Microsoft exec rekindles iPhone rival rumors, gives Zune a B-

It's probably not shocking to anyone that the Zune hasn't exactly lived up to the high hopes Microsoft had for it, and at the recent Citigroup technology conference in New York, Mindy Mount -- corporate vice president and CFO of the firm's entertainment and device division -- noted that she'd "give it a B-," and also stated that it was a "solid effort for the first year." More intriguing, however, was her comments on the future of the Windows Mobile OS, and while she was tight-lipped in regard to RIM acquisition whispers, she did hint at the possibility of a tweaked system to compete with Apple's iPhone interface. Reportedly, Mount stated that Microsoft "identified [Windows] Mobile being more integrated with photos and music," and concluded by proclaiming that it was "a natural thing to have in its product roadmap." Of course, this corporate speak can't really be regarded as much more than just that at the moment, but feel free to make of it what you will.

[Via Zune-Online]
Read - Microsoft Exec Hints at iPhone Rival
Read - Microsoft exec: Zune gets a B-; Xbox profitability; Windows Mobile's future

[ihavetinyballs @ Sep 5th 2007 9:36AM]

B- ? I don't know anyone who owns one. Maybe they do, but no one who will admit it anyways. I have tiny balls.

[Pans @ Sep 5th 2007 10:21AM]

I Dont know anyone that has an iPhone.

What exactly is your point?

[Anto @ Sep 5th 2007 9:38AM]

What's a Zune? LOL ;-)

[Josef F @ Sep 5th 2007 10:11AM]

Sorry, Anto. It's just not that funny anymore. Actually, it was only a little funny to begin with.

[Anto @ Sep 5th 2007 10:16AM]

I'm pleased my comments don't have to meet with your approval then.

What's a Zune???????

[Tony @ Sep 5th 2007 10:26AM]

Really its time for people to grow up on this whats a zune its pretty childish

[jilie @ Sep 5th 2007 9:39AM]

Anyway it0's the ipony that is the window's mobile rival, not the opposite

[Anto @ Sep 5th 2007 10:17AM]

Oh you mean the iPony that's outselling Zune by about a zillion to one??

[WL @ Sep 5th 2007 10:32AM]

@Anto

Windows Mobile rival not Zune rival

[Screed @ Sep 5th 2007 9:39AM]

B- for design, but not sales. :D

[WallyTwoShoes @ Sep 5th 2007 9:41AM]

Microsoft, such an innovator.

[Michael Christoffersen @ Sep 5th 2007 9:41AM]

Hah. Of course they are reluctant to rate their product badly. It was they who made it, for god's sake!

I'd give it a D-, and a "Better luck next time" as comment.

[Ellianth @ Sep 5th 2007 11:12AM]

Wait.. you think a b- is a good grade?

Sry, my parents and teachers taught me to aim a bit higher. *cowers in fear from the whip* sry, it's a reflex ;).

[atticus @ Sep 5th 2007 9:54AM]

B for boring as sh*t..

[Bayard Michael @ Sep 5th 2007 10:04AM]

as long as she talks and thinks like that, and defines her 'roadmap' like that, one can safely asume that windows will not produce anything good.

Damn, all that money, all those resources, and all they can do is make crap.

Microsoft, hire me, I will make your crap better/cooler..

[Duscrom @ Sep 5th 2007 10:30AM]

Nuh uh.. no matter how cool or better it is i'll always suck because it's from Microsoft.

[Hawkman @ Sep 5th 2007 10:01AM]

"A natural thing to have in its product roadmap." Sure. They certainly didn't see how cool and successful the iPhone is and have an 'oh crap' moment... right?

[sean.jennings @ Sep 5th 2007 10:04AM]

a Z- would be both more accurate and more appropriate..

does the comment about a Zunephone mean that the Zune has Windows Mobile as its operating-system?...

[shamanth @ Sep 5th 2007 10:07AM]

mindy mount?? is that like her porn name or something?

[Jeff P. @ Sep 5th 2007 1:18PM]

Oh man, I actually met a kid a few days back who's name was...for real..."Max Johnson". Now THAT'S a porn name.

[AlexP @ Sep 5th 2007 10:09AM]

Brown Minus

[Alex W @ Sep 5th 2007 10:10AM]

Maybe the average rating is in sight of large improvements in the next iteration of the Zune? One can hope that's the case at least. However in regards to making Windows Mobile a more consumer-friendly device- bring it on! It's got all the features and flexibility to make it a big-seller, but the products have all been marketed towards business users so far. I'm hoping by the time I get my next XDA it'll be using a vastly simpler OS.

[Jason Carroll @ Sep 5th 2007 10:10AM]

I have an iPhone and love it, but for all the haters out there, this is a perfect example of why the iPhone is awesome for all...it raises the bar. Someone commented above about where the rivalry really is...but trust me, the Apple interface beats the crap out of the Windows Mobile interface...I've used both. I even type a ton faster on the iPhone than I ever dreamed of on a QWERTY.

It's good news that MS sees Apple as a threat here, you can count on their next version of mobile OS being a solid upgrade.

A win for all (save the Linux people...but isn't that what GPhone is?).

[Josef F @ Sep 5th 2007 10:13AM]

Raises the bar, unless you want to access a fast internet. No 3G = no good.

[Jason Carroll @ Sep 5th 2007 10:16AM]

3G or not has nothing to do with the software interface, but I totally agree...even though EDGE has been plenty fast for my use (email, maps, Facebook, IM).

[Hao @ Sep 5th 2007 10:19AM]

Just nitpicking but the on screen keyboard of iPhone is a QWERTY too. I hope you don't mean you can type faster with two fingers than with all your fingers, if that's the case, you don't know how to type.

[Jason Carroll @ Sep 5th 2007 10:21AM]

Ha, good point...semantics! I meant I type way faster with two fingers on the iPhone than on a Blackberry.

Keyboard is still king!

[Mrfreezie @ Sep 5th 2007 10:11AM]

I have problems. I thought "B-" was censoring blowjob... O_o

[AlexP @ Sep 5th 2007 10:22AM]

Straight back to /b/, yo.

[stuntdog @ Sep 5th 2007 10:14AM]

i'd give it a D for desperation. especially with regards to their recently announced price cuts ahead of today's apple event.

[bl0nde @ Sep 5th 2007 10:13AM]

"she was tight-lipped"

From that picture, yes, yes she was.

[Todd @ Sep 5th 2007 10:22AM]

Oh god, please no. The world does not need a fecal brown cell phone that won't connect to other Zune phones when dialed.

Engadget editors please write a preemptive "Open letter to Microsoft" instructing them to not build a Zune phone, like you did for the Palm Foleo.

[Chip @ Sep 5th 2007 10:25AM]

Is it just me or does Microsoft make technically great hardware, but struggles with interface and exterior design?
Case 1: Windows Mobile 6. Ok, it's not hardware, but lets couple it with Sprint Mogul. The Mogul is better than the iphone in almost every technical aspect except size... it's thicker. It takes addon software to make WM6 elegant.

Case 2: It seems Zune designers started with specs, then made the PCBs for the guts, ran out of time and crammed them in a small plastic box. Its what grade schoolers do for science projects.

[Tyk @ Sep 5th 2007 10:29AM]

XBOX360 .. your assertion fails.

[Ang @ Sep 5th 2007 10:26AM]

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's Quote "There's no chance the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance."

Yeah, good one Steve, nothing more needs to be said.

[John @ Sep 5th 2007 10:34AM]

(it doesn't have significant market share)

[farukates @ Sep 5th 2007 10:56AM]

John,

"(it doesn't have significant market share)"

(it outsold all of Microsoft's Windows Mobile phones in the first month of its release, though. What's that then say about WM?)

[Bandit @ Sep 5th 2007 11:43AM]

I believe iPhone outsold the other phones *within that period*, not to-date. A huge difference. And of course, there was a ton of first-month sales hype so a lot of the likely purchasers snapped it up. What followed was a lot of word-of-mouth disappointment due to the unfinished nature of various aspect of the product, which I believe has impacted sales momentum. Whether it can be sustained remains to be seen. They really needed the post-launch buzz and I think at most they got mixed reviews and a lot of people who are going to wait for "Version 2." So Apple still doesn't have "significant" market share, though if the momentum stays (a big if) it'll be there by the end of the year.

[ihavetinyballs @ Sep 5th 2007 11:45AM]

John don't be a dummy. Don't you read Engadget? The I-Phone is the top selling smartphone in the US.

[I.E @ Sep 5th 2007 2:17PM]

don't be a dummy ihavetinyballs. the iphone is NOT a smartphone

[Duscrom @ Sep 5th 2007 10:30AM]

IMHO, Apple Did make the Cellphone space fun to watch. Apple is, for once, diving into a market that stays competitive. They can be lazy on the PC/Laptop front, because, while they have very little market share, their market is extremely loyal. And.. well, th iPod/iTunes is a monopoly. Te AppleTV is a bust, offering little over it's competition... but the iPhone is shaking things up, and everybody is already doing their part to overtake it. I won't be getting an iPhone (as I'm not leaving T-Mo any time soon) but the, so called "copycats" are looking rather sweet.

as for the DMP, I Sansa Connect, is the real competition.

[leland @ Sep 5th 2007 10:37AM]

these guys called it way back in january

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRLRjKCGHek

[Shunnabunich @ Sep 5th 2007 10:56AM]

F-

Please see me after class

[I.E @ Sep 5th 2007 11:37AM]

How could she be tight lipped with a name like Mindy Mount?

[Ozbone @ Sep 5th 2007 11:38AM]

B- ??!!?! Hardly an objective rating. That said I will not be surprised if M$'s second effort is a more serious challenge.

[yroc @ Sep 5th 2007 11:42AM]

Am I reading this right? This is a Microsoft executive giving their own product a B-? Really? Company perception is always higher than consumer reality. So, customers might give it a C- or a D right?

[ihavetinyballs @ Sep 5th 2007 11:42AM]

When will all you retards who think you need 3G, realize its usless unless you live in an area that is covered? which pretty much restricts you to a major city. 3G is fast no $hit. Half of you dumb $hits probably don't get 3G to begin with, so your 3G phone is not really all that fast now is it?.

[ericdano @ Sep 5th 2007 12:30PM]

Microsoft needs to learn from Palm. They need to kill the Zune off like Palm did with it's Foleo thing.

[sin4me @ Sep 5th 2007 12:46PM]

idb?

[sr1329 @ Sep 5th 2007 6:07PM]

B-? Try F+.