Microsoft set to release new Zune today?

With recent rumours concerning the unveiling of new Apple iPods models eventually proving to be true, a new round of portable media player speculation has surfaced this week following suggestions that Microsoft Corporation is about to introduce a new Zune. The rumour mill is churning hard today following speculation that Microsoft is about to unveil a new flash-based range of Zune media players. REUTERS/Handout

The rumour mill is churning hard today following speculation that Microsoft is about to unveil a new flash-based range of Zune media players. REUTERS/HandoutAccording to a report on BetaNews, which appeared online yesterday, Redmond-based Microsoft Corp. is supposedly about to whip the covers of expectation off an updated version of its existing Zune player range. Citing unnamed insiders, the report goes on to claim that any such Zune event could happen today (Tuesday Oct. 02) and will likely involve Microsoft chairman Bill Gates.We advise you consume the following nuggets of tantalising information while throwing liberal amounts of salt across your shoulder:The new version of the Zune, which will retain video playback and Wi-Fi connectivity, is reportedly set to arrive as the company’s first flash-based media player, replacing the existing hard disk storage solution. Measuring a mere 3 inches tall and 1.25 inches wide, the new Zune will also offer a physical sizing smaller than both the first and second-generation iterations of the iPod Nano. The existing hard disk drive model of the Zune is to remain largely unchanged beyond the application of an aesthetic overhaul via the scaled down exterior sizing. Other related rumours claim that Microsoft will launch the beta test of its new community-based Web site alongside a range of first-party accessories. Previous chatter surrounding the new Zune has included a report from the gadget gurus at Gizmodo, who have offered that the revamped flash-based media player will arrive in four new colours and with a choice of 4GB or 8GB of storage, while the HDD model will boast 80GB of storage. The much-maligned Microsoft Zune was launched on November 14 of 2006 but has not found significant traction in the face of the market dominance laid down by Apple. Inc.’s all-conquering iPod player. Beyond any current speculation, the current Zune comes equipped with a 30GB hard drive, 3-inch QVGA LCD screen (320 x 240), Wi-Fi ‘Zune-to-Zune’ connectivity, FM radio, and access to Zune Marketplace. The Zune plays music and video media and also displays images and photographs; it is also compatible with the Windows XP and Vista operating systems and even Microsoft’s Xbox 360 videogames console.So, will it, or won’t it arrive? If the rumours are accurate then today will be the day. But, regardless of any chance of the whispers being true, will 1.2 million unit sales in a little under a year provide a good enough platform for Microsoft to push forth a genuine attack on the market? By comparison, Apple sold around nine million iPod units across the third quarter of 2007 alone.