Tuesday, 19 September 2006

Microsoft Zune Phone Coming Soon!

Microsoft has announced that a Zune-branded phone is part of its upcoming Zune platform. Chris Stephenson, the general manager for marketing for the Zune, didn’t give any other details on the device…

Microsoft’s seems to be thinking along the lines of Apple’s iPhone, a sort of iPod/mobile hybrid that will let you make calls from a Zune before too long. Microsoft unveiled the Zune portable media player a few days ago and it will be on sale in the United States this holiday shopping season. Chris Stephenson, general manager of global marketing for Zune let the cat out of the bag when he said that, “a Zune phone is definitely part of the future of this brand." He also added that it’d chase Apple on the movie front, saying, "it's an important part of this product going forward," and pledging to rope studios into showing their films on the handheld."We're definitely talking to the studios about video. We recognise that it's an important part of this product going forward," said Stephenson.

Stephenson did not elaborate as to what type of features this device would offer or exactly when it would be available, although access to the Zune Marketplace/music store seems like an obvious extrapolation.

Microsoft, unlike Apple, is rather open about its plans to invade into the Apple-dominated digital music player territory. Apple's CFO Peter Oppenheimer said,” We don't think the phones that are available today make the best music players. We think the iPod is. But over time that's likely to change, and we aren't sitting around doing nothing."

Analysts speculate that the Zune phone will be able to wirelessly share limited music selections with other users either via WiFi or possibly Bluetooth. Users will probably also be able to purchase music to download directly from the phone as can be done on the Motorola ROKR and expected from the Apple phone. What is unclear is whether the phones will support video downloads or viewing. Rumour has it that the Apple phone is ready for production already.

The most recent iPhone rumours place Apple introducing the device at MacWorld in San Francisco next January. Supposedly it'll have a 2.2-inch display with all of the regular iPod features, including complete iTunes integration, and no 100-song limit that plagued iTunes-compatible Motorola ROKR.

Some believe that whenever Microsoft comes out with its Zune phone, it is likely that it'll be after Apple introduces its iPhone. So the question doing the rounds is, Will Microsoft beat Apple with the all-in-one, digital-music-playing phone? The rat race between Apple and Microsoft to gain maximum market share continues. Is Microsoft invading unchartered territory or will it make an impression in the market. We will have to wait and see with time’s vantage point.