More Zune Phone Details Emerge

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://crunchgear.com/2007/02/01/source-microsoft-zune-phone-in-the-works/' target='_blank'>http://crunchgear.com/2007/02/01/source-microsoft-zune-phone-in-the-works/</a><br /><br /></div><em>&quot;It will be a smartphone that works homogeneously with the Zune marketplace. It will most likely not, however, run Windows Mobile. Rather it&rsquo;ll make use of an interface similar to the current Zune, an interface that I consider among the best available on audio players&mdash;I&rsquo;m sure it can transition to a phone easily. Connectivity is the major concern of the device. It is said that it will be able to sync with the Xbox 360 and stream video from the system to the phone via a wireless data connection. This would be pivotal in Microsoft&rsquo;s proliferation of its media ambitions. Not only does it already have millions of 360s in homes capable of downloading movies, it&rsquo;d be able to distribute those videos directly to its phones. Cool stuff.&quot;</em><br /><br />More rumours and speculation, but it's more to go on than the previous comment of &quot;Yeah, we'll do a phone.&quot; Nothing in the rumours surprises me except the part of about it not being a Windows Mobile phone. Microsoft has invested a great deal of R&amp;D into Windows Mobile, and it's a great platform for communications devices. What I think will happen instead is that the Zune phone won't be a Windows Mobile branded phone, but it will have the same software at its guts as a Windows Mobile Smartphone like the Motorola Q. There's just too much good stuff there to not take advantage of - and given the rushed time frame of the Zune, I think (hope) the Zune team realizes they don't have time to invent this from scratch and have it be a great product. I'll be honest though: based on what I've seen of the iPhone, and based on what we were given with the Zune, I'm not terribly confident that the Zune phone will be a great product right out of the gate. Perhaps I'm wrong - perhaps lessons have been gained from the Zune launch and the end of 2007 is enough of a time frame to deliver a great phone product. What do you think? How well will Microsoft execute on the Zune phone?

[grommet]

It seems that Microsoft is hinting that this "sound information" is BS: http://zuneinsider.com/archive/2007/02/01/the-official-word-on-a-zune-phone.aspx

[Sage]

Whether the rumour is true or not, I think Microsoft would be wise not to use Windows Mobile for their Zune phone.

Whilst Windows Mobile is great for enterprise and more technically minded users, it's a complex piece of software that some might find difficult to use and slow. WMP for Windows Mobile is a perfect example - it's really unintuitive and I'm sure most people use alternate music software.

I also hope that the Zune phone is priced at a more mainstream level than the iPhone. $500 for a phone is too much money.

[Aaron Roma]

Hopefully the Zune team can and does at least use some of the experience garnered from MS being the SmartPhone / PocketPC Phone arena for a while now.

[Phillip Dyson]

Whether the rumour is true or not, I think Microsoft would be wise not to use Windows Mobile for their Zune phone.

Whilst Windows Mobile is great for enterprise and more technically minded users, it's a complex piece of software that some might find difficult to use and slow. WMP for Windows Mobile is a perfect example - it's really unintuitive and I'm sure most people use alternate music software.


Windows Mobile has always sought to be the jack of all trades. But it could be customized to concentrate on one facet. Like entertainment.

Personally I think the two platforms will eventually converge. If for no other reason than its easier to maintain one OS. Here's hoping sooner rather than later.

Of course one day they will ALL be one.

[Jason Dunn]

Whether the rumour is true or not, I think Microsoft would be wise not to use Windows Mobile for their Zune phone. Whilst Windows Mobile is great for enterprise and more technically minded users, it's a complex piece of software that some might find difficult to use and slow.

In re-reading my original post, I realize that I left out a very important point: I meant to explain that Windows Mobile should be the underlying "guts" of the Zune Phone, but the phone itself would have a Zune visual experience to do - because you're right, Windows Mobile is too complex for the mainstream public right now. But imagine the Zune UI on top of Windows Mobile, and you begin to see what I'm thinking of. ;)