Zune 2 incoming

Microsoft employee lets slip details on a new Zune, and its smaller, flash-based cousin.

Zune still hasn't landed in Britain, but Microsoft's already close to completing its successor.

The guys over at ZuneScene have the scoop on what could be our first taste of Zune-juice on this side of the Atlantic, after a chance encounter with one of the big M's employees.

Apparently, the new player will come in two flavours and be released this year. The first will be a hard drive based affair, although thinner than the original Zune and packing much greater capacity.

The second, tastier option is Microsoft's first stab at a flash player, aimed dead square at the iPod nano's audience.

If ZuneScene is to be believed, the flash Zune will also pack Wi-Fi, but stack up at just three inches tall. The screen, which will play video like its big brother, will cover around 75% of its surface.

So far, so sketchy, but the bigmouthed employee did say Microsoft was building a new manufacturing plant for the player in China, right next door to the building currently pumping out Xbox 360 consoles.

Oh, and the Zune Phone? No news. ZuneScene's source scarpered before leaking any more info, the big tease.