Why is there no Zune software for Windows Mobile?

[onlydarksets]

The beauty of the iPod family of products (iPod, iPhone, AppleTV, iTunes) is that you purchase a song once, and it plays everywhere. Microsoft was almost there, until it introduced the Zune, which, unfortunately, is one of the few legitimate contenders to the ease-of-use of the iPod.

With the Zune, MS created a wall between it's MP3 players and the rest of it's offerings (WM, WMC Extenders, WMC, WMP). My question is, why hasn't MS created client software that lets the Zune desktop software sync to Windows Mobile? I would buy a Zune in a heartbeat if I could carry my music on both my phone and my Zune. However, I purchase songs from PlaysForSure-compatible Yahoo for my phone, so I don't want to repurchase it for a Zune.

Has this been asked before? I searched for "Windows Mobile" in Zune Thoughts and didn't find anything. This seems like a great way to add more users to the service who are on the fence right now.

[Mike Temporale]

Since I'm not in the US, I can't really use the Zune Market place. So I'm not really missing anything. At least, nothing that I know about anyway. ;)

[onlydarksets]

Now I'm confused. I found this post (http://www.zunescene.mobi/forums/index.php?topic=5285.0) suggesting that you can sync Zune subscription music (ZunePass?) to WM. Is this true?

Thanks!

[onlydarksets]

OK, I found another (more recent) post indicating that this you can transfer Zune DRM'd music (of any sort) to a Windows Mobile device.
http://zunerama.com/forum/index.php?topic=8191.msg71488#msg71488

Looks like I'm Zune-bound!

Still, I'd like to see the Zune client available on the WM Pro platform. I know they would undercut their Zune 4/8 market a little, but it seems like it would get more people into ZunePass, and, hopefully, into another Zune device (removing some barriers since the UI would be the same).

[Jason Dunn]

Yup, the Zune DRM is compatible with Windows Mobile...I think it's more of an accident than anything else, but it's essentially a loophole they haven't closed yet.

[onlydarksets]

The research I've done says it's basically PlaysForSure+ (i.e., MS added some Zune-specific stuff, which is what prevents the Zune from using PFS). So, as long as the "+" part doesn't require a Zune to decode, it should continue to work.

(fingers crossed - I bought a Zune this morning)

[Jason Dunn]

(fingers crossed - I bought a Zune this morning)

Well then, I look forward to seeing you over at Zune Thoughts. :D

[onlydarksets]

Looks like Zune software for WM is coming! Check out the middle screenshot.

http://static.zooomr.com/images/4073006_44f60b3741.jpg
http://microsoft.blognewschannel.com/archives/2008/01/06/exclusive-windows-mobile-7-to-focus-on-touch-and-motion-gestures/

[Jason Dunn]

Looks like Zune software for WM is coming! Check out the middle screenshot.

Nah, that document that was leaked was really, really early thinking about what's possible with Windows Mobile 7 - not what's actually going to happen...