New Zune announcement coming at E3?

By Ellie Gibson Published 12 May, 2009

"Hold off from buying an iPhone."

It looks like Microsoft could be set to announce a rival to the iPhone at E3 next month.

As spotted by Neowin, an intriguing new update has appeared on the Twitter page for the Microsoft Office 2010 team.

It reads: "June 2009 will be an important month for Zune lovers."

A follow-up message has since popped up, saying: "New product launch, that's all I'm allowed to say. Hold off from buying an iPhone/Pre."

So will June bring news of a new Zune? Will the announcement be made at E3? Will it have phone and gaming functionality, just like Apple's offering? Or is Microsoft finally launching a service that will let "Zune lovers" actually have sex with their machines? Probably not the last one.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (63) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Olemak #1 3 years ago

    "Zune lovers", haha, funny!

  • Vice.Destroyer #2 3 years ago

    What an awesome spot.

  • des #3 3 years ago

    Zune HD,powered by Nvidia Tegra

  • Ultra238a #4 3 years ago

    Next, pointless product from Microsoft.

    It will run WinMo6.5 or WinMo7 and will just be eye candy over an otherwise crap phone OS.

    Zune is dead move on

  • AphoticCosmos #5 3 years ago

    Too late, I've got an iPod touch, it's actually good.

    I usually don't like Apple stuff but . . . Touch and Phone are win.

  • IronGiant #6 3 years ago

    Zune lovers, year all 6 of em!! I had one very briefly and sold it on asap, rubbish.

    This will be big news for MS, until Apple announce something even better.

  • prettyboytim #7 3 years ago

    I have a WinMo phone at the moment. Not sure I'd want another one. Lots of software available for it though.

    If there was a decent Android handset out there, I'd be very tempted by it. I'm also keen to have a play with the Palm Pre once it comes out.

  • woodnotes #8 3 years ago

    Great... but... Zune is still not out over here.

    As for iPod Touch, it's great as a thing that does lots of things, but it's not great as a music player. I'd rather have the much smaller Nano if I only wanted 16gb if memory, or a classic if i wanted lots of memory. And if I wanted to play games, I wouldn't get any of them.

    This will all likely apply to the Zune too.

  • Toothball #9 3 years ago

    I've been using Windows phones for a while now as I was hoping that Live Anywhere would materialise some day. I'm nearly due a new phone though, so this one has me a little curious. Don't like Apple products at all, so there's no danger that I'll be getting one of those phones.

  • DrDamn #10 3 years ago

    MS entering the handheld market via the back door? Could be interesting but I think they should drop the Zune tag and go with XBox instead. Zune was never even released here was it?

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #11 3 years ago

    eye candy over an otherwise crap phone OS

    Some people would claim that's exactly what iPhone is.

    I've been using windows mobile 6 a bit recently, and it's *almost* good. What it needs is a user-friendly UI, rather than a cut-down desktop Windows designed 10 years ago for PDAs. The Zune or Xbox teams might just be able to provide that...

  • Ignatius_Cheese #12 3 years ago

    I really liked my Zune... for about 6 months then picked up an iPhone.

    Pity as it was clearly a quality product but had missed the boat in terms of functionality.

    Still, will be interesting to see what MS is up to with the Zune brand. Portable Halo would be pretty much W1N all round :o)

  • chrisjm #13 3 years ago

    If sheep could use phones I know what they would buy.

  • FunkyRenegade #14 3 years ago

    Most people with a clue would be holding off from buying an iPhone right now anyway, with 3.0 coming relatively soon.

  • Bitkari #15 3 years ago

    If the new Zune is anywhere NEAR the quality of the iPhone/Pre, I will make my NXE avatar eat its virtual hat.

  • toa_boa #16 3 years ago

    "Zune lovers" actually have sex with their machines?"

    I told you Eurogamer - don't do that sh*t while I'm drinking coffee. Bummer what a mess ;-)

  • Widge #17 3 years ago

    I seem to remember DAPreview.net quite liked the 2nd generation of Zune.
    Be interesting to see what this is...

    I'm in the market for a good new phone.

  • miiiguel #18 3 years ago

    I don't think it's fair (or even makes sense) to say if Zune is good or bad if you're in Europe - as you cannot use it proprelly. Its store is IP blocked.

  • GreyBeard #19 3 years ago

    Its going to need to be pretty friggin' spectacular to break Apple's stranglehold on the market.

  • mcmonkeyplc #20 3 years ago

    Is it has Halol on the go and it's good then it's sold.

    That is all, oh and you they do realise we dont actually have zune here dont they? I think they just forgot.

    +1 for dropping the Zune brand and going with Xbox something.

  • coojam #21 3 years ago

    Apple hardly have a stangehold on the market. The vast majority of people still have fairly regular Nokias and Sonys, only the tech-savvy have iPhones.

  • thesombrerokid #22 3 years ago

    If you've been following this story you'd know it's almost certainly XNA and Zune Media player for windows mobile 6.5 and maybe a Zune refresh running windows mobile 6.5 instead of the Zune OS.

  • Wastelander #23 3 years ago

    Um, did the Zune even get a UK release?

  • daft #24 3 years ago

    I've had my Zune 120GB for quite some time now, and I really love it (in a non-penis insertion sort of way). Lovely menu system, FM radio, and the software is actually user friendly and generally a much more pleasant experience than iTunes (which I hate with a fucking passion now). In fact, the Zune GUI actually made me want a Windows Mobile phone in order to run WinMo 6.5 on once it is out. 6.5 seems much smoother and user friendly than earlier versions of the OS. Oh, and I'm writing this on my MacBook aluminium, so I certainly don't hate Apple. I just think that some of the crap aimed at MS is a bit OT. I for one will at least take a look at what they offer with a potential Zune phone or update to the existing Zune line.

  • makeamazing #25 3 years ago

    Agree with Mr Z, its all about the store/apps.. Blackberry have only just created their store, which you can only access via the phone iteself... nightmare, while others are no where near.

    Did like the comment of "Hold off from getting an iphone"...lol. Is anyone bothered about Zune? It has to be in at least 4th place in peoples interest in phones, what with iPhone, Android based OS and Blackberry based phones.

    If you want a phone and want it to play games, you get an iphone, simple as.

    Also Apple is going to announce a new iphone in June? so rumours say, so as soon as MS get alittle press for their new phone, then Apple will take it all away :D
    Edited by makeamazing at 12/05/09 @ 13:12

  • Les #26 3 years ago

    It's a mystery to me why they will use the Zune brand to launch a new product. Name it xbox mobile or something, at least the xbox brand has a reasonably good name in the US and UK...

  • penhalion #27 3 years ago

    A zune with a thinner design and some multi-touch and an accelerometer would be very nice. It's pretty much going to be a more powerful version of an iPhone though. The problem is that without an app store equivalent, it's kind of doomed. The semi-good news is that if anyone can get an app-store alike up and running, it's going to be Microsoft.

  • miiiguel #28 3 years ago

    I wonder how one can opinate about the Zune's store... As I have a Zune but can't access the store. Can any of you who seem to be able to, tell me how ?


    Bte, the message I have is something like "We sorry but you're trying to access from a region outside North America".

    And give a Xanax to the headache dude, in the meanwhile. Morbid fellow...
    Edited by miiiguel at 12/05/09 @ 13:35

  • B0MBJ4CK #29 3 years ago

    @designerheadache

    Ahem....Your PS is showing....

  • Eraysor #30 3 years ago

    I had an 80gb Zune. It was much better than the iPod Video, but far worse than my iPod Touch which I replaced the Zune with after the screen cracked (which was actually my 2nd Zune after the first had a pretty common unchargeable battery problem).

    If they had made it a little more interactive with the Xbox I might have not gone back to Apple.

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #31 3 years ago

    MS need to stop thinking that all their OS's should start with a Start button no matter what the device! I'm surprised the 360 didn't have one.

  • mcmonkeyplc #32 3 years ago

    360 has an X button. :)

  • VicViper #33 3 years ago

    @SpaceMidget75

    And remember to exit/shutdown the device where must we go first? to the start button because that makes sense.

    I'm planning on getting and Iphone, what can I say the whole app store thing has got me. I can't really defend the choice more than that its mostly style over substance but what style and substance there is is good. If only MS had got live anywhere running for the go. Your gamertag or MS ID on everything would have been interesting

  • ronuds #34 3 years ago

    "zune powered by defeat and utter despair
    pointless, shite product that should just die."

    ^I'm not normally the type to put people down and such, but this guy's a fucking idiot.

    Anyhow, the Zune isn't all that bad. When shopping for the Mrs. I did end up getting her an iPod, but the Zune didn't look to be any lesser of a product - and it was a little cheaper. I bought the iPod mostly for the name and nothing else, but if I were to buy myself a player, I'd probably go with the Zune. I only know a few who have them, but they all seem to be in love with the thing.

  • jonbwfc #35 3 years ago

    Mentalist(air) said

    "eye candy over an otherwise crap phone OS
    Some people would claim that's exactly what iPhone is. "
    They would be people who don't have a clue then. The iPhone OS is actually alright compared to say WM or Palm OS (but it's not as nice as Android), it's the iPhone hardware which is mainly pump. Great OS, nice screen, rubbish battery, rubbish camera, rubbish microphone, rubbish speaker.... Make no mistake, if the iPhone had come along with anyone else's OS on it, it would have sunk like a brick.

    "I've been using windows mobile 6 a bit recently, and it's *almost* good. "
    They've been working on it for nearly 10 years and it's now 'almost good'?? Blimey, imagine, in another 10 years it might be 'more than acceptable'! if you're in an MS-based enterprise and you rely on Exchange then its actually useful but for normal human beings compared the iPhone? Worse than useless. The keyboard is awful. The interface is fiddly. The browser is complete dog. It crashes more than Stevie Wonder in an F1 car and most of the games that you can get for it would look backward on a Sega GameGear. Do you really think 'bloke in street' wants a phone you need stylus to use properly? If they want WM to appeal to the same crowd the iPhone appeals to it needs a redesign from the ground up not just a new skin.

    "What it needs is a user-friendly UI, rather than a cut-down desktop Windows designed 10 years ago for PDAs. The Zune or Xbox teams might just be able to provide that..."
    It's going to just change overnight despite the fact they've had 10 years trying and slung out a whole bag of fail doing it so far? What makes you think they've somehow been locked in a cupboard unable to talk to the Zune or Xbox teams before? Are there some widely understood principles of UI design that they've somehow missed? Have they just not read that particular article yet? Is one of them going to click on the right weblink and have a 'Eureka' moment?
    The windows mobile team just aren't very good. The idea that there will suddenly be a spontaneous outbreak of competence in that quarter strikes me as being unlikely. If it walks like a duck and always has walked like a duck, it's not about to mutate into Angelina Jolie at the drop of a hat.

    The Zune phone may be a very good product. But it's only going to be that by having it's own OS that's specifically designed for a consumer media/gaming phone not by bastardising an OS that's got 10 years of drag and has previously been developed almost exclusively with big business in mind.

    Jon

  • Widge #36 3 years ago

    Oh yeah, to use, the iPhone feels nice and responsive compared to my WMsluggish-a-thon... although they start trumpeting about their new AWESOME 3G phone etc, I sigh slightly, as I read about it on my HSDPA connection....

    I want to move away from WM now, the thing takes in the region of a minute to reboot... and reboot I have to do as after a while of browsing the net, I don't know if it is memory leaks, the thing creases to a halt. Says things like Page Not Found! when accessing [link url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/football.
    ]http://www.bbc.co.uk/football.
    [/link]

    I'm secretly hoping that the PSP Go! will come with the ability to slap a SIM in and use that. Failing that, if the Zune mobile doesn't cost an arm and a leg (looked on Expansys for an iPhone, £500-£600 they want, evil), its considerable.

  • influenceuk #37 3 years ago

    Don't see how this is of any use to us in the UK, Microsoft are yet to release a ZUNE over here! So i would say its highly unlikely to see the light of day in the UK!

  • PearOfAnguish #38 3 years ago

    (looked on Expansys for an iPhone, £500-£600 they want, evil)

    That's a joke, they're selling refurbed models with no warranty. They are unlocked, but you could buy a brand new one on O2 PAYG for under £400.

  • Xerx3s #39 3 years ago

    Oh god no.

    /facepalm

  • Xerx3s #40 3 years ago

    "Some people would claim that's exactly what iPhone is.

    I've been using windows mobile 6 a bit recently, and it's *almost* good. What it needs is a user-friendly UI, rather than a cut-down desktop Windows designed 10 years ago for PDAs. The Zune or Xbox teams might just be able to provide that..."

    Touch HD. :)

  • mattigan #41 3 years ago

    Touch HD. :)

    +1

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #42 3 years ago

    It's going to just change overnight despite the fact they've had 10 years trying and slung out a whole bag of fail doing it so far?

    There have been a number of high profile job changes in the past year or so in the Windows Mobile division at MS. And the Zune OS (which seems generally praised by folk who've been using it) is precisely Windows Mobile with a more user-friendly UI stuck on it, just as the Xbox and Xbox 360 OS's are both Windows NT with a joypad-friendly UI stuck on them.

    Touch HD.

    I'm not a fan of HTC's touchflow or SE's Xperia Panels. The main problem is that they don't replace the entire operating system, like Zune or Xbox or, indeed, the iPhone/ iPod touch, which are just running something very like Arm Linux underneath.


    I am optimistic that some combination of the Zune service and Live Anywhere (complete with Live Marketplace as an app store competitor), could be very good. Maybe even good enough to lauch outside of North America. What'll make it fail, is if it's just a couple of apps for OEM Windows Mobile phones that still need a stylus to navigate Start menus and all that nonsense.

  • Xerx3s #43 3 years ago

    "I'm not a fan of HTC's touchflow or SE's Xperia Panels. The main problem is that they don't replace the entire operating system, like Zune or Xbox or, indeed, the iPhone/ iPod touch, which are just running something very like Arm Linux underneath. "

    Every new rom update makes it better. But you are right, the core OS was never designed for this kind of interface. Makes one wonder why tf ms are taking so long to release 7.0. It's been in development longer than vista iirc. :/

  • Xerx3s #44 3 years ago

    Don't care for zune tbf. However, the xna package has an integrated support for the zune and I would like them to extend that to WM (it's only logical). Also, a shop feature such as xblm or any other form of centralised dd service would be welcome.

  • makeamazing #45 3 years ago

    I just think MS should concentrate on what it does well rather than trying to access all of these other markets... I would be very surprised if Ziune has any impact, well it wont in the UK if they never release it here :D

  • Les #46 3 years ago

    "I just think MS should concentrate on what it does well rather than trying to access all of these other markets..."

    Problem is, they're not doing many things that well... E.g. their OS and Office product lines currently sell because of their monopoly status, not so much because of their quality or perceived added value.

    MS know that their monopolies will eventually crumble and they are trying to create other sources of revenue to make sure they will survive in the future. So far they haven't been that successful though, but who knows. If they drop that moron Ballmer and get leadership that focuses on what the customer actually wants at reasonable cost, there might still be hope.

  • Rodchenko #47 3 years ago

    Did like the comment of "Hold off from getting an iphone"...lol.

    Yeah, I lolled at that one too, especially as he was talking about 'having a clue'.

  • Xerx3s #48 3 years ago

    The only thing that could possibly sell a zune to me would be if it came prepacked with halo 1. Even if it did, it would be a remote chance that I'd pick it up. I'd still much rather have it on my luvly large screen THD. I sold my mp3 players years ago, with the rise of smartphones and all that, those devices became pretty much useless.

  • daft #49 3 years ago

    Les,

    I bought their Office suite because I find it to be the one I am most comfortable working with. And it looks ace too. Also, Visual Studio is a mighty, mighty good IDE. One of the absolute best on the market IMO. For me personally, MS is delivering products that I want and that I use on a daily basis, and they are getting better at it all the time. I like Vista (dual booting on my MacBook) and will install Windows 7 quite soon. I also think they are making great strides in the GUI department as well. Look at the upcoming Windows Mobile 6.5 for example. It uses the Zune menu structure and is according the previews I've read much smoother and easier to use than the current WinMo platforms.

  • Peew971 #50 3 years ago

    I'm a Zune lover, I have a 120GB and it's great. The Zune software in particular is 10 times better than iTunes, just easy to use.
    Rumours about a new Zune are a month old now so hopefully most of what has been said will turn out to be true (and yes, one of these things is international release).

  • electrolite #51 3 years ago

    "only the tech-savvy have iPhones"

    Surely exactly the opposite of reality? It's a fashion accesory first and a tech gadget second

  • dylman #52 3 years ago

    I'd respond to all the iPhone bashing going on in this thread but I'm too busy playing Peggle at the mo.

    My word it's fun. :)

  • ronuds #53 3 years ago

    @daft

    What Les forgot at the end of his comment was "I hope" because he's been saying the same bullshite in every comments section regarding MS for as long as I've been a member of EG. Which is a couple years now.

  • MikkyX #54 3 years ago

    The latest tweets would appear to indicate some guy has been having everyone on to promote his article about Apple needing to stop iPhone piracy, or something. Looks like a non-story and everyone's been had.

  • septimus #55 3 years ago

    Well the article stirred up the iPhone haters at least.

  • yagisencho #56 3 years ago

    Being a Zune 120 owner, my curiosity is piqued.

    I avoided the Zune until I saw the 3.0 firmware in action. The desktop software has also come a long, long way from its initial release. It's not a gaming device by any measure, but that's what I have a DS for.

  • Xerx3s #57 3 years ago

    Lol, are there still people out there that don't have that les guy on ignore?

  • daft #58 3 years ago

    Xerx3s,

    Not any more. :)

  • cyber_nicco #59 3 years ago

    What the fuck is with the Zune hate. Most versions are superior to the iPod, but I dont' hear much complaints about that. I have to say, I don't like the name Zune, but the players have abover average sound and work well.

    Manyof you are, I'm afraid, idiots.

  • AphoticCosmos #60 3 years ago

    Window's Mobile is very much ideal for professionals and businesses, but the iPhone is a much saner choice for people who want an easy-to-use and stylish bit of kit. It's not the best phone in the world, but by god you can make it do almost anything software-wise with the app store. I love the keyboard [actually very fast once you get the hang of it], the browser, the screen quality . . . everything about it is great. On the other hand, it's exchange connection is a load of complete bollocks, so I can't see my schedule anywhere, and the camera is shit.

    Windows Mobile-based phones have a much clunkier interface, but at least you can use exchange to sync your e-mail accounts and schedule extremely easily. Given that many are stylus-based interfaces, it makes a good alternative for those who don't like the admittedly fiddly virtual keyboard of the iPhone.

    If this new Zune thingybob is going to be anything like as good or as promising as the iPhone, they shouldn't be using Windows Mobile at all, and should have started from scratch again.

  • Les #61 3 years ago

    "Window's Mobile is very much ideal for professionals and businesses"

    I completely disagree, having been forced to use a Windows Mobile 'smartphone' for the past 2.5 years. Never had a worse phone (piece of junk manufactured by Samsung) or such a terrible OS (think only Windows ME crashed more often). The Outlook synching is nice but the iPhone offers that too and that doesn't take up to 4 minutes to boot up or requires regular switching off (which takes about 1 to 2 minutes) in order to keep the synching working.

    "I bought their Office suite because I find it to be the one I am most comfortable working with."

    I fortunately never had to buy the stuff myself as I've always been supplied with (admittedly crap) company laptops and while being a student we got a free (but severely outdated) version from the university. Personally, I think Office is crap (way too many crashes and bugs) but I have to agree that there's not anything out there that does a better job (Apple's iWorks is better at some points but doesn't offer as much functionality).

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #62 3 years ago

    "Personally, I think Office is crap (way too many crashes and bugs)"

    Fuck me, do you exaggerate much?

    I'm a developer and use it every day. It might be far from perfect, but it doesn't crash (unless you have a problem elsewhere) and the number of bugs an average user will ever come across is approximately 0.

    Typical anti-MS bollocks.

    In fact you could Install Vista & Office on a machine and do your job fine for years with no problem. Most unreliability comes from all the other software (especially shit like Nortons Security rubbish and iTunes) that is installed over the years. Windows huge userbase, type of user, and software library are its curse.

    In fact the reason 'Mr I'm Writing My Book On An Apple And It Never Goes Wrong' isn't having any problems is he's never installed anything else on the fucking thing.

    P.S I have nothing against Apple. I treat all products with the same unbiased view.

  • Les #63 3 years ago

    "Fuck me, do you exaggerate much?"

    No.

    I use PPT, Word and Excel daily and it's no exaggeration to say one of them crashes at least once a week. As tools I rate them extremely poor (try to properly lay out PPT slides that use more than just text (though even text ones can be more troublesome than they should be) or use headings in a Word document) , even though I must admit that there isn't anything out there that does a better job yet while offering as much functionality. Like most software the applications all started out as well intentioned messes and on top of the shaky basis, more and more stuff, some of it necessary, most of it not, was added. They still haven't had the guts to acknowledge that they really should just ditch what's there and really start from scratch.

    In a way, software is much less flexible than hardware...