7.

 

[Deleted member 3]

Windows Phone without Zune? That would be nice.

 

[xenocide]

It's a shame the Zune platform failed. I have had 2 Zune devices (120GB Zune and 32GB Zune HD) and both were amazing. I love my Zune HD, and use it as a dedicated music device quite often (mostly in my GF's car since mine lacks Aux). Definitely still think the Zune Software is one of the best music players on the market. The way it organizes things is incredible, along with the built in album finder for renaming whole albums with butchered ID3 tags with ease. Such a shame.

 

[thematrix606]

I smell a disaster approaching.

Why is that? Is that because desktops might have an overly 'mobile' feeling to them? Which will most likely change after the open beta comments are in

Bring it on MS, we're ready.

 

[Red_Machine]

I see no mention of what Windows Live Messenger will be changed to. It's the only MS service I use.

 

[Bundy]

Also known as "what comes standard on Windows Phone 7." It is becoming more and more abundantly clear that Windows 8's goal is to merge desktop, laptop, tablet, and phone OS into one. I smell a disaster approaching.



At first, I thought yes. Then I thought about it and concluded no. GFWL is more more than just a name--it is a certification/branding program. If anything GFWL in Windows 8 might be renamed to Xbox Live or something: same service, different name. Windows Phone 7 more or less does this and all the above changes pretty much mirror Windows Phone 7.

Oh it will of course be a success as always.

Microsoft Account (previously Microsoft Wallet[1], Microsoft Passport[2], .NET Passport, Microsoft Passport Network, and most recently Windows Live ID)

Source wikipedia

 

[BarbaricSoul]

Personally, I'm quite happy with 7 and dont really have any desire to even try out 8 from what I've seen of it so far. So what's going to happen with these services and people like me who don't upgrade to 8?

 

[Red_Machine]

We will all die a slow and painful death due to lack of support.

 

[TheMailMan78]

Also known as "what comes standard on Windows Phone 7." It is becoming more and more abundantly clear that Windows 8's goal is to merge desktop, laptop, tablet, and phone OS into one. I smell a disaster approaching.

Yeah because OSX is a real failure.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Why is that? Is that because desktops might have an overly 'mobile' feeling to them? Which will most likely change after the open beta comments are in

Bring it on MS, we're ready.

Metro sucks for any platform that doesn't have a touch screen and beyond that, what changed that is going to pull people away from Windows 7? Windows 8 is a minor update (6.2) to Windows 7 (6.1) which was a minor update of Windows Vista (6.0). The same as Windows XP Professional x64 Edition (5.2) being a minor update of Windows XP (5.1) which is a minor update to Windows 2000 (5.0).

I see no mention of what Windows Live Messenger will be changed to. It's the only MS service I use.

Probably "People." That's where social networking appears under on Windows Phone 7.

Oh it will of course be a success as always.

Windows XP Edition x64 Edition wasn't a "success" nor was Windows Vista.

Yeah because OSX is a real failure.

OS X on desktops is largely a failure (especially considering the sales numbers). iOS was a success due to the iPhone. iOS and OS X are not intechangable like Microsoft sounds like they are trying to achieve with Windows 8.



Windows 8, too me, feels like a last ditch effort by Microsoft to grow Windows Phone market share. Microsoft wants people to buy a new computer with Windows 8, get used to the Metro interface, go to a Verizon/T-Mobile/AT&T/US Celluar/Virgin Mobile/etc. dealer, see the same Metro interface on Windows Phone, and say "I want that one."

 

[[H]@RD5TUFF]

Well thats depressing.

 

[w3b]

Win 7 knockin'

What will happen to Windows Live Mail for Win 7 users?