Retro enthusiasts Hyperkin want to revive Microsoft's Zune (maybe?)

What you need to know

• Hyperkin is an electronics company that typically make rad gaming accessories.
• The company recently tweeted @Xbox that they'd like to revive Microsoft's deceased music player, the Zune.
• It might be a joke... but?

The year is 2006. The 90s haven't quite fully dissipated yet, but they're on the way out, as a new era of sleek new digital smart devices begin to proliferate across the globe. Apple's iPhone was about to launch, as a big follow up to their wildly successful iPod music platform. The iPhone redefined digital media consumption as we know it, forever, and unfortunately for Microsoft, their Zune player was perhaps a little too late to the party.

While it got caught in the rapid death of the mp3 player, the Zune was a remarkable product for its time, with a sleek interface, powered by a great music service. The design language of the Zune would eventually get incorporated into Windows Phone, and disseminated across Windows itself in various forms. Even in Windows 11, some of its influence can still be felt.

Nowadays, most people simply use their smartphones coupled with a streaming music service like Spotify to get their music fix on the go, but some retro methods have been making a comeback. Vinyl records have begun outselling CDs for the first time since the 80s, as people seek a classic experience that digital mediums simply cannot replicate.

Spotify has found itself in hot water lately over the political content of some of the podcasts on its service, which has led to discussions across social media about the value of some of these streaming platforms and services. It's no secret that Spotify and others pay artists absurdly low amounts for streaming their content, much of which go straight to record labels rather than creators themselves.

Could the humble mp3 player make a comeback? Probably not, although Apple still does sell the iPod, it's practically the only one on the market that still does sell. Is there a timeline where Zune makes a comeback?

Accessory manufacturer Hyperkin is known to Xbox fans for their revival of the classic Xbox OG Duke controller, and today, the team was caught tweeting @Xbox, about possibly reviving an old friend.

Sure, it's most likely a joke... but what if?! Would you pick up a modern Zune to digitize your music collection? Are there enough Zune fans out there to justify it? Sound off in the comments, and who knows? Maybe Hyperkin and Microsoft will hook up on the most unlikely comeback this side of a new Windows phone.