October 3rd, 2008
Zune services on Win Mobile = 'Pink'
CEO Steve Ballmer reiterated this week that Microsoft has decided against building its own Zune phone. (Chairman Bill Gates said the same thing back in January 2008, for those keeping score at home.)
Ballmer also noted this week that Microsoft is looking to bring Zune software/services to Windows Mobile. This “news,” too, isn’t really new.
“Pink” is a set of consumer-focused premium services that Roz Ho and her merry band are prepping for Windows Mobile. (”Rouge” is the unified-communications/business equivalent of Pink.)
While Windows Mobile 7 is delayed, according to News.com as well as at least one of my sources, Pink isn’t necessarily so. Pink is not tied to Windows Mobile 7, I hear. Microsoft could make Zune services and various other service offerings developed by the folks it acquired as part of the Danger acquisition, any time.
Microsoft won’t comment on Pink or even ackowledge the codename.
By the way, Microsoft in the past has weighed whether or not to build a Zune phone itself. I hear there are still some pockets inside the company who are pushing for Microsfot to deliver a Microsoft-branded Zune phone. But for now, at least, it sounds like officials aren’t pursuing that path.
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