Zune This November with VoIP

Om Malik | Monday, July 31, 2006 | 4:43 PM PT | 11 comments

Microsoft Zune rumors continue to swirl. Engadget is reporting that Microsoft’s “seamless music experience” device/service, Zune will launch on November 14, presumably with much fanfare. Engadget says that the device is going to have a 30 GB storage device and will have a FM Tuner along with Wi-Fi.

But the big news according to VoIP Lowdown is that it will have some sort of VoIP functionality built into the device. Given that it has wireless connectivity, and Microsoft is talking up presence features in the device, VoIP functionality does make sense. Microsoft has made a strong push in the VoIP space with its Instant Messaging and LCS platforms.

It would make perfect sense to extend that capability into their Zune platform, much like Voice features on XBox and XBox Live. It would fit in with the strategy outlined by Ray Ozzie at the recent Financial Analyst Day hosted by the Redmond-based software giant.

Comments (11)

If all true, it’s DOA. When will companies learn that consumers want devices optimized for one purpose?

pwb — 5:39 PM on July 31, 2006

Voip Would be a killer feature. I’m not sure about devices being optimized for one purpose. My laptop does a million things. So does my car, and my xbox 360.

zune — 6:09 PM on July 31, 2006

I think the big thing which is a lot of people are missing about Zune is that it a generic name for a while slew of devices Microsoft has planned. clearly, there could be more ways than one voice shows up in one of these devices. still, i agree – people are looking for a simpler experience, nothing too complicated.

Om — 9:26 PM on July 31, 2006

Exactly what most people miss. The Zune will be multiple devices and not just a music player. Its a bold move. They aren’t just making a music player thats for sure.

Zune fan — 11:13 PM on July 31, 2006

What is it with these Zune fans? The product isn’t even out yet. Talk about bending over for the Borg.

Diego — 5:45 AM on August 1, 2006

What does Zune “mean”? :)

http://herenot.livejournal.com/29371.html

Diego — 5:47 AM on August 1, 2006

This takes me way back to the days of all the Origami hype.

Josh Hyde — 7:13 AM on August 1, 2006

Zune fan,

I thought you would appreciate this little photo of the product.

http://www.bumpbox.com/article.php?id=46

Seriously, I think that MS has an uphill battle to give this thing the mindshare that the iPod has. At the very least, it’d better be trendy, since most people seem to think that their technology now has to be “cute”.

Chubbs — 7:45 AM on August 1, 2006

standard ms strategy. Throw everything including the kitchen sink at a product and hope that something will catch on.

I do agree that more features is good. But isn’t it aiming for too much with a first gen product?

yuvamani — 9:06 AM on August 1, 2006

It does make sense: if they make the ‘wireless ipod’ (which is how I see it), implementing VoIP wouldn’t be that much work, and wouldn’t need significant hardware changes (exept maybe a mic, but what does that cost?), and could be a big plus. Imagine the still-not-released Netgear Skype phone With buildin iPod!