Microsoft allows bypassing MS Points for Zune

Microsoft as part of its Bing refresh has started allowing direct credit card purchases for music at the Zune Marketplace. The move, meant to simplify buying tracks directly from search results, lets customers skip buying the Microsoft Points that they had previously needed to get anything from the store. Prices are roughly on par with rivals.

The switch may be an important step for Microsoft, whose music store hasn't had traction since it launched alongside the Zune MP3 players. Its US market share has remained almost entirely in step with the share of the players it works with. Last year, the Zune Marketplace had 2.6 percent of digital music sales in the country where Apple's iTunes had 69 percent, a situation which was exacerbated this year as iTunes grew slightly while Amazon MP3 largely took share from smaller competitors. Some of Microsoft's sluggishness has come from the complexity of its store, as the need to buy points not only adds an extra step but has been accused of masking the real cost of music.

Microsoft's chief advantage has been the ability to use points for Xbox Live in addition to the Zune's store, though neither service has been tightly integrated. Zune music will finally be reaching the Xbox 360 through a Dashboard update later this year that supports unlimited Zune Pass streaming. [via paidContent]

By Electronista Staff