Microsoft Zune "Gaming" Phone Coming to CES 2009?

CES 2009 could see the pre-release of Microsoft's much needed answer to Google's Android and the Apple iPhone according to various sources on the Internet.

According to Trip Chowdhry from Global Equities Research, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer could take the centre stage at CES to unveil a device that will combine features from the Zune music players and Danger's Sidekick handhelds.

But Zune's Group Manager, Brian Seitz, has already said "No Zune phone at CES" but Project Pink, which is the name given to a group of services that Microsoft aims to deploy on mobile platforms could well be on the agenda.

It is unlikely that Microsoft will take on its own partners with a competing product; instead Microsoft could an intermediate version of Windows Mobile which will bridge the gap between the current Windows Mobile 6.1 and 7.

This could be a beta Windows Mobile 6.5 which is rumoured to be a minor upgrade and one which should bring in much needed improvements to the platform.

Article continues after advert

The Inquirer is also predicting that the new Zune phone could also double as a gaming phone - in fact, it could be more gaming console than phone. 

Microsoft is already working with Nvidia on the Tegra platform which will boost the video capabilities of its mobile platform.

Danger is the mobile phone company Microsoft acquired at the beginning of the year for an undisclosed sum; Danger is also the company which was founded by Andy Rubin, who moved on to Google - through the acquisition of his startup, Android - to spearhead the Internet giant mobile project.