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Microsoft splits Zune team into software and hardware

Microsoft has split its Zune team into software and hardware groups, …

The year started off rather weakly for the Zune. With news of poor sales the previous quarter and with Cesar Menendez leaving, things weren't looking particularly good for Microsoft's portable media player. Some bloggers went as far as saying that Microsoft would be killing of the Zune this year, but the company was quick to retort that it would never do such a thing and that it would "deliver progress this calendar year."

Earlier this month, the Zune team announced that it would be creating and distributing original digital series to push the Zune brand and the Zune Marketplace. 2009 will see more change than just that, though, as Microsoft recently split up the Zune team into separate hardware and software groups.

Microsoft has said time and time again that it wants to port the Zune service to other devices. In an interview with CNet, Enrique Rodriguez, the vice president who currently runs Microsoft's Mediaroom and Media Center TV businesses, and the man who is now responsible for the software and services portion of the Zune team, explained his mission: "You have to have a hero device," he said. "If you ask me how important is it from a numbers perspective, today it's ultra-important. If I do my job right, part of my job is to make it less important. Part of my job is to make sure the service comes into every device."

So what exactly does that mean for the Zune in 2009? Rodriguez didn't specify, but I'd expect to see the Zune on Windows Mobile devices, and a major hardware refresh ("hero device") in time for the holiday shopping season. Oh yeah, and a launch outside of the US and Canada—that would be nice.

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