Steve Ballmer was asked by a German business magazine about when the Zune would hit Europe. Sites translated his answer incorrectly, quickly jumping to the conclusion that Europe would not see the Zune before 2008. Here is the correct translation, according to Cesar Menendez, a Microsoft employee.
You are only selling Zune in the US. When will the device be launched in Europe?
Our primary goal was to get into market, offer some innovation and do some learning. The US is always an easy place to practice, because it is our home market. Over time, we will have various versions of Zune. And, it is obvious that we need to have new services, not just an internet music store. So far, we have lost money in this business because of our investments. That is why we decided not to enter new markets so far. It will only pay off after we have reached some of the goals outlined. When this will be the case, I cannot tell you today.