Microsoft Courier to be Released in 2010?

Courier has been discussed, rendered and conceptualized, but the actual device remains to be seen. Whether the hardware exists or not, sources inside Microsoft are already indicating the company plans to release the product sooner rather than later.

Mary Jo Foley at ZDNet has inside sources at Microsoft who say the company wants Courier to hit the market in mid-2010. Considering that Courier is not even in the commercialization pipeline yet, that could be an ambitious goal.

To get Courier to market faster, Microsoft will likely manufacture the device itself. Considering the product is being developed by J Allard, the leader of the Entertainment and Devices division, this would make sense.

Microsoft did the same thing to bring Xbox to market, a product which was also developed in the Entertainment and Devices division.

A mid-2010 release would put Courier's release right in line with the rumored Apple tablet release. Apple's tablet hardware (and user interface, for that matter) also remain to be seen.