Despite frequent, repeated denials from Microsoft that they aren’t making a Zune Phone to pit against Apple’s iPhone juggernaut, our sibling site WMExperts keeps compiling evidence that Microsoft might be doing just that.
The latest is that Pink (as it’s code-named) has an ad agency, will be based on Windows Mobile 7 but have it’s own proprietary UI layer, should be available next year-ish, and provide Zune, My Phone, and Windows Marketplace for Mobiles functionality.
So have Microsoft’s previous denials been based on crossed fingers and the “truthiness” of actually making a Zune HD Phone? Or as TiPb has been predicting, an Xbox Phone?
Let’s face it, Microsoft would be negligent and borderline daft not to integrate the technologies and leverage the brand of Xbox.
Oh, wait…
UPDATED: Shoulda stuck with our instincts. Fake. (via Engadget)
ORIGINAL: When we first heard that a Twitter account associated with Microsoft Office 10: The Movie (?!) was telling people “New product launch, that’s all I’m allowed to say. Hold off from buying an iPhone/Pre”, we figured it had to be fake. It was posted from iPhone/Mac client Tweetie, after all!
When we found out it was real, however, well… we didn’t know what to think. Lucky for us George Ponder from sibling site WMExperts has us covered:
The iPhone and the Pre are obviously smartphones, so it’s tempting to put the Zune Phone back into the rumor mix. Us, though, we’re remembering how strenuously Microsoft has denied rumors of being in the hardware business and of the Zune Phone specifically. So whatever it is, we’re not expecting a 180 on this one (but a 360, or more specifically something to do with Xbox 360, doesn’t seem crazy).
Xbox 360 is inarguably the only hardware and consumer electronics brand from Microsoft enjoying anything resembling brand success at the moment, so even we’ve been up on the idea of an XboxPhone. However, if past behavior is any indicator of future behavior, Microsoft will be releasing Premium Zune Services for Windows Phone Mobile Experiences Live! 7 sometime this summer, and iPhone owners likely won’t notice…
Never have I seen a thousand pound gorilla play such defense:
Apple: In the competition between PCs and Macs, we outsell Apple 30-to-1. But there is no doubt that Apple is thriving. Why? Because they are good at providing an experience that is narrow but complete, while our commitment to choice often comes with some compromises to the end-to-end experience. Today, we’re changing the way we work with hardware vendors to ensure that we can provide complete experiences with absolutely no compromises. We’ll do the same with phones—providing choice as we work to create great end-to-end experiences.
Seriously, Microsoft? Seriously? You pretty much invented the software industry and helped commoditize the PC business to an extent that Windows runs on an amount of servers, desktops, laptops, and — yes — even handsets, so vast it blots out the stars, and you’re re-focusing your business model on being more like Apple?
Seriously?
Now, I love Apple. My server, desktop, laptop, and handset were all designed in Cupertino, and their market share may one day approach 10%… but that’s the thing. 10%. (Not counting iPod here because, try as it might, Zune isn’t even really in that business).
You’re the gourmet restaurant on one side of the street or you’re the dozens of McDonalds on the other. Try to build your fine+fast eatery in the middle and… you get rammed by the oncoming bus (or Gordon Ramsey, whichever gets there first).
Instead of obsessing over Apple (and Google), how about spending some time on Microsoft. Your branding is a mess (8 word product names with inconsistent and seemingly random uses of Windows and LIVE! may work for puzzle games, but not consumer interest), your SKU’s are terminally skewed, and you’re increasingly at cross-purposes between partner platforms and in-house “whole widget” approaches. Heck, you’re making Yahoo! seem focused right now.
Head on over to WMExperts for more complete coverage and analysis. And to find out if Dieter somehow works ZOMG! Zune Phone… er… zPhone… er… xPhone… er… Phone for Windows LIVE! into the post…
