Microsoft May Port Zune Software to Apple Platform

Microsoft may port the Zune software and services to other platforms, including Apple's, reports Mary Jo Foley for ZDNet.

Foley is using the Zune Pass subscription in conjunction with her Sony Walkman MP3 player which made her realize that the service isn't tied to a device.


I've been thinking that there might be a number of Apple iPod/iPhone users who might prefer a music subscription service over a pay-per-song one. (And one that's better than Rhapsody.) Given the problems many iTunes users have trying to run iTunes on Windows, maybe they'd be interested in using the Zune software on their Windows PCs, even if they are iPod/iPhone users.

Foley posed the question to Jose Pinero, Director of Communications for Microsoft's TV, Video and Music Business who responded saying, "We are evaluating a lot of options in terms of platforms."

Pinero also noted that Mac and Linux users already can stream music to their systems if they have a ZunePass subscription. This can be done via any browser as part of the new Zune 4.0 experience.

Microsoft's current focus is getting Zune services on the XBox by this fall. Once that is done, the company will focus on mobile phones.