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Motorola ROKR iTunes phone coming
iTunes music downloads, coming soon to a Motorola ROKR near you! Motorola's ROKR could be next big thing after iPod.
BY OUR TECHNOLOGY EDITOR
August 30, 2005: Motorola ROKR iTunes cell phone may be unveiled on September 7, 2005, if the buzz on the blogs on Apple is anything to go by.
iPod maker Apple Computer has called a press conference on September 7 to make an important announcement. The company has not specified what the new product will be, but there are enough indications that it could be revolutionary.
Said the Apple teaser invite: "1,000 songs in your pocket changed everything. Here we go again."
Motorola is also gearing up for an event on the same day, on September 7, and there is no official Motorola communication on what it could be. Given the background of Apple's association with Motorola for music, and given the fact that Motorola very recently got clearance for an iTunes-enabled mobile phone have sparked rumors that the iPod maker and Motorola could be launching the iTunes enabled cell phone in the US. The name of the Motorola-Apple iTunes cellphone is expected to be Motorola ROKR, though there are no clear indications whether it will be a co-branded Apple-Motorola phone.
Hidden mobile phone-friendly features built into the latest version of Apple iTunes 4.9 have lent further credence to the theory that the iTunes part of the new device is ready - that it is just a question of iTunes now waiting to pop up on the Motorola ROKR phone.
An iTunes mobile phone has been eagerly awaited for long, and this, say Mac enthusiasts, could be the next big thing after iPod changed the portable digital music player market with the iconic iPod.
iTunes is Apple software, which can be used to access songs from the iTunes Music Store. iTunes songs can be purchased and downloaded for a fee. Apple iTunes downloads have been a huge hit in US, Europe and Japan where it has been introduced.
If the rumors bear fruit, the Motorola ROKR Apple iTunes phone could be launched at the September 7 press conference, called separately by both Motorola and Apple.
Motorola got FCC clearance for a mobile phone to enable iTunes, and the model which was shown with the Motorola application was Motorola E790. But this need not be the same mobile which will sport iTunes. Motorola and Apple could have jointly developed a co-branded mobile capable of hosting iTunes.
Recently, speculation has been rife about the problems Apple and Motorola may face in launching an iTunes phone. The iTunes mobile phone may hurt the revenues of cellular service providers, who stand to lose by the iTunes advance. Currently, the lucrative ring tones business fetch a lot of money for mobile service providers. Availability of iTunes on mobile may turn more iTunes phone users away from this revenue stream - they would rather have the cell phone users download music THROUGH their own services, keeping Apple out.
Music makers so far have been secure in selling music through iTunes, a robust platform, which brings them smart revenues. The easy availability of music on iTunes have persuaded many to switch to this legal channel. Now, the Motorola ROKR phone may take it to the next level.
BY OUR TECHNOLOGY EDITOR
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