Microsoft mum about apps for upcoming Zune HD

First, let’s start with quote directly from Microsoft from CNET:

"We have games on the Zune today and those will carry forward to Zune HD, but that's not where we'll necessarily stop."

Looking good, looking good.

Another quote:

“Games came pre-loaded on the current version of the device, but we made a decision to take them out of the firmware update and let people choose what games they want to have for themselves--and it made sense to do this via Marketplace. As before, games are free; the only difference is that people get to choose. Right now, we don't have anything further to say regarding Apps functionality beyond what we've already shared.”

Can you feel your face twisting into puzzlement?

To recap this past weekend, the Zune HD was out in the wild at select Best Buy’s and the rumor mill began churning at an intense rate when the Marketplace revealed an inaccessible Apps function that left pretty much everyone bewildered. Throw in an apparent confirmation that the Zune will be getting an SDK (Software Development Kit) and you have a punch bowl full of craziness.

Today, Microsoft acknowledged what people had found and went above and beyond, stating that the Apps section will contain games found on the past Zunes. Can you sense the sarcasm?

However, that first quote definitely shouts out “yes, something else beyond games is coming” and the suspense has started to become unreal. In all honesty, it is really hard to imagine that they would be keeping this a secret so close to the launch date in September if they planned on rolling out an SDK with full-on applications from the start. Maybe they don't want Apple to take the wind out of their sales?

Pun intended.

They obviously are cooking up something though, but the question of what, when and how remains to be seen.

So yes, the Zune HD will have Apps, but what kind?

There are those of you out there that will roll your eyes reading this asking yourself why you should care?

And you will be the people that are completely befuddled when this thing is released and people are raving about it, even if the Apps feature isn’t completely developed. It has a ton of promise and if you read between the lines, Microsoft has big plans for it.

So hop on board, it should be one hell of a ride.