Actually, the Zune was thought to have been Microsoft's entrant into the portable gaming market.
An updated version of the original Zune 30 was introduced as the Zune 80, offering a much larger 80GB hard drive.
Because of the large touchscreen, the Zune HD competed primarily against the iPod touch.
Besides using Windows 7 Mobile as the operating system, Microsoft Pink phones will most like include Zune services, which would make sense since the only thing missing from the Zune is the calling feature.
Building upon the success of Zune, Microsoft combines the music on the user's computer with online music services and FM radio.
Despite promising first week sales, the Zune faltered.
Each song cost approximately $1, but users were also offered an unlimited monthly Zune Pass for a flat fee of $14.99 per month.
Given the much larger and more widely adopted ecosystem of iTunes and the iPod family of media players, Microsoft struggled to get a foothold with its Zune products.
Given the somewhat larger size and capacity, the first-generation Zune competed primarily against the Apple iPod classic (5th generation) of the time.
Intended to challenge the Apple iPod's stranglehold on the portable MP3 player market, the Zune went through several iterations before Microsoft officially abandoned the product line in 2011 to focus on other projects.
It featured a touch-sensitive Zune Pad, which was shaped like a rounded square.
It is still possible to buy a used Zune through marketplaces like eBay and Craigslist, but it is no longer offered officially by Microsoft.
Microsoft announced the discontinuation of the Zune family of media players in October 2011.
Microsoft continues to pursue a similar market with Xbox Music as it did with the Zune Marketplace, but the actual Zune media players are no more.
Microsoft launched the Microsoft Zune portable media player in the United States market in November 2006.
Microsoft Zune - Much like they do in the PC market, Microsoft and Apple are also competing in the MP3 player market.
Microsoft's MP3 player the Zune is available in several different models as well, and has become increasingly popular in recent years.
Named the Zune HD, it featured a 3.3-inch 480 x 272 pixel OLED capacitive touchscreen, 720p HD video out and HD radio.
One of the more notable features of the new firmware was the ability to tag songs heard on the FM radio for later purchase through the Zune Marketplace.
Online CD music stores are a great way to purchase new music for your computer or MP3 player, such as an iPod or Zune.
Support for audiobooks and gaming were also introduced, as well as the ability to purchase songs directly from the Zune device itself.
The capacity of the Zune 80 was also expanded to become the Zune 120 with a 120GB hard drive.
The entire Zune brand was officially discontinued in October 2012 when Microsoft transitioned the Zune branding over to Xbox and Windows Phone.
The fourth and final generation of Microsoft Zune media players was released in September 2009.
The lingering stock was largely sold off during the holiday shopping season of 2011, so virtually no retailers sell the Microsoft Zune today.
The music and video hubs are powered by Zune and offer functionality similar to that found on the Zune HD.
The outward appearance of the third generation Zune products was identical to the preceding iteration, but the new devices were given updated firmware.
The recording industry also has managed to force Microsoft and Apple to pay a percentage of the profit from each sale of the Microsoft Zune and iPod to a music industry kitty, to be distributed among the major labels.
The second generation Zune followed with some product differentiation.
The store integrated with the Zune player and allowed users to purchase and download songs and videos.
The Xbox Portable rumors surfaced months before the Microsoft Zune was released in January 2005.
The Zune 4 and 8 featured a smaller version of the Zune Pad, offering the same touch-sensitive gestures for navigation.
The Zune 4 and Zune 8 were also introduced around the same time.
The Zune 4 and Zune 8 were then replaced with the Zune 16 with 16GB of storage.
The Zune 80 was manufactured by Flextronics.
The Zune also had the ability to play MPEG4 video files on its 3-inch 320 x 480 pixel LCD screen.
The Zune Marketplace for music is now called Xbox Music and it is available not only on the Xbox 360, but also through Windows 8 and Windows RT devices, as well as Windows Phone devices.
The Zune Marketplace was the Microsoft equivalent of Apple's iTunes Store.
The Zune offered many advantages to its users.
The Zune Pass is similarly renamed to the Xbox Music Pass, while Zune video content is available through Xbox Videos.
The Zune quickly rose in the ranks of MP3 players, but has yet to topple the Apple iPod.
There were four generations of Zune portable devices in all.
To the disappointment of many, the Zune was just an MP3 player and not the Xbox Portable gamers wanted it to be.
Upload these files to your favorite MP3 player, like the Microsoft Zune, and take nature with you everywhere you go!
When Zune brand was launched it was Microsoft's first portable media player.
While still in early development stages, Microsoft brings the Xbox gaming and Zune music experiences to mobile handsets.
While the larger hard drive-based Zunes competed against the iPod classic, the Zune 4 and Zune 8 were smaller in size and used flash memory.
While the Zune brand persisted in the form of Zune Music on the Xbox 360 and on Windows Phone devices, the hardware was no longer being produced.
While working on the Zune, Microsoft have ripped a hole into an alternate universe.
With a Silver membership, you have the ability to browse through the different downloadable content in the library, including additional tracks for music games, Xbox Live Arcade titles, and downloadable videos through the Zune Marketplace.