New report sheds doubt on Apple-Cingular iPhone rumors
Cingular is expected to begin partnering with some of the biggest online music services, including Napster, Yahoo Music and eMusic, to launch a music service on its cellphone network that would work with cellphones that double as music players, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The move, which could be announced as early as Thursday (subscription required), sheds doubt on published reports that the No. 1 U.S. wireless carrier has agreed to an exclusive deal with Apple Computer to provide service for its upcoming iPhone.
Cingular's new music service will initially support transferring music from personal computers to cellphones using a cable, according to the Journal. But next year, the wireless provider is scheduled to add an over-the-air downloading component that will feature a menu item on compatible phones that will throw users into a virtual store (similar to the ones customers already use to buy ringtones).
The initiative by Cingular "sets the stage for a battle with Apple Computer Inc., whose iPod dominates the digital-music market," said the Journal. "Apple has sold more than 60 million iPods in the past five years and is rumored to be working on a combination music player and cellphone."
According to the publication, users will be able to transfer music acquired from "all you can eat" subscription services like Napster to Go, Yahoo's Y Music Unlimited or eMusic. Users will also be able to transfer songs ripped from CDs or downloaded in the MP3 and Windows Media formats.
"The Cingular service will include a feature called 'Music ID,' which will let a user hold his or her phone up to a speaker playing a song," the Journal said in its report. "It will then match the song against Napster's database and, if the song is available, offer the user the option to buy the song by clicking a link on the phone. The song will then be sent to the user's computer to be loaded on the phone later."
The move, which could be announced as early as Thursday (subscription required), sheds doubt on published reports that the No. 1 U.S. wireless carrier has agreed to an exclusive deal with Apple Computer to provide service for its upcoming iPhone.
Cingular's new music service will initially support transferring music from personal computers to cellphones using a cable, according to the Journal. But next year, the wireless provider is scheduled to add an over-the-air downloading component that will feature a menu item on compatible phones that will throw users into a virtual store (similar to the ones customers already use to buy ringtones).
The initiative by Cingular "sets the stage for a battle with Apple Computer Inc., whose iPod dominates the digital-music market," said the Journal. "Apple has sold more than 60 million iPods in the past five years and is rumored to be working on a combination music player and cellphone."
According to the publication, users will be able to transfer music acquired from "all you can eat" subscription services like Napster to Go, Yahoo's Y Music Unlimited or eMusic. Users will also be able to transfer songs ripped from CDs or downloaded in the MP3 and Windows Media formats.
"The Cingular service will include a feature called 'Music ID,' which will let a user hold his or her phone up to a speaker playing a song," the Journal said in its report. "It will then match the song against Napster's database and, if the song is available, offer the user the option to buy the song by clicking a link on the phone. The song will then be sent to the user's computer to be loaded on the phone later."
Comments
Apple going solo would be nice, but that Music ID sounds like its just what is needed to get the cell phone/music store system off its feet!
And technically, it seems that cingular is trying to compete with the iPods, not iPhones...
Apple could never just make a phone and let other companies be the phone company. But when Apple itself is the phone company, then they can do what they do - integrate!!! Good Internet connectivity, good syncing, and so on.
Please see my article on what the What the iPhone Will Be and follow the news on www.myallo.com
...is rumored to be working on a combination music player and cellphone.
I love that, "is rumored"?
Havn't they been bragging about it for a while now?
It has never been Cingular. The deal is going to be similar to what Disney is doing, providing their own celular space. I forget what they call it but the spectrum is leased from T-Mobile. Branded as Apple, but managed and supported by T-Mobile.
And you know this because of ...
Currently having a Nokia phone w/ decent music playing capability, I'm still not sold on using it as my exclusive music device. The whole battery life and dual usability issues are major roadblocks for me.
/
1. Mac/Mac OS X
2. iPod/iTunes
3. iPhone/Mac Mobile
All of which will interoperate, of course, and suck dry the bank accounts of everyone on this forum.
Apple going solo would be nice, but that Music ID sounds like its just what is needed to get the cell phone/music store system off its feet!
Music recognition services have been available for some time through different providers around the world.
eg. http://www.fido.ca/portal/en/support/dj.shtml
In fact, it's already available on Cingular.
http://www.cingular.com/musicid
I don't see it as newsworthy that some cellphone carrier gets some deal with some online music stores, it happens all the time.
I guess that the ROKR/iTunes Phone was such a non-event that Cingular needed to remind the world their previous ties with Apple so news outlets would make a fuss about the switch.
Now we get news headlines like "Cingular sides with Microsoft against Apple" on ComputerWorld.
According to the publication, users will be able to transfer music acquired from "all you can eat" subscription services like Napster to Go, Yahoo's Y Music Unlimited or eMusic. Users will also be able to transfer songs ripped from CDs or downloaded in the MP3 and Windows Media formats.
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I have my doubts about some of the statements made in the above post. I mean, can't they even check their facts? eMusic is not a "all you can eat" service. People presently are given a limit as to how many MP3's you can dowload a month (40, 65, and 90).
Jeez.
tmoble and cingular are both gsm with edge, so why couldn't apple be on both networks and build it's own brand. you won't go to tmoble or cingular to get your service or phone you'll go to apple store.....way cool my 2 year contract with cingular is up at christmas. yobaby.
That's my guess, that Apple will make a GSM phone. It will work on Congular, T-Mobile, and most other providers around the world. But I also guess Apple will provide service itself in the US, and if you subscribe to it, you will get wonderful services like music diwnloads, great net browsing, great iSync, and Apple Remote Access across the Net! Now that will be cool!
What the iPhone Will Be -Mike from www.myallo.com
On October 16, I said (you can look this up!):
"'I've got news for you: Apple's phone will be GSM, and an exclusive with T-Mobile ............"
I am still sticking by my post!
Apple have conducted a viability study into being an mvno, i know this because i work for a startup mvno in the UK and one of our consultants was part of the initial scoping group. They have been in talks with T-mobile but as i understand it as an international partner so i do believe that in the uS for sure we could see Apple go it alone.
I thought i would add some juicy details that w know here at the consultancy about the upcoming unit. That ichat will be fully scaled and part of the hardware from the off, enabling isight to iphone conversations through a IP transmission protocol built in Leopard.
The quality was not fantastic on the clone handset Apple has running the 4th beta of the phone software but the speed fps is extremely smooth due to the compression rates of the software.
Also the phone was reviewed internally in April 05 when significant changes were made and some 70% reworking was comissioned.
Unless...
What if Apple just made GSM phones with multiple bands so that you could drop your sim card from T-Mobile, Cingular, Deutche Telekom, wherever, and it would just work. Just be in the unlocked phone business. Of course, everyone would still want it because it is still a good phone, sexy in that apple sort of way, and of course leverages the iPod thing as well. You sell a ton, also enabling VOIP, a fast way for people to fill up their SIM cards with addresses via sync software if they decide to use their other (carrier-provided) phone from time to time, other goodies BUT NOT INTEGRATION AT THE CARRIER LEVEL. ie NO Integration for music purchases, NO Music ID (yet), just the hardware at this point. You sell a heap of them (Ipod function + RAZR looks = $$$)
Then...
Apple has bargaining power to
a) start selling these things directly through the carriers, although I doubt they would surrender this much control over the user experience, or
b) form an MVNO or other cozy relationship with a Mobile carrier on MORE FAVORABLE ECONOMIC TERMS.
This timeline seems favorable, because although people are craving a decent and dominant (ipod-leveraged) music experience, I don't think the downloading/streaming majorly carrier-integrated experience is desired yet. When this latter product is about to catch fire, Apple may find itself in better position if they do the above steps.