Microsoft Zune might be launched in Europe later this year

Software giant Microsoft has said that they are pretty satisfied with the sales of their recently launched digital music and video player Zune in the US market.

The company added that they might launch the Zune player in the European markets later this year.

Company’s marketing director Jason Reindorp added in his statement that Microsoft is realistic about the challenge posed by competitors in this market currently dominated by Apple and their iPod range of players.

He said: “You couldn’t get a more entrenched competitor. But we feel really good about the first steps that we’ve taken.”

He added: “The industry moves in this sort of Christmas to Christmas cycle. So you can expect that there will be more devices, more features in the market at that point. Our next round of introductions will probably be in time for the holiday of this year.”

The company has planned to conduct extensive research with focus groups in Europe to see how the Zune player could be modified to suit the taste of European consumers.