Microsoft retires Zune in shadow of Apple's iPod popularity

Microsoft officially killed its Zune music player on Tuesday, but insisted it was part of its “strategy" to shift the focus of its mobile music and video efforts to Windows Phone. Microsoft created the Zune to compete with Apple Inc.’s iconic iPod media player. The Zune, however, failed to catch up with the iPod’s popularity. “We recently announced that, going forward, Windows Phone will be the focus of our mobile music and video strategy, and that we will no longer be producing Zune players. So what does this mean for our current Zune users? Absolutely nothing," it said in an announcement on the Zune website. Your device will continue to work with Zune services just as it does today. And we will continue to honor the warranties of all devices for both current owners and those who buy our very last devices," the announcement also said. But it said those who recently an order for a Zune player through the Zune Originals website will still have their orders fulfilled. Another article on enthusiast site WinRumors said Microsoft had killed off its Zune originals devices earlier this year, “marking the beginning of the end." Yet it also urged consumers to purchase a Windows Phone 7 device for the Zune experience. Tech site The Next Web noted the Zune service will now merge the Zune service into its Windows Live brand and is working on porting the Zune HD applications to Windows Phone. “Zune will continue to live on, albeit in a new guise, but its hardware looks like it will be no more," it said. — ELR, GMA News