Microsoft plans mobile Zune store, third-gen player

Microsoft is planning to launch a mobile Zune portal sometime in 2009, according to the French newspaper Les Echos. The site would extend the reach of the company's iTunes rival, the Zune Marketplace, and allow users to download games and music directly to various platforms, including computers, Windows Mobile devices and for the first time, Zune players themselves. While Zunes have always come equipped with a Wi-Fi module, they have never had Internet access, a prominent feature on Apple's competing iPod touch.

The availability of Windows Mobile access is said to be tied to the release of Windows Mobile 7, a follow-up to the yet-unreleased Windows Mobile 6.1. In the same year, Microsoft is expected to release its third generation of Zune players, still wrapped in secrecy. Compatibility with a Zune Marketplace, however, may suggest web-browsing ability. [via Generation NT]

Filed under: iPod, industry, gadgets
Other story tags: Microsoft, iTunes, music, iPod touch, Windows Mobile, Zune, media players

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219675 03/13, 12:58pm, EDT pffff, "rival..."

Hardly a rival in any real way- perhaps a small marketplace participant. It sounds like M$ will once again be doing the "me-too" shuffle and lunge to try and catch up. Small surprise there.

posted by danviento

219677 03/13, 1:09pm, EDT I'm planning...

...to go to the Moon!...and I'm going to bring my bicycle and a trampoline and...and...and...

posted by Feathers

219684 03/13, 2:00pm, EDT zune marketplace

let's see, $5 buys you 400 points and a song costs 79 points which means $5 buys you... ummm...

retarded.

(yes, I can do the math in my head but it's still stupid because most people are put off by this garbage)

posted by climacs

219688 03/13, 2:40pm, EDT but of course they are

they're committed to this market. no matter how much money they've lost.

they're committed to games (closing in on 6.5 billion in losses)

they're committed to "search" (they'll buy Yahoo since they can't make headway on their own).

they're committed to buying their way into whatever someone else does first and better.

it's simply the MS way!

posted by nat

219692 03/13, 3:54pm, EDT Zzzzzzz Store

Move along nothing to see.

But I hear in 2011 they are planning some great features.

posted by russellb

219697 03/13, 4:29pm, EDT Re: zune marketplace

The points system isn't retarded! It's great!! See, by making everything points-based in price, they can raise the cost of each point, so 79 points costs $1.29 instead of 99 cents.

This way, as a consumer, you're not bothered by little details like worrying about price increases, since the price is always the same (79 points)! It's pure genius!

What will make this even better is what will come with Zune Marketplace 2.0! By then, the cost of a point will differ depending on where you are. So 79 points in "new music" may cost more pennies then 79 points in "crap music from Bill's Zune!" area. This way, they can give the labels the flexible pricing they've wanted, but give the consumer the 'one price for everything' model!!

Now, the other side is how they're helping our kids. By not following the lame Apple way of pricing music using standard currency, MS is helping kids improve their mathematics abilities by teaching them fractions, multiplication, and division.

posted by testudo

219698 03/13, 4:31pm, EDT In 2011

"But I hear in 2011 they are planning some great features."

They sure are! Ones that iPods have or will have long since had. They just have to wait for Apple to innovate a few more of them so they can figure out what to attempt to copy.

posted by Foe Hammer

219700 03/13, 4:52pm, EDT "zune" aramaic for "uh"

I actually like some parts of the zune hardware/software interface, but with iPods moving to intel and OSX, what will they do in the future - migrate to Vista Touch?!

Nice point, testie, I like how the Zune Marketplace keeps its sense of reality and aesthetics in line with that of D&D level generations and WoW experience points. My parents really would be able to relate to these.

posted by MacnnChester

219710 03/13, 5:57pm, EDT late again MS

I wonder what cooler wi-fi features iPhone and iPod Touch will be offering by then?

posted by cblackmo

219764 03/14, 11:21am, EDT Why The fuck...

is this news for a Mac based website?

Article on MacNN again!

Zune does not work with Macs_ Zune is not a viable iPod competitor_

MacNN - why are you so retarded?

posted by UberFu

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