McDonald’s and Microsoft are teaming up to enable Zune users to download music over a free Wi-Fi connection.
McDonald’s will make the internet service freely available in 9,800 of its U.S. locations, courtesy of Wi-Fi provider Wayport. Microsoft announced the partnership simultaneously with the release of a major software update for Zune, allowing users to wirelessly stream, download, tag and purchase songs through Zune Marketplace, Microsoft’s online music store.
The Zune Pass is a monthly music subscription service that lets you listen to everything. It costs $14.99/month. The partnership with McDonald’s appears to copy Apple’s deal with Starbucks in 2007, offering free Wi-Fi for iPod touch users to connect to the iTunes Store.
The new Zunes start at $149 for the 8GB model. Other devices with free Wi-Fi access under the Golden Arches are the Sony Mylo COM-2 and Zipit Wireless Messenger Z2. Wayport provides hot-spot service at over 10,000 locations.
Microsoft, with 2 million Zune users, is chasing Apple which has over 160 million iPods users. Apple has demonstrated the power of an open extensible platform, with 100 million application downloads in 60 days.
AT&T offers free Wi-Fi at Starbucks if you subscribe to their DSL or U-verse service. No ordering required, Simply use your AT&T high-speed Internet membership ID and password at any AT&T Wi-Fi Basic hot spot.
Glenn Fleishman once said; Free Wi-Fi from Starbucks? Ha! Ain’t. Gunna. Happen.
