Will Zune do Windows Mobile? Looks likely
There is a ton of rumors flying around right now saying that Microsoft simply can bring Zune-ified competitor to the iPhone at CES next month. There are also those who call that ridiculous notion. I happen to a certain extent, to agree with both sides.
You can not see it at CES, but a new mobile phone initiative is brewing in Microsoft right now, and the Zune team is.
I live in Seattle. I run with the Microsoft / Amazon / Real / Regardless of the terms of geeks in the area. Unfortunately, because I am a journalist technology, which means that when I run into them at parties they are often forced to clam-up. I was, however, fortunate to have a sneak peek at a prototype Zune more than two years ago who knew that it would look like or do. I was also fortunate enough to snap shot him with my Treo. This was the first public photo of the device. It was black and wrapped in their own headphones, you can remember it. You can say that I broke Zune. Thus, I love the Zune. I pay close attention to the fact that the Zune team are doing. I listen to Zune rumors. I have the ear to the ground Zune.
And I can tell you this: There will be mobile communication devices with Zune-like features in the near future.
I’m not sure if Microsoft will call it “Zune phone” (unlikely) or if it is simply a device that communicates with excellent Zune-store (probably), or combination of the two. I would even expect something like “Windows Mobile, now with the Zune!” or something to that effect.
I can also tell you this: Members of the group Zune has been talking with the Windows Mobile team. According to several sources, here in Seattle, some members of Zune interface team will go to the Windows Mobile team.
It is, of course, does not necessarily mean that a Zune phone - in fact, Zune interface is far superior to Windows Mobile interface, so it makes sense for Microsoft to take any work to do, do not work better - but in reality, Microsoft is indeed do something against the iPhone. The current crop of Windows Mobile devices just do not cut it more, regardless of how you dress them. Windows 98 was cool for its time, but now it looks old and outdated. This is the last gen user interface, and it shows. WinMo user interface is stuck in an object-oriented world of Windows 98.
Currently, HTC has done a very good job of putting decent candy coating on top of mobile OS interface TouchFLO, but it is still rather on than the iPhone interface as handles. This is not the fault of HTC, they can only do so much so that OS.
Microsoft itself has made a number of quite a lot of work to ensure the Next-Gen UI as Zune and its surface of the device, so it would make sense to take advantage of this technology, put it in his pocket, and connect it to their music service.
And if Microsoft can reduce some of the functionality behind the surface - an object-raising and scanning technology - the phone, he could eclipse iPhone. And that’s not all about the interface; Indeed, Microsoft put together a large network of services through MSN, Zune, and its initiative Live. Achieving these truly mobile can actually finish the heat from Apple.
Microsoft does not have a great track record for portable devices to the Zune, but superficial and even the Xbox shows that when his consumer groups, let alone to do their own things they may be some amazing device.
We will not see something with this kind of a convergence of the CES, but I can promise you we will see that the rival iPhone from Microsoft in the very near future.
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Tags: iPhone, Microsoft, mobile phone, Mobile phones, rumors, Windows Mobile, Zune, Zune phone
