Microsoft backpeddles, says Zune is still alive

By Jeffrey Van Camp October 5, 2011

zune-hd — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Yesterday, we reported that Microsoft had officially announced that the Zune HD and hardware was dead and that Windows Phone was the new focus for the brand. That information came directly from a page on Zune.net. Well, now Microsoft claims that it was all a big mistake and that it wasn’t official in the first place.

Here’s what the @ZuneSupport team said on Twitter: “We are still supporting the Zune HD hardware. No official info has been released stating hardware is being discontinued.”

Well, okay. Here’s what the message on the Zune.net site said yesterday: “We recently announced that, going forward, Windows Phone will be the focus of our mobile music and video strategy, and that we will no longer be producing Zune players. So what does this mean for our current Zune users? Absolutely nothing. Your device will continue to work with Zune services just as it does today. And we will continue to honor the warranties of all devices for both current owners and those who buy our very last devices. Customer service has been, and will remain a top priority for us.”

Clearly, if Microsoft wrote this info on the site, created a page for it, and removed all of the Zune HD pages (they have since returned), a plan is in place to kill the Zune HD. What benefit does Microsoft gain from lying about it now? The word is out. Anyone buying a Zune in the last two years has had to know the day might come when Microsoft discontinues the device. It just hasn’t taken off.

So, it looks like we’ll have to hear about the Zune’s death yet again, at a later date. How fun. Hopefully Microsoft will ease the nonexistent pain with some other announcement, or a clever list of talking points.

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Jeffrey Van Camp

Former Digital Trends Contributor

As DT's Deputy Editor, Jeff helps oversee editorial operations at Digital Trends. Previously, he ran the site's…

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