Well I was about to add an update to my previous post about the new update for the Zune Software when I realised there was actually quite a bit of functionality missing from my version of the Zune PC Software. I no longer had access to SmartDJ or signing in and artist images were longer pulled from Zune.net when pinned to Quickview.
Rather than think the Zune team had somehow managed to release a version of Zune that removed a huge amount of functionality I switched my locale to US, restarted the Zune software and lo and behold all those features were back.
Before the update it was possible to access everything in the Zune software, apart from Marketplace, when set to the UK locale but now it appears that is no longer possible.
Looking at the features that are no longer accessible officially when outside the US they all have a close link with the online Zune service, Zune.net, which does not provide music outside of the US, only Xbox videos. Obviously signing in to Zune.net links in with the service but so too does SmartDJ which will often list songs in a playlist from Zune.net, I just can’t play them, and then artists images pulled from the service.
It is therefore my belief that Microsoft are about the release the Zune PC Software to the world officially but without the Zune.net and Marketplace support. Like the Zune Marketplace on the Xbox this is probably a move to raise awareness of the brand before any full launch of the brand, hopefully, later this year.
Here you can see the differences between what I believe to be an international version and the US version.
UK locale or international version
US locale
Interestingly I can still sync my Zune 4GB when set to the UK locale so perhaps the software is being launched now internationally for a future Zune app for Windows Mobile which was promised to be released with the next version of Windows Mobile; 6.6 at Mobile World Congress?
I think it good that there is a more specific version of Zune for international users as it does show promise for some Zune Love for the world however I liked the SmartDJ feature and not having artist images makes the Quickview a lot less attractive. If you have the Zune PC Software already and like SmartDJ, artist images showing and being set to the UK locale you might not want to get the update.
Update: Long Zheng goes one further and find evidence for the “Zune Phone” in some of the files included in the update, go check it out.
