Many of the Zune users seem to agree a Zune Phone would push Microsoft’s dull mobile market into high gear. The inbuilt Music software in the Microsoft Mobile is no where near the quality we get in a Zune. There are lots of possibilities including the Zune software getting embedded in Windows Mobile. But ultimately it also depends on the hardware which Microsoft cannot control in the case of Windows Mobile.
Most of the Windows Mobiles are made by HTC,HP and Motorola.

Ever since the launch of the Zune, with its far superior music playing software compared to the player built into Windows Mobile, people have urged Microsoft to incorporate the Zune software into a phone. That idea has spurred rumors of a Microsoft-branded phone that includes the Zune software and is targeted at consumers. The latest speculation has Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer introducing a Zune phone at CES in Las Vegas in January.

Microsoft flat out denies that it will introduce a phone any time soon, but experts say it should.

“Microsoft’s only chance is to build a phone,” said Satoshi Nakajima, president of Big Canvas, an iPhone application development startup, who spent more than a decade at Microsoft. If Microsoft were to package hardware and software, much like its Xbox effort, it could better control the end result and potentially earn more revenue than it does on Windows Mobile, he said.

But Microsoft, which has historically said that it won’t release its own device because it would compete with its phone manufacturer customers that use Windows Mobile, said not to count on an announcement. “Microsoft has no plans to make a phone. Our core focus has been and will continue to be providing software plus services and working with our partners to deliver great phones. Our partners have been integral in our success to date, and we are excited about the innovation we are bringing to the market together,” it said in a statement.

Microsoft shouldn’t let the competitive issue hold it back, some say. If Microsoft clearly differentiates its phone, which would be based on software from recently acquired Danger and incorporate the Zune and potentially Xbox gaming functions, as squarely targeted at consumers, it might convince Windows Mobile phone makers that it doesn’t compete, Nakajima said.

Microsoft could further distance the new platform from Windows Mobile by spinning out a consumer focused company that includes Xbox, Zune and Danger and produces the consumer phone, Nakajima suggested.

The rumours abound that a much improved 4GB Apple Iphone 3G might be in WalMart stores for the Big festive season. This could be decision based on the current economic situations, where every penny counts for the usually generous Holiday shoppers.

Some of the popular newspapers have confirmed this with Wal-mart store employees, who have started getting training to handle 2 versions of the Glamarous iphone.

Our speculation is that Wal-Mart will start selling iphone this Holiday season  but if it will be 4GB is a big question. Apple might just start selling both 8GB and 16GB versions in Wal-Mart instead of the rumoured  4GB.

Most iphone users would agree that the one time price for the Apple Iphone is very little compared to the 2 year commitments in data ($720) and Voice($960 minimum). So It will be interesting see Apple debuting its 4GB version, and more interesting if customers wil be interested in the phone.

Many expected iphone to become instant hit in every market just like US. But apart from US and few European countries, iphone hasn’t taken off as expected. Even worse, In India it is a total flop show. Indian youngsters are not averse to spending thousands on mobile phones, but they are certainly not dumb either. India is one of the major market for Nokia’s high end phones including N series and E Series. These phones offer almost all the features and functionality, of a mini computer coupled with no restrictions on Network, software or data plans. But with Iphone 3G priced at same price as the top notch N95/N96, its features are not that great to sweep away the Nokia users.
Except the touch screen Iphone 3G falls short in almost every other area for the same price.
Whether it is iphone’s poor 2MP camera vs 5MP carl zeiss optics of Nokia or the battery life or application support. Iphone 3G’s much bloated feature 3G itself cannot be put to test in India, and Nokia has been offering 3G silently in even its basic phones.
Thanks to many complaints from other markets about poor call quality and battery life, many wannabe iphone users simply walked away.There could also another reason unlike other products which primarily launch in US before coming to countries like India, India is the first takeoff pad for most popular mobiles, be it Nokia or Samsung or Sony Ericsson, all have almost 95% of their models launched in India. On the other hand US customers get less than 10% of the models and mostly AT&T and other operators introduce phones which failed in Europe and Asia. The only N Series phone available with AT&T was N75 and which was probably the worst performing N Series device in Europe and India. Same with Sony Ericsson and Samsung.
All in all Apple might have to do much better than hype in markets outside US.

The first phone running Google’s Android OS might hit US market from HTC coming Novemeber 2008.HTC has filed compliance report to FCC on the phone and by the looks of it the phone might look like the ATT Tilt running Android instead of Windows Mobile edition.

The phone also will be having all the basic features of modern day smart phones including wifi,Bluetooth. This specific phone will have jog ball and a sliding keyboard.

The phone might hit T-Mobile stores as early as this November 10. T-Mobile is a major partner in the Android project.