Microsoft Exec,No Plans for iPhone Clone

Microsoft will keep focus on Windows Mobile and not worry about creating an iPhone clone

Microsoft has mobile operating systems designed for mobile phones and the Zune MP3 player, but does not have any plans to roll both services into a Microsoft-branded phone any time soon.

During an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Robbie Bach, Entertainment and Devices division president, said the company has no concrete plans to release an Apple iPhone clone in the future.

"We don't make phones ourselves. We don't have any plans to make phones ourselves. Our focus is on the belief that a phone is a very personal thing. Different people want different types of phones," Bach said during the interview.

Microsoft will instead focus on Windows Mobile, which has shipped on 20 million mobile devices already. When asked about Steve Jobs' announcement of the new 3G iPhone, Bach said Microsoft already ships "lots" of 3G phones that are powered by the Windows Mobile operating system.

Furthermore, Microsoft expects cell phones shipping with Windows Mobile will outsell the iPhone and RIM's BlackBerry smart phones, which use the OS X and a proprietary OS provided by RIM.

The demand for more interactive software will increase while the cell phone market, most notably smart phones, continues to rise.

"In general, what you are seeing in that phone space is tremendous growth in what people have called smart phones. (It's) growing dramatically. That means more opportunity for us. There is more opportunity for services on top of those phones. There is more opportunity for a richer experience. It's not just about the phone. It's about browsing. It's about music. It's about video. It's about e-mails, text messaging and photos."

Keeping the Zune simply a multimedia device may seem risky since many music listeners internationally are listening to music using their cell phone, but Microsoft believes the MP3 player market is still big enough to justify making stand alone MP3 players. Software is becoming increasingly important for owners of MP3 players, as Zune owners can already play TV episodes and Microsoft may add movies to its portfolio in the future.

In the rest of the interview, Bach discusses Blu-ray and the Nintendo Wii's international dominance and popularity.

Microsoft reached the 10 million consoles sold level before Nintendo or Sony, but the Wii is quickly catching up and is expected to overtake Microsoft in overall sales numbers shortly. But Microsoft understands that even though the consoles are competing in the same market.