Zune phone references uncovered in firmware update
Three product IDs point toward cellular version of Zune HD
We got quite excited about the Zune HD and its potential as serious competition for the iPod touch, but after its launch Microsoft seemed to lose interest entirely.
It is still issuing the occasional firmware update, however, and some clever code spies at iStartedSomething have noticed references to three distinct unidentified devices in the latest software. What's more, these references point towards phone versions of the Zune.
We've speculated enough about the possibility of Microsoft taking the Zune HD cellular, but once Windows Mobile 7 began hinting at Zune integration and a fresh start for the mobile operating system, the idea of a Zune HD phone began to wilt.
These references in the new software specifically detail the three hardware models as phones, though it's unclear yet whether they're a reference to Zune integration in Windows Mobile 7 devices, or distinct Zune phones. We shall see.
