In their own ways, Microsoft and Apple push the next iPhone

Microsoft sent an unambiguous message to European consumers this week: the next iPod killer will arrive imminently. It's called the iPhone. The 3G iPhone. Well, in truth, Microsoft never mentioned Apple's iPhone. Instead, it announced a -- yawn -- new software upgrade for its Zune music store, saying the phantom device will now play video too. You'll have to take their word for it, European gadgetheads. There is still no word on when, or if, Microsoft will make the player available here. The latest rumour is that it will be 18 months from now, in autumn 2009, when Microsoft introduces the third generation Zune.

By our calculation, that will be a good 15 or so months after the European launch of the 3G iPhone, all but burying the Zune's chances here. Apple appears set to announce its plans for a high-speed 3G iPhone next month.

According to the New York Times, the 3G iPhone will arrive in Europe as early as August. Citing a person familiar with the roll-out plans, the paper says the first 3G iPhone market is Italy via a deal with Vodafone and Telecom Italia Mobile, I type with a huge grin from my perch here in Rome.

A 3G iPhone is seen as a necessity for Apple as sales of the current models, which plod along on GSM networks, have begun to dip and retailers fear a glut of unsold 2.5G models.

Comments

[lechatnoir]

a new firmware LMAO ! so its true what they say. Microsoft have like a trillion of these I-zune all over the country and this "thier" argument to sell it ? who is going to play a game on the Zune when it was only intended to play music ?

[Surur]

@lechatnoir
who is going to play a game on the Zune when it was only intended to play music ?
.............

Good thing the iPod doesn't have games either does it?

Oh it does? There goes your argument.

@Bernhard
Zune and the 3G iPhone are completely unrelated. MS has various Windows Mobile companies fighting the good fight for them, and the 3G HTC Touch Diamond will arrive well before the iPhone in Europe.
http://www.htc.com/www/product.aspx?id=46278

[Daniel Turner]

Not really looking forward the HTC Diamond. I have an iPhone, but even trying to ignore my obvious bias, the HTC just doesn't do it for me. From the videos that I have seen the device just seems far too sluggish. The devise itself does look fantastic, but the fact that what u commanded the device to do, does not happen until a second after u commanded it, would drive me crazy, especially after using an iphone for a few months.

Trying not to sound like a mac addict, I genuinely believe the iPhone still has the upper hand. And with the 2.0 upgrade out next month along with the app store, its going to take something quite meaty to beat it