Microsoft this afternoon began rolling out a dedicated Twitter app for the Zune HD. The app gives the media player its first native client for the micromessaging service instead of having to use the built-in web browser. It should be free and available for most users on Zune Marketplace by early afternoon Pacific time.

Its appearance partially fulfills promises that have also included an as-yet unreleased Facebook app but also underscores the gap in app availability between the player and its immediate competition. Where Apple has fostered outside (if filtered) development and had both Facebook and Twitter apps at or near launch of the App Store in July 2008, the Zune HD's third-party apps are limited to carefully selected and often first-party titles that have largely been limited to 3D games, casual games and simple utilities.