Ballmer: Zune Phone is the Target

Microsoft Corp. plans to add a video-sharing feature to its Zune player and will eventually sell a model that combines the device with a phone, Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer said.
The video function would probably be used to transfer content created by Zune customers, Ballmer said in an interview today from Redmond, Washington. He declined to comment on when Microsoft, the world's largest software maker, would add video sharing or announce a phone model.

That is good news! Isn’t it? I just hope that the “future proof” aspect of the Zune will be a reality and our version 1.0 Zune players will be updateable.

Ballmer added:
“It would be easier to combine phone features into a device that just plays music. The current Zune's three- inch video screen would make a phone larger than many customers want.”

So if we understand correctly: First we should have a smaller Zune (probably with a solid state disk), and then we are going to have the Zune phone based on that platform. But how long? If it takes as much time as Apple to come out with an iPhone, we can wait a few years!

via Bloomberg

Comments

[Gene]

Even if AAPL comes out with an iPhone, it won't matter. MSFT is in this for the duration, and will not give up until the entire iPod franchise goes the way of the Roman Empire. And since the ZunePhone will likely sync with Xbox for gaming, AAPL is going to have a serious problems down the road.

Gene from ZuneChannel.com

[Yellow]

Yeah and too bad it sucks.

Why abbreviate Apple for? Freak.