Motorola previews iTunes phone
During a presentation Thursday at the Consumer Electronics Show, a Motorola executive previewed the upcoming mobile phone that the company is jointly developing with Apple Computer.
The iTunes-compatible phone in many ways mimics the iPod, according to a first-hand PC Magazine report.
"It syncs with a computer and the iTunes Music Store like an iPod does, and incorporates the iPod interface for navigating and playing digital music," said Ron Garriques, a Motorola executive vice president.
Garriques also revealed that the phone is the first of many Motorola devices that will support iTunes this year. However, he did not provide product specs or say when the phone would be available.
Last month, Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president of applications, said the company was 'definitely on schedule' to make a mobile phone related announcement within the first half of 2005.
"What we've talked about is a something that is valuable for the mass market," Cue said. "It has to be a phone in the middle-tier of the market, not a $500-tier phone. It has to be very seamless to use. And we're very happy with the results."
No images of the phone have yet to surface in a public forum, but prototype units have reportedly been spotted with bluetooth streaming capabilities and 1GB of flash memory-based storage.
Like the iPod, the iTunes-compatible phone will play tracks purchased from Apple's iTunes music download service.
Update: First Photos Surface?A purported photo of the Moto iTunes phone, posted to the neowin.net forums.
Update: According to sources, the phone shown above and elsewhere on the internet is not the rumored Apple-Motorola cell phone, but rather a development phone used for demonstrating the embedded version of iTunes that will be included with the Apple-Moto phone.
The iTunes-compatible phone in many ways mimics the iPod, according to a first-hand PC Magazine report.
"It syncs with a computer and the iTunes Music Store like an iPod does, and incorporates the iPod interface for navigating and playing digital music," said Ron Garriques, a Motorola executive vice president.
Garriques also revealed that the phone is the first of many Motorola devices that will support iTunes this year. However, he did not provide product specs or say when the phone would be available.
Last month, Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president of applications, said the company was 'definitely on schedule' to make a mobile phone related announcement within the first half of 2005.
"What we've talked about is a something that is valuable for the mass market," Cue said. "It has to be a phone in the middle-tier of the market, not a $500-tier phone. It has to be very seamless to use. And we're very happy with the results."
No images of the phone have yet to surface in a public forum, but prototype units have reportedly been spotted with bluetooth streaming capabilities and 1GB of flash memory-based storage.
Like the iPod, the iTunes-compatible phone will play tracks purchased from Apple's iTunes music download service.
Update: First Photos Surface?A purported photo of the Moto iTunes phone, posted to the neowin.net forums.
Update: According to sources, the phone shown above and elsewhere on the internet is not the rumored Apple-Motorola cell phone, but rather a development phone used for demonstrating the embedded version of iTunes that will be included with the Apple-Moto phone.
Comments
Sounds interesting yet inevitable. I wonder how terrible the battery life will be on these things.
- When technology lets it become what it should have been from the start.
Just like the iPod Photo would be a killer
app if it could store photos not having to
go through a computer (software update?),
the Moto-Apple phone will be a killer when
3G mobile networks lets you buy the songs
when you are mobile...
This is possible in Europe, but the phone
will probably not get to Europe in about
a year anyway (like the iPod/iTMS didn't).
But Apple doesn't wait for that to happen...
I think that the strategy is to make
it a killer in its third version or something
(and that's when we will see an Apple branded phone).
When technology lets it become what it should have been
from the start.
- When technology lets it become what it should have been from the start"
Sometimes technology needs to mature. If you try to create something with "everything now" it usually ends up like something created by Microsoft - a big messy piece of crap that has all the bells and whistles and very user unfriendly.
Taking baby steps is the best way to determine what should come next. Let the market decide which direction to go rather than trying to force everyone to go a certain way.
Apple did the same thing with the iPod ... at first it was just an MP3 player... then later as many people requested and they figured out an elegant way to accomplish it, they added the ability to synch with certain types of data on your computer... then later, added a color screen to display photos... etc... next, possibly some form of wireless technology; cellular, satellite, or WiFi.
Apple has become pretty good about knowing the right time to enter a market and what that market really wants/needs.
Originally posted by Kishan
In truth, I just don't get it. Isn't my iPod for listening to music while I am out and about? What is the purpose of having an iTunes integrated phone? At the end of the day, I don't know that I would be interested in a device that is basically a cell phone that can sync with iTunes. I might be more interested in an iPod that can make phone calls. Know what I mean? Anyone have any thoughts?
Are you kidding, then you're just living in your "All anyone needs is an iPod, nothing else!" world. This would be great! Right now, I want to go out for a walk, I start packing up my crap, which includes iPod and cell phone (of course, with the iPod on, and crappy cell phone vibrate mode, I never hear the phone ring). Just more stuff weighing you down, esp. if you're wearing shorts and a t-shirt ("aaaiiiiggghhh! LouZer's wearing shorts again! Run for your lives!"). And esp. if you know what you want to listen to (for me, its either audiobooks or radio broadcasts), then this would work out well.
You know, just take the argument for a flash-based player (size, weight), and that's what you got here.
Originally posted by Louzer
Are you kidding, then you're just living in your "All anyone needs is an iPod, nothing else!" world. This would be great! Right now, I want to go out for a walk, I start packing up my crap, which includes iPod and cell phone (of course, with the iPod on, and crappy cell phone vibrate mode, I never hear the phone ring). Just more stuff weighing you down, esp. if you're wearing shorts and a t-shirt ("aaaiiiiggghhh! LouZer's wearing shorts again! Run for your lives!"). And esp. if you know what you want to listen to (for me, its either audiobooks or radio broadcasts), then this would work out well.
You know, just take the argument for a flash-based player (size, weight), and that's what you got here.
Your point is well taken. It would be nice to have one device that can handle all the mobile electronics you might need (phone, music, pda). The point that I was getting at was that I would rather see them add phone capability to an iPod rather than incorporate iPod-like features into a cell phone form factor. Without the click-wheel, I just don't see the interface being efficient even if the memory is limited to 1GB. Thats still a lot of songs to get through with only up and down arrows!
Darn it.
Originally posted by Gordon Werner
Two thumbs up for this fake phone,
two thumbs down for the one in the article.
Oh well, I guess I will keep my P800.
If they have, I'll have iTunes for my Sony Ericsson p910i too please. ;-)
Incidentally, my p910i on Orange in the UK already has a music player and download service. These services have been around for quite a while in Europe. If Apple/Motorola concentrate on the USA again like they did iTunes on the Mac for this then they will quite possibly miss the boat. It's £1.50 a track though so about twice the cost of downloading from iTunes and they are lower quality and you can't play them on your mac or pc.
http://www.orange.co.uk/multimedia/orange_world.html
Originally posted by jimhill
I want four darn signal bars, at every darn time and in every darn location.
Give me that, with a good calendar and address book, with good iSync via Bluetooth, and I'm a buyer.
Originally posted by e1618978
Two thumbs up for this fake phone,
two thumbs down for the one in the article.
Oh well, I guess I will keep my P800.
Hear, Hear...
Motorola iPhone =
Sweet iPhone = SonyEricsson T630 + iPod Mini
Seriously, I HATE Moto phones. Their buttons hurt my fingers. SE buttons gently tickle them.
I HATE Nokia phones. Their designs are over the top and just tacky. SE designs are smooth, slick, and sensous, like the newer Apple products.
Whoa... I think I got up on the wrong side of bed, but really f**k this iPhone b******t
Thank goodness the Moto-Apple deal is Moto probably will struggle on with its rubbish phones and Apple will reap the rewards of its nascent iTunes-for-Mobile store/devices initiative....
Come on SonyEricsson, get with the program!! You were destined to be with Apple much longer and in a much closer way! Listen to the consumers!
Originally posted by FormerLurker
Give me that, with a good calendar and address book, with good iSync via Bluetooth, and I'm a buyer.
Speak to someone with a SonyEricsson T630, better yet, watch it in action especially on Bluetooth sync with Mac OS 10.3+
Some other posters here will be able to comment on how even more awesome the SonyEricsson K- and P- series are.
I have gone through at least 5 phones in the past 3 years. My T630, past 6 months, SSSSWEEEETTTTT mmmmmmm .... finally a phone worthy to get its bluetooth paws all over my lovely iBook
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...1ef70bd7ac&e=3
I think with this new dude in charge, looks like things like the Razr and iPhone will help it get back on its feet. Maybe some iTunes halo effect onto Motorola.
I admit I've always liked their ad campaigns though, BangingMoto and FunMoto and all that stuff