Comments by Microsoft execs last week during the Consumer Electronics Exhibit (CES) created murky Microsoft;s long term options for that Zune. And follow-up more than the weekend about the Zune Insider blog didn;t clarify matters any.Users desire to know regardless of whether Microsoft strategies to remain within the Zune hardware business. Will Microsoft make any extra Zune players? Will the firm issue future Zune firmware updates? How long will Microsoft support current gamers if it exits that company? Nobody will go on the file and present clarification.Instead, Microsoft officials are declaring issues like this:“We;ve been declaring for some time that our strategy for Zune is to give a great entertainment experience across multiple screens and devices. Software and services have always been at the core of this strategy - this is nothing new. Today,
Microsoft Office 2007, this means a great Zune experience around the PC and portable Zune devices, and as we have said before we think it makes sense to extend that experience to other devices in the long term,” blogged Paul Davidson, Lead Video Producer, Zune Video Marketplace.It;s already known that Microsoft is planning to move Zune services to mobile phones. That;s what the Zune Mobile announcement that many were expecting at CES but now is unlikely before next month.Poster Christopher Coulter expressed many consumers; frustration with Microsoft;s failure to be clear about Zune;s future:“How to keep conspiracy theories alive and drench all marketing fires, answer things in a haze cloud of PR nothingness. Don;t ever directly state anything, use codewords such as ‘extend; and ‘today” followed by a “future;.“Just 1 clear answer that you aren;t going to abandonware an entire hardware platform. Not so hard to do. Right?”Would you care if Microsoft abandons the Zune hardware market — if it continues to present Zune subscription and sharing services on other devices?Update: On January 13, a Microsoft Zune spokesman claimed Microsoft “is not getting out of the hardware company at all.” Too bad it took Microsoft almost a week to comment on Ballmer;s and Microsoft;s President of Entertainment and Devices; Robbie Bach;s less-than-straightforward comments about Zune;s future.