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It seems Microsoft is abandoning the Portable Media Centre, a format that was once considered a possible iPod killer.
Ars Technica reported a newsgroup posting on microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter.portable from Microsoft’s David Bono admitting that the computing giant will no longer be investing in PMCs.
"We have decided to take what we have learned from our investments in Portable Media Centre and focus our product and marketing resources on building media experiences on connected Windows Mobile powered devices,” he said. “With the re-investment of resources in media experiences on connected Windows Mobile powered devices, Portable Media Centre 2.0 is the last version of our Portable Media Centre software under the Windows Mobile brand. We do not plan any future Portable Media Centre software upgrades or marketing activities."
Many PMCs got disappointing reviews from the specialist press, and Microsoft will be now be relying on Zune and Windows Mobile to combat Apple’s iPod.