Motorola and Apple strike deal with UK wireless carrier

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
Motorola and Apple have struck a deal with UK wireless operator O2 to market and provide service for Motorola's forthcoming iTunes ROKR music phones, according to UK's The Times Online.



The three companies are expected to announce the agreement overseas a few weeks after Motorola and Apple unveil their partnership with Cingular wireless in the United States.



A spokesman for O2 declined to comment on the company?s relationship with Apple, saying only: ?Music plays an important part of our overall portfolio.? However, further confirmation of the partnership could come as soon as today, the online report says.



Pricing of the new music phones in the UK remains a bit of a mystery, but The Times says O2 will have a period of exclusivity to offer the phones to its customers.



Apple, along with Motorola and Cingular, will announce US versions of the iTunes music phones and service in San Francisco on September 7th. An after party hosted by Motorola in New York City will follow shortly thereafter.



Motorola is expected to hype the phones -- which may only hold up to 25 songs at a time without a paid upgrade from Apple -- through a new television ad campaign that features music stars such as Madonna, Little Richard and the likenesses of the late Jimi Hendrix and Biggie Smalls.



Reports had previously indicated that the UK iTunes phone launch would trail a US introduction by a short period of time.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 22
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    I wish these news reports would cease until the 7th.
  • Reply 2 of 22
    Ugh, way to pick the worst network in the UK. Well that settles it, I'm going for the Nokia N-90.
  • Reply 3 of 22
    WOW, AI seems to be nailing this one...
  • Reply 4 of 22
    nagrommenagromme Posts: 2,834member
    I'm steeled for disappointment on the 7th by now. What if the Moto deal IS all Apple has to share?



    I forgot about the paid upgrade from Apple thing. Just wait for people to use it--no matter what the price--as some weird proof that "Macs cost more than PCs."
  • Reply 5 of 22
    i like the o2 ads though:

    http://www.absolutelyandy.com/tvadve...atyoucando.wmv



    is the service crap? pity. xda looks cool and the ads look yummy.
  • Reply 6 of 22
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Strawberry

    Ugh, way to pick the worst network in the UK. Well that settles it, I'm going for the Nokia N-90.



    Lord, have you tried 3?



    Now there's a shitey network.
  • Reply 7 of 22
    For Apple to "rethink" the cellphone, which may or may not be the case (Motorola claims this new generation replaces "what used to be known as a cellphone"), they should make it 802.11-aware. Imagine being able to make IP phone calls, connect to your iChat account with video conversations, etc. with this phone from any public access point, without any airtime fees. Now, that would be a wicked and useful phone, even at home.
  • Reply 8 of 22
    newnew Posts: 3,244member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Strawberry

    Ugh, way to pick the worst network in the UK. Well that settles it, I'm going for the Nokia N-90.



    Ugh... the N90 is like a bad camcorder with a built in computer/phone...
  • Reply 9 of 22
    Quote:

    Originally posted by AppleInsider

    Motorola is expected to hype the phones -- which may only hold up to 25 songs at a time without a paid upgrade from Apple



    A paid upgrade? You mean like paying for Apple's .mac service to sync/upload/download songs from for instant access with this new phone. This would satisfy Apple's needs (or wants) to keep people using their iTMS service but also satisfy the carriers greedy desires to get people to use their airtime by switching out songs on these phones with a limited capacity. They would just connect to Apple's service with the phone and load up a new song that they paid for at Apple's iTMS. While they are connected, you can also sync your phone numbers and update your calendar.



    Apple gets their $99 a year and the carriers get their data plans or extra air time to add to the bill.



    Everyone is happy.
  • Reply 10 of 22
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Strawberry

    Ugh, way to pick the worst network in the UK. Well that settles it, I'm going for the Nokia N-90.



    I'm on O2 in the UK and have nothing but praise for them. What problems have you had with them?
  • Reply 11 of 22
    I'm with fieldy, what's your beef?



    I have had great experiences with O2. They have the best plans by far, and perhaps the biggest advantage is the fact that they don't screw with the phones before giving them to you - no crappy UI modifications, and no network branding on the phone, plus unlocked to any network. Pure unadultered phoning bliss, just as the manufacturer intended.
  • Reply 12 of 22
    heh...my brother in london has a corporate Orange/3 phone. nice k700i but yeah, he was showing me how they one of the ways they 'screwed' with the phones was to *always* make a loud ass noise whenever you took a picture with it so that "you wouldn't do anything dodgy" are you UK people that dodgy that they have to do this sort of thing with camera phones?
  • Reply 13 of 22
    andersanders Posts: 6,523member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by coolfactor

    For Apple to "rethink" the cellphone, which may or may not be the case (Motorola claims this new generation replaces "what used to be known as a cellphone"), they should make it 802.11-aware. Imagine being able to make IP phone calls, connect to your iChat account with video conversations, etc. with this phone from any public access point, without any airtime fees. Now, that would be a wicked and useful phone, even at home.



    These phones exists. Some at my old job were testing that when I stopped. I actually think it was a Mot system...
  • Reply 14 of 22
    newnew Posts: 3,244member
  • Reply 15 of 22
    N91 rather
  • Reply 16 of 22
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Reports I've seen have said that Apple will have an Apple branded phone or line of phones intro'd here as well.
  • Reply 17 of 22
    I was talking to an engineer for Freescale (Motorola) who is designing the chips for Motorola's cell phones and he says the Rockr will most likely be a flip-phone. In addition he said that motorola will be making 2 other phones, one which I forgot the name will be shaped like a piece of gum but larger and the other, the Pebbl (spelling?) will be shaped as a compact and may even function as one. The Pebbl is supposed to be targeted at women.



    I wonder if he's right...?
  • Reply 18 of 22
    If Apple made a phone ALL BY THEMSELVES, without the help of motorola, then I would be much happier!
  • Reply 19 of 22
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Ichiban_jay

    I was talking to an engineer for Freescale (Motorola) who is designing the chips for Motorola's cell phones and he says the Rockr will most likely be a flip-phone. In addition he said that motorola will be making 2 other phones, one which I forgot the name will be shaped like a piece of gum but larger and the other, the Pebbl (spelling?) will be shaped as a compact and may even function as one. The Pebbl is supposed to be targeted at women.



    I wonder if he's right...?




    PEBL has been announced in some form, whether it will be involved in iTunes foofarah is yet to be seen. here's a pic of PEBL if i am not mistaken:



    http://www.mobile-review.com/exhibit...ola/pebl-2.jpg

  • Reply 20 of 22
    I too have no knowledge of problems with the 02 network. I have never personally used it but problems get pretty well highlighted and I am not aware of any such publicity or personal non recommendations for that matter. indeed if i remember correctly last year it was the fastest growing network here. But like others, personal experience and publicity alike has shown the 3 network to be a total pile of monkey droppings.
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