Zune 2 + WM Smartphone = Zune 3
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates admits the Zune-1 was a a 6-month designed product, the hardware was borrowed from Toshiba Gigabeat and it was an absolute need to rush to market with its first product.
But this second round, Microsoft’s new lineup of Zune digital media players are designed by in-house team and Microsoft contracts Flextronics for the manufacturing. So far, industry analyst and Blogosphere welcome this announcement. (And Microsoft gain a little in PR (public relation) against Apple, regarding the retrofitting new features to old Zune for free)
“To build this product, we really needed to think about it end-to-end,” said Allard, who runs the Zune business. “It also brings with it cost advantages.” In some interviews, Allard also mentioned there will be no Zune phone on the horizon.
Beside few nice unique features such the download videos from Media Center capable versions of Vista; Sync over WiFi; H.624 Codec and Podcast support. Zune 2 does not offer earth-shattering features to really impose a real threat to Apple dominant position in the digital player space.
As Microsoft prepares for the next round (Zune 3), Microsoft will try to leap frog Apple if possible. This makes me think what will be beyond Zune 2. Here is my vision:
We can not forget on the other side of Microsoft, there is a well oiled development group called the Windows Mobile team. What if we take Zune-2 and incorporate the WM OS (rumored WM7 is in the work for 2008 release with new UI) and of course adding the cellphone function. This will be a killer device.
Beside, reading few interviews this morning, there vaguely were mentioning about Zune 2 is based on Windows Mobile core already.
By adding the WM Smartphone OS, Microsoft can offer a powerful multimedia phone that can fit to both business (with its core Exchange on the server side) and consumer markets; this incorporation does not cost much in R&D, Microsoft again leverages already in-house synergy for the cost advantage that Allard touched on in his earlier comments. And since this will be a WM phone, which does not contradict with his comment about there will no no Zune phone.
Give us your thoughts!
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- Pingback by MobileTechOnline » Zune 2 + WM Smartphone = Zune 3 on October 4, 2007 @ 6:30 am
Right on SolSie, MS got what it takes for great device. They just can not put their acts together.
Now it’s a year and a half later. Windows Mobile phones are more powerful than ever. Many have touchscreens and Micro-SD slots. You can easily put 16 GB of music on a thumbnail sized card and play it on your phone via Bluetooth headphones. But MS can’t seem to put Zune and WM together in a single device. Possibly in late 2009 for WM 6.5 or 2010 for WM 7, and not for existing devices. Meanwhile Apple’s iPhone price cuts in 2008 have enabled it to dominate this space, on hardware that is well designed but has some limitations too (no replaceable battery, no removable storage). MS used to be thought of as a company of geniuses but they have really shown a lack of innovation, flexibility, and execution in this area.
I have a Zune, a WM phone, and a ZunePass subscription. I’m thinking of selling the Zune and getting a Napster sub for my phone instead. How would that be good for MS?