Why Microsoft Should Create a Zune Phone

For starters, I don't actually care whether or not Microsoft brings a Zune phone to market, but I think there is one reason why it should.  Let's talk about the user experience.

Traditionally, Microsoft is viewed as lacking in the user experience game and I am a firm believer that it is because they try to be all things to all hardware makers.  They license their software for mobile handsets to many hardware manufacturers and their software suffers from bugs that they could otherwise eliminate by making the hardware themselves thereby ensuring higher software compatibility.  On a side note, I believe they suffer from this same problem with their desktop OS as well.  

Obviously this business model does have its merits, like how they became the dominant OS developer for the PC market.  However, Apple has proven that when you control both the software and hardware you create a product that works better and Microsoft has benefited from that formula with the Zune and the Xbox.  Let us be realistic, if they were to create a Zune phone, they're not going to dominate the handset market.  However, they will create a product that is built well, and a well constructed product that offers a solid user experience will find success, especially when you have the Microsoft brand behind it.