AfterDawn: News

Microsoft Zune phone coming?

If sources at jkOnTheRun prove to be accurate, then Microsoft has a meeting time set in stone to design a Zune-branded mobile phone in an effort to compete with the Apple iPhone 3G.

The new device is at least months away from completion but what is "known" is that it will use multi-touch input and run on a specialized variant of Windows Mobile 7. Windows Live services will be integrated flawlessly and the phone will also share the Zune's primary emphasis on media playback.



There is not much else known about what the device could offer, but Microsoft has divulged that multi-touch is the primary focus of Windows 7 for the PC and should be the same for its Windows 7 Mobile platform. There is also the chance for revamped interfaces as well as support for motion sensing.

Raising more eyebrows is Microsoft's recent purchase of Danger, the designer of the extremely popular T-Mobile Sidekick device. Danger is best known for developing media and messaging-oriented mobile software. Why else would Microsoft need them?

There has been no comment from Microsoft as of yet, so for now this is a rumor but we will keep you updated.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 25 Jul 2008 11:39

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• 16 comments

• bdoggie08

  I love business competition, its like in the console and PC business, everybody keeps trying to compete, thanks M$ for joining in on the phone business too :P, lower prices soon!

  25.7.2008 11:58 #1

• chickenR

  This could be something I'd be interested in, if they get it right. Still waiting on the Zune 80 reaching the UK though. :(

  25.7.2008 14:13 #2

• blueroad

  hmm if they wont do the same mistake as to signing contracts to distribute only withj certain providers and the specs will be good enough people will lean towards it than the trend iphone..i know i will at least..

  25.7.2008 14:28 #3

• SSSJDanny

  I've seen what it might look like... somewhat simillar to Iphone (even thought i hate iphone) but I'll still buy it. At least i won't have lame ass Safari.

  25.7.2008 16:10 #4

• pensfan12

  Originally posted by SSSJDanny: I've seen what it might look like... somewhat simillar to Iphone (even thought i hate iphone) but I'll still buy it. At least i won't have lame ass Safari.hahaha oh no you didnt...
  
  dont think people will take the safari comment lightly:P

  25.7.2008 20:56 #5

• lxfactor

  i agree safari sucks.. i don't even use safari on my ipod anymore because its slow.. but yea micro$oft needs to give it a rest.. make the zune perfect.. then think about other products.. until then.. ipod + iphone dominate.. someone in California is doing something right =]

  26.7.2008 09:29 #6

• 7thsinger

  Well, let's see what M$ brings to the table.
  
  
  

  
  
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  26.7.2008 09:41 #7

• blueroad

  Originally posted by lxfactor: i agree safari sucks.. i don't even use safari on my ipod anymore because its slow.. but yea micro$oft needs to give it a rest.. make the zune perfect.. then think about other products.. until then.. ipod + iphone dominate.. someone in California is doing something right =]lol iphone+ipod dominates..youve been doing too much crack my friend..despite all the people that actually purchased this gadget rather than a phone you may have noticed a much larger number of people are simply waiting for a better phone to emerge that wont require you to submit to a provider for 2 freakin years just so that you could pay to buy the phone..expect your so called "iphone domination" to be short lived at best

  26.7.2008 09:57 #8

• SSSJDanny

  Quote:Originally posted by lxfactor: i agree safari sucks.. i don't even use safari on my ipod anymore because its slow.. but yea micro$oft needs to give it a rest.. make the zune perfect.. then think about other products.. until then.. ipod + iphone dominate.. someone in California is doing something right =]lol iphone+ipod dominates..youve been doing too much crack my friend..despite all the people that actually purchased this gadget rather than a phone you may have noticed a much larger number of people are simply waiting for a better phone to emerge that wont require you to submit to a provider for 2 freakin years just so that you could pay to buy the phone..expect your so called "iphone domination" to be short lived at bestComing from the guy who probably has an Iphone, and is in love with Macs.
  
  The only reason any phone is "Short lived" compared to the iphone is cause everyone thinks that the iphone is the "perfect phone" and will drone on about it till the day the realize that there are other phones exactly like that elsewhere. And that can do as good as or better than that piece of crap iphone.
  
  If they don't make a Zune phone, id most likely go with a HTC Diamond.

  26.7.2008 22:25 #9

• Beachman

  hhmm.. a zune phone, will it work until the warrenty expires, then break down like the x box? i know 5 people that play the x box (including myself) and 4 have experienced the red ring of death

  26.7.2008 23:36 #10

• SSSJDanny

  Originally posted by Beachman: hhmm.. a zune phone, will it work until the warrenty expires, then break down like the x box? i know 5 people that play the x box (including myself) and 4 have experienced the red ring of death
  I agree with you that XBox's break down that is why i got a PS3; yet I disagree with you, because you are comparing phones to consoles...

  27.7.2008 02:38 #11

• 7thsinger

  Quote:you are comparing phones to consoles... Which is kind of like comparing Apples and Staplers.
  
  A little bit of healthy competition in the iphone world could bring prices down a bit. Long enough to be competitive anyway.
  

  
  
  Learn To Backup DVDs Here
  And Here.

  27.7.2008 07:58 #12

• atomicxl

  I had no interest in the iPhone, but if the zPhone launches on multiple carriers, i'll be one solely because I hate Apple.

  27.7.2008 15:13 #13

• chwoolgar

  I think if this gets realised I WONT BUY IT!!!!
  
  I bought my zune after the ipod video came out thinking it looked cool, all the nice photos and description on the eBay ad, got it through and Im not sure what Im supposed to do with it ... Listen to it at home or add a handle to it so I can carry it about!!!!! It must be double the size of the ipod, very bad decision!
  

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  27.7.2008 22:19 #14

• MrPuffin

  oh... great microsofts releasing a phone now WITH MULTI TOUCH i wonder where they got that idea
  oh ya apple iphone.....
  
  hopefully they will get their acts together and test their hardware first
  vista (slow takes up 8GB with no new features over xp mce exept theme)
  zune 30 (battery during charge can expand cracking screen)
  zune 80 (less prossesing power than 30 so its slower)
  zune software (forced update and compatibility errors with vista when released even itunes worked on vista but not zune)
  xbox 1 (2001-2005 power cables included can cause damage to xboxes)
  xbox 360 (hardware errors causeing red ring of death causing massive recall)
  xbox live (no credit card and account expires account is suspended spent 3hours strait on phone)
  
  so if its 3 months away(just an example not actualy release) from release hold it back for another 3 for testing alone

  5.8.2008 20:34 #15

• greensman

  I'm NOT a M$ fan either but I would consider a Z-phone if they have the features I'm interested in. ;) I know that M$ has had it's faults as most companies do. It's just more widely publicized because of the LOVE for M$.... lol.
  
  ....gm
  

  
  
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  6.8.2008 10:27 #16