Microsoft: 'June 2009 will be an important month for Zune lovers... hold off from buying an iPhone/Pre' Update: It's a hoax
By Thomas Ricker 
posted May 12th 2009 4:27AM
posted May 12th 2009 4:27AM
June 2009 will be an important month for Zune lovers.Then as a followup to the barrage of questions received, @officethemovie adds,
New product launch, that's all I'm allowed to say. Hold off from buying an iPhone/Pre.Naturally, we're expecting the launch of the Zune HD and/or the unveiling of project Pink. Whatever happens, the month of June is going to be historic with Apple's WWDC scheduled to kick off on June 8th and the Palm Pre rumored for release on June 5th or June 7th.
Update: It's worth mentioning that the big E3 gaming expo kicks off on June 2nd (press events on the 1st) -- could be important if there's any truth to the new Zune HD supporting some form of Xbox game integration.
Update 2: Sadly, it's all a hoax -- but it was fun while it lasted.
[Via Neowin, thanks Anthony S.]
Will it be called Zune June?
New June in Zune? wow... epic WIN
So does the fact they said to hold off on buying the iphone (GSM) and the pre (CDMA) mean they might go multicarrier and multispectrum?
First the wacky Chevy/Zune announcement and now this?
I think if Microsoft does release something they call an iPhone competitor, that the let's-just-call-it-a-zune-phone-for-now may not do too good. Microsoft's and Palm's phones may be a great choice for the folks who refuse to get an iPhone because they hate Apple crowd, but they will probably end up cannibalizing each other's share.
It's highly entertaining to watch the slow motion collapse that Microsoft is engaged in. It's a bit like a glacier melting. This is just another nail in the coffin. Now all those little Windows Mobile partners get shafted. Nice move, MS!
After this, are there any more partners to stab in the back? I am not sure, maybe they are running out now...
Did that "hatred for everything that's not Apple" come pre-packaged with your MacBook and iPhone, or did you have to buy that separately?
@nikster
I like you. You always make me laugh.
I'm not sure you intend to, mind.
What's funny about the comment is that it sounds like it's EXPECTED you're to buy an iPhone (or Pre), as though it were a necessity like "hold off on eating."
MSFT - You just don't get it.
For the love of all that is holy, they MUST release (or at least announce) before June 7. If they have a new product, they owe it to their shareholders to steal the thunder from the Pre and whatever iPhone Apple announces.
It sounds like several of these other companies are getting together to try to make a bunch of announcements right at the time of the iPhone announcement to lessen the impact of the iPhone. I'm surprised RIMM hasn't scheduled an announcement for that week too.
They do realize that all Apple has to do is wait a couple weeks until these other announcements die down, right? And if Palm is trying to wait Apple out, Apple can afford to wait as long as they need to. Palm can't.
Tegra is upon us..........................
http://www.nvidia.com/object/mobile_games_demos.html
It's the TEGRA phone.... duh. And yes, it would slash away any competition.
http://www.nvidia.com/object/mobile_games_demos.html
hold off buying an iphone for a zune..lol ok ms sure ill do that. does the zune make calls now? and palm pre wont amount to anything anyway since most people have att and verizon now. wasnt spring in trouble financially and palm also?? yes i think so, the palm pre will sell 2 million tops, i think iphones at 20 million world so far.
I just got an iPhone about 2 months ago so by the time MS get all the bugs out of the "Zune Phone," my 2 year contract will be up. I just hope the new Chevys have Zune support 'cause my Zune is getting no love from 3rd parties, & I really want that new Camaro SS.
Is that Twitter account still active? Can't seem to find it.
"Hold off from buying an iPhone/Pre."
If such a thing is true and will come to fruition around June, this phrase to the masses will fall into deaf ears.
Even if for some reason people believed 100 percent of it, this would equate to about a hundred users. Most of them can be found here on Engadget, defending this "me too" failed of a product. Ooops I forgot the other dozen or so added in Canada.
Just for reference, Jubei, Zune = 10% of the hard drive based PMP marketshare. Macintosh = 10% of the computer marketshare. I guess Apple might as well quit making computers, then- obviously only like, 100 people own them.
Hold on.... did I hear someone responding? I could have sworn I heard someone who failed miserably and forced to use a different name replying.... Oh well, whatever it is it's gone now.
Still this hoax was quite cruel in my opinion. Twitter is a terrific thing and even if this joke was at the expense of Zune users, its' not very cool.
The only things that failed is the Engadget commenting system not allowing me to use a different name- rather, it would constantly post it as "Zeus.:God" even though I set a different name with my email- the name change was at my own leisure, not because I was forced to, and the other would be YOU.
You should go back and review your posts- you know, like you told me to do, because you completely owned yourself with that comment (as was pointed out by, if I'm not mistaken, insky). Another failure is your comparison of the Zune's subscription program to the purchase of music through iTunes. Only an idiot would would continue to claim iTunes offers a better service by saying that the 10 songs you get to keep a month with that subscription is comparable to purchasing them outright. You're not paying 1.50 for 10 songs, you're paying 15 bucks a month for an UNLIMITED number of songs PLUS the 10 songs you get to keep. As long as you keep the subscription going, you keep your music, and with that, I doubt anyone would ever cancel, as Zune > comparable iPod models (not iPhone, you buffoon), Zune software >>>>>> iTunes (not buggy or laggy like that memory hog, iTunes), and the excellent build quality of the Zune, as well as it's build materials. Gives you all the music you want while keeping you legal and you're not stealing from the pockets of artists (unlike Steve Jobs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0UjU0rtavE), as you were promoting piracy with this comment: "There are myriad ways of listening to music for free."
You're a tard, Jubei. You keep acting like you're on a high horse, but little do you know, you were knocked down LONG ago.
Oh, and Twitter is useless- just figured I would let you know this, you anti-social bastard.
I hear that faint echo again.... Sounds like ZG = Gone = FAILED. I wonder whatever happened to him. This "me too" person Clickerson is just as rude as ZG. Why is it that you also cannot make a point without using personal attacks, how rude of you. You're relegating your post to irrelevancy. Debate properly even when your so angry, you should apologize for being rude. Now back to topic, yes this hoax was rather cruel to Zune users desperately clinging on anything that may save their "me too" device.
3 points.
1) Anger and cursing/insults are not directly related.
2) The Zune doesn't need saving. It's doing very well for the market it has entered.
3) Debating requires valid points and a decent amount of intelligence. Neither of which you have, nor have you shown. Every one of your arguments gets broken down and handed to you on a silver platter- every time you make a post, you might as well scratch another tally into your desk marking your failures.
Have fun trolling, tool. It's obvious the only reason you post here is to get a rise out of others.
Gosh I still hear that faint echo of ZG/Banned = FAIL! :-)
This doppelgänger seems to react the same way. Angry, out of topic and continued personal attacks.
Now back to topic, yes this hoax was rather cruel to Zune users desperately clinging on anything that may save their "me too" device.
Nothing more than an ignorant troll chock full of false information and half truths.
Wow, MS is sure working hard at selling this "we'll revolutionize how you look at media" crap.
Is it that serious to reply??? Are you really gonna kill yourself if you don't??
I would never trust Microsoft to produce a phone that wouldn't crash the minute you needed to dial 911. How can a software company get so many things so wrong??
I never said i was trying to be cool. I go for whatever i like just like the rest of you. I like the Zune. And i love cheering for the underdog. because when you get an underdog into a corner they come back fighting!
I'm skeptical that Microsoft is up for delivering anything on par with the iPhone or the Pre.
I used Windows Mobile for years before switching to iPhone and it seemed clumsy and unstable.
I can't help but think all Microsoft will do is add a new interface and a few new features to what I believe is a bad operating system (I doubt they started from scratch). It's lipstick on a pig.
Besides, iTunes is still the world's #1 music store, with a big lead over any competing digital distributors so even if a "Zune Phone" nailed the interface, they're already starting at a disadvantage for not being able to sync with iTunes for both music AND video.
Here's hoping the "Zune Phone" at least gets a usable web browser.
Besides. The Zune HD looks cool.... lol.
How weak !
Is that the best m$ can do ,?
To tell people to not buy iPhone pre.
Imagine if apple had told us to not buy pre,
We would be all over apple.
It amaZes me to see how many mindless ms fanboys exist.
Wm zune are 3 years behind iPhone agree?
Sales tell the whole picture,sucess is measured in sales.!
I agree that their "argument" for holding off is weak but we would be wrong to assume that this is the best Microsoft can do. We'll see when they announce it whether this "product" is worth any hype.
I think everyone would be amazed if Apple requested that people not buy the pre. Not so much because its stupid marketing, but Apple currently being number one would show a sign of fear in such a request.
I call them tech addicts. I have an iPhone and I love it. I do know however that there are a LOT of things that could have been done with this phone that weren't. Even some that are possible but they are locked. I would hesitate to categorize anyone who disagrees with me as a fanboy simply to diminish their credibility. Hear their arguments, you may be blinding yourself to a good point in your rage.
The iPhone interface is great and in my personal favorite for mobile phones. But 3 years behind iPhone? I don't know. The Zune still does some stuff that the iPhone doesn't. In fact, almost every other portable mp3 player and mobile phone does things that the iPhone doesn't and those have been around a lot longer than 3 years. So technically, it is the iPhone that is behind right?
"Sales tell the whole picture, success is measured in sales." I disagree. Success is measured in profit. You can sell the hell out of a product but if you aren't making a profit, you can still wind up in the red.
HD Zune FTW
If this comes out as a phone, get ready and buy some Micro stock. It should be b*tch*n.
I would spend a good penny if it covers all networks. I would suspect so since it is telling us to avoid the Pre and iPhone.
You expected them to tell you the negatives too? Hmmm
"hold off on buying iphone / pre, unless you're on Verizon and AT+T, then maybe consider it after your contract is up"
Doesn't quite have the same marketing zing.
Obvious troll is obvious.
Has Live Anywhere shown up...err...anywhere? Perhaps this "device" will support gamer score achievements with mobile games? Not a phone seller but it does sweeten the pot for the score whores.
No zune specific phone. It'll be a crappy zune application that runs on winblows mobile. Yet another letdown from MS.
@solarplexus
"They ALL got their roots from Palm/Handspring in the first place." - Wow did you really say that? Newton anyone? If you don't know what that is I have one I can show you some day.
@Priper - (And please don't bother the grown ups while they blog, it's annoying) - Gotcha, commenting on a Blog is actually blogging, thanks for clearing that up, Yeah I'm new to this I have only owned a Newton MP100, 120, 2000, 2 Visors, 3 Palm devices, iPhone, iPhone 3g, so yeah I'm new to this.
@Shea - Buuuuut, just for the sake of argument, let's assume they did. SO WHAT? Palm did it better. - And you know this because you have a Pre? You have used it extensively? Thought not.
@WhyFi - Since when does the aesthetics of the UI equal the nuts and bolts of the OS? - Who said anything about the nuts and bolts? WhyPost, the first and really only thing that was presented was the UI so that's what we have to go on. What info do you have on the OS, please enlighten us. You can bet that a LOT of the engineering came from all of the former Apple employees working on this device.
In the end folks as much as you won't admit it this device is a nice rip from the iPhone with a few nice innovations thrown in. Must be nice to have the blue print created for you in advance by another company. Again folks please read this for some enlightenment http://tr.im/6a17
@Look_Around_You - "Okay. Thanks for your input. That is why you guys have the image of douchebags, of pompous windbags, and of mindless shills for a brand.
I know it's the main reason I dont use Apple products, after being a fan of them all through the 90s. "
So you base your product purchases on the way it's users are perceived? Who's really the douchebag here?
The douchebags that make that stereotype a reality? ;)
I expect the Pre and new iphone launch will overshadow the zune anouncement.
It makes sense to show it off at this years E3, but i don't think the hardcore gamers will be happy if the device doesn't have any traditional controls. BTW I expect the great hardware specs rumored some time ago to be true.
Don't know if anyone has noticed, but it seems the Office 2010 team has officially retracted this, or, pointed to the fact it is fake. The http://www.office2010themovie.com/ website links to the twitter feed for user office2010movie rather than officethemovie. The real one also has to tweets stating:
This is the official Office 2010 Movie twitter.
and
Great to see so much activity around our film, it only stars Office at this point though, no Zune
Seems we've all been had (or at least those of use drooling over the prospect of a Zune phone).
Does that say 'AT&T'? Noooo...
I thought this would be Verizon.
iPod is the worst mp3 player these days. Just because it has market share does not make it any good.
Zune or the Zen are so much better.
Microsoft sez the Twitter account is fake:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/12/microsoft-denies-twitter-sourced-zune-rumors/
To the honest I thought the Zune HD render was very nice looking. Hmmm, June is shaping up to be a very interesting month, might go down in history. Can't wait to find out who comes out on top. Apple, Palm or Microsoft?
unless it's a phone that's not running the usual windows mobile bs, has an open app sdk and is FREE; I seriously doubt that anyone will hold off on getting an iphone or pre.
"June 2009 will be an important month for Zune lovers."
What Zune lovers?!
*sigh*
What does the iPod do that the Zune can't?