Reports are coming in from France that state Microsoft has delayed the launch of its Zune range of MP3 players in Europe until 2009.

Pocket-lint's own industry sources had previously suggested that Microsoft was planning a push into the UK this year for the Zune, but it seems it'll be another year's wait for anyone who wants some MS-flavoured portable music player action.

American (and now Canadian) consumers can enjoy all the fun of the second gen of devices, that include a flash-based model, launched Stateside last November, but Les Echos reports that the British invasion has been held back until the players hit their third gen incarnation.

The reasons for the delay aren't clear yet, and Microsoft refuse to comment on what they refer to as "rumour or speculation", so for now we'll have to suck it up and just carry on playing with our iPods. And Creative ZENs, and SanDisk Sansas. Oh, and those nice Cowon players. And our Archos PMPs, and..

>> News - No Zune in 2007
>> Via - The Register: Hardware