Now that we all know about the supposed Zune phone rumors, several websites have decided to list their opinions on what would make the Zune phone successful (and of course success here is apparently measured in terms of how it would beat the iPhone.. interesting considering the iPhone isn’t even technically out). One of the first websites to provide their suggestions is Gizmodo.com - here’s a quick lowdown on their suggestions:

  • Touchscreen capabilities
  • MP3 ringtones
  • Wi-Fi syncing and downloading
  • 3G synching and downloading
  • Live Aywhere over 3G
  • Gaming support
  • Support Slingbox like functionality with Windows Media Center
  • Vista SideShow support
  • Open APIs
  • OS X compatibility
  • Not locked to a carrier

TechEBlog then took this list and thought the top five would be as follows:

  • Wi-Fi synching and downloading
  • 3G syncing and downloading
  • Touchscreen
  • Open APIs
  • Not locked to a carrier

Ok.. all nice and dandy.. but somehow this all feels very constrained to me. I don’t believe we’re thinking outside the box enough. So with that said, here are my suggestions to what would make an awesome Zune phone (in no particular order mind you)

  • Ease of use - at the end of the day, it’s all about ease of use folks. The Zune’s UI (user interface), which is based off of the Portable Media Center v.2.0, is a great first step in that direction. What Microsoft smartly did with the Zune was hide the hideous Windows Mobile UI (yes.. I think Windows Mobile’s UI can be somewhat hideous at times). In order for the Zune phone to be successful, the UI will also have to be easy to use and simple for the average joe. It shouldn’t take me 3-4 taps to simply make a phone call. Let me call someone simply by pressing a keypad or selecting a person. Let me listen to music at the same time I’m reading my calendar. Let me do things simply and easily.
  • Ease of integration with existing Windows systems. In many ways this is what Gizmodo is talking about when they say they want Slingbox-like functionality and Windows SideShow functionality. Yet let’s take this concept a bit further. Make the Zune interact with Windows desktops much the way the Xbox 360 interacts with desktop systems. The 360 can connect to Vista boxes and stream music, photos, and videos straight to the console. How cool would it be if the Zune phone could do the exact same thing over WiFi? Seamless interaction with Windows PCs without the complexity of remote desktop or what not.
  • API support - this is where I’m in total agreement with Gizmodo and TechEBlog. Having an open API is what makes the Windows Mobile platform so successful and extending this API to the Zune platform could result in many awesome third party applications. Of course this will add complexity to the Zune platform and possiblity cause support headaches for Microsoft.  It’s important but not a requirement.
  • Replaceable battery with long battery life - the phone has to have long battery life and please please please make the battery replaceable.
  • 3G support - because you  just have to.
  • Improved Wireless Support - I think we’re all in agreement that the Zune to Zune sharing is a bit lame at this time. Sure it’s neat to share music and photos with your friends but how much cooler would it be if I could connect to an online service provider via the WiFi connection? So to that end, I say extend WiFi support on the Zune. Allow Zune syncing over WiFi. Extend Zune to Zune sharing to share anything and everything. Communicate from one Zune to another Zune using Windows Live Messenger (or some other IM tool). If the network is there - why not utilize it? Make WiFi a viable communications backbone to the phone - not just a data platform
  • Bluetooth support - This is a must if you ask me. Everyone will want to pair their fancy looking Bluetooth headset with the Zune phone so Microsoft better include Bluetooth support. While you’re at it - make the Zune easily syncable to a Windows PC over Bluetooth too! I know it’s hard for Microsoft to make that happen but come on.. there must be a way
  • KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid. This may seem counter intuitive given what we’ve listed above but I believe the Zune phone could be made ultra simple if they focused on ease of use. Make WiFi simple to use. Make calling contacts easy. Focus on clear objectives for the Zune phone. It’s about media, people, calendar, tasks and communicatios. Make everything an extension of these items and keep everything simple. Execute simply. I know.. it sounds easier than it actually is but somehow they managed to make the Xbox 360 very easy to use and yet it’s extremely powerful. It can be done.
  • Simplified Media Management - Media is media right? I don’t want to know where my media came from. It could have come from my computer, from the net, from my friends, from MMS messages.. who cares? I should have a simplified UI to interact with the media

OK - that’s it for now. I think I’m suffering from a brain cramp now so I’ll need some sleep. Yet I hope this has your juices flowing now. Think about ideas and feel free to post them up here!

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