I’m willing to bet that when you think of the Zune, you’re thinking of a portable media player with a software application running on the computer desktop. Well in an interview with CIO.co.uk, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer sees the Zune as something slightly different.

Now, we built the Zune hardware with the Zune software - and what you’ll see more and more over time is that the Zune software will also be ported to and be more important not just with the hardware but on the PC, on Windows Mobile devices, etc.

Pretty interesting huh?

A Microsoft rep had this to say when asked by CNET’s News.com for additional clarification on Ballmer’s comment:

“We’ve always said that software and services is a key focal point for Zune and it does make sense to extend the Zune experience to other devices.. In terms of specific timing we have nothing to announce at the moment.”

Seriously now - is this really surprising? The Zune team did something incredibly right when they created the Zune platform. They nailed the user interface spot on. In fact many in the media think that the Zune user interface is BETTER than the iPod user interface. BETTER. With this kind of popularity, why not bring the Zune back into the Windows Mobile fold - especially since the Zune already has its roots in Windows CE/Mobile. Why not extend the reach of the Zune software to encapsulate many more devices - bringing them into the Zune influence.

The Zune also helped Microsoft extend their online marketplace services. Before the Zune, we had the Xbox LIVE Marketplace where gamers could download games and movies and of course interact and play with others. With the addition of the Zune Marketplace, Microsoft extended the Marketplace to include music (although the services are still disjoint from one another - movies in the Xbox LIVE Marketplace can not be purchased or used for the Zune and vice versa with music.

Yet the platform and services should help you see the bigger picture here. Take a step back and look from way up high.  At the center of all of this are Microsoft software services such as Windows Live, Xbox Live Marketplace, and the Zune Marketplace. Think the cloud folks. Connecting to the cloud and its services are client devices running Microsoft operating systems - from PC’s with Windows to mobile phones running Windows Mobile to Xbox 360 consoles running the new Dashboard Experience, to devices running the Zune software.

OK.. so that’s how I see all of this coming together. Will they actually execute a plan like this? Who knows.. but in the short term, it’s nice to see the Zune expand further into additional devices.

[Check it out via News.com]

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