ZunePhone: It's Basically Confirmed

Ever since Microsoft released the Zune line of music players, many have been expecting a device that merges it with a phone. What could be the best evidence yet of the so-called ZunePhone has come to light.

People digging around in the new version of the Zune desktop software found a reference to "Phone.Device" in the part of this application that describes the devices that program can synchronize with.

While this is not proof that a ZunePhone is imminent, it certainly suggests something new is on the way.

Microsoft has consistently denied that a combination phone and Zune is coming, though, and it has done so again since this news broke.

Could It Be Windows Mobile 7 ME?
Microsoft is expected to unveil Windows Mobile 7 in the next few weeks, and an unconfirmed report says this will come in two editions: one for businesses and the other for consumers. The consumer version -- called the Media Edition -- will supposedly be able to synchronize with the Zune desktop software. This could be the explanation "Phone.Device" reference.

If so, it means there won't be a Microsoft-branded ZunePhone, but instead a range of smartphones with Zune-like features. Microsoft has been hinting about bringing aspects of its Zune player to other types of devices for some time.

Source: istartedsomething