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Several publications have taken Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's assertion that software is a big part of Zune's future to mean that Microsoft plans to abandon Zune hardware. But a spokesman says Microsoft has no plans to abandon Zune, although it will consider developing the service for third-party mobile platforms.
"Basically, what happened last week, Steve [Ballmer] said a couple of things about the category," said Adam Sohn, head of Microsoft's Zune marketing division, causing speculation that Microsoft would stop making Zunes. However, he clarified, "we're not getting out of the hardware business at all," adding that Microsoft is "deeply committed" to continuing to its Zune hardware strategy.
Still, he told us about some other interesting twists and turns in Microsoft's roadmap for Zune, possibly including Zune music apps for non-Windows-Mobile phones. He didn't mention iPhone or Android by name, but made it clear that the company is ruling nothing out in its plans for a "multi-tuner" world in which music collections are less tied to specific devices.
