Microsoft to offer Zune with engraved designs by contemporary artists

Apple made engraving popular with their iPod range of digital media players. Microsoft has bigger plans for this personalization feature as they are going to sell Zune with optional engraved designs by 18 artists.

These artists include illustrators Catalina Estrada of Spain, Skwak of France and Nobumasa Takahashi of Japan.

These designs would be prominent enough to take up most of the metallic back surface of the players.

Apple on the other hand provide simpler services like engraving some text on the back of the iPods.

Microsoft representative Chris Stephenson spoke on this service: “We looked at how homogenized the category looked, everybody has the same sort of player, the same white earphones. We knew there was something interesting here that would allow us to have a slightly different position in the marketplace.”

This service would be provided for free to customers buying new Zunes.