As Apple announced their new iPhone 4s, Microsoft has finally conceded defeat on the mp3 front by confirming the Zune player will no longer be manufactured.
Microsoft hasn’t produced a revamped Zune player since 2009, but the company has integrated aspects of Zune software into its Xbox360 console and its WP7 mobile platform.
Although Zune hardware sits stale on production lines, Microsoft will continue supporting Zune software and the Zune music buying service, with customers benefitting from full player support and warranties.
On the Zune website, Microsoft said:
We recently announced that, going forward, Windows Phone will be the focus of our mobile music and video strategy, and that we will no longer be producing Zune players. So what does this mean for our current Zune users? Absolutely nothing. Your device will continue to work with Zune services just as it does today. And we will continue to honor the warranties of all devices for both current owners and those who buy our very last devices. Customer service has been, and will remain a top priority for us.
Even though the Zune failed to reach the heights (or even the lows) of Apple’s iPod, the player’s legacy will live on inside their gaming and mobile division, and more significantly, the upcoming Windows 8 platform.
