“Apple is currently on track to finish up the first version of its iTunes software for mobile phones by June, sources have told Think Secret. The software, which is currently named iTunes Mobile 1.0, has been in development since last year, when Apple and Motorola announced a joint partnership to develop an iTunes-compatible phone,” Ryan Katz reports for Think Secret. “The Motorola phone is scheduled for release in the second-half of the year, Motorola and Apple executives have both said, but the companies have reportedly faced difficulties finding service providers who will carry the device… Regardless, iTunes Mobile 1.0 will be ready in time for Motorola to show off the finished product of the joint effort to potential customers by late summer, sources said.”
Katz also reports on iTunes 4.8 which is due soon.
Full article here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Motorola CEO Zander: iTunes phone due ‘in the next few months’ – April 20, 2005
Verizon, Sprint, other wireless companies balk at carrying Apple’s and Motorola’s ‘iPod phone’ – April 19, 2005
Motorola to unveil iRadio – PC to Mobile to Car Stereo service – April 18, 2005
Will Motorola’s Apple iTunes phone make it to market? – March 28, 2005
BusinessWeek: What’s going on with the Motorola Apple iTunes mobile phone? – March 24, 2005
So who’s really delaying the Motorola iTunes phone anyway? – March 21, 2005
Motorola exec: Apple iTunes phone debut delayed by Steve Jobs; phones will launch in 2005 – March 16, 2005
Motorola’s Apple iTunes phone in trouble? – March 14, 2005
Motorola says iTunes phone unveiling delay not caused by dispute with carriers – March 10, 2005
Motorola says it’s working on more iTunes phones, some models ‘can store eight hours of music’ – March 10, 2005
Motorola indefinitely postpones Apple iTunes phone unveiling – March 10, 2005
Motorola’s ‘ROKR’ Apple iTunes mobile phone to be unveiled this Thursday – March 06, 2005
Motorola’s yet-to-be-unveiled ‘ROKR’ phone will be first Apple iTunes phone – February 16, 2005
Motorola E1060 not, repeat not, the iTunes phone – February 16, 2005
Motorola executive previews iTunes Phone at CES, syncs to iTunes like an Apple iPod – January 06, 2005
Apple’ prodigious hardware and software design skills may help Motorola create iPod phone – December 28, 2004
Apple, Motorola iTunes on cell phones a harmonious deal that benefits both companies – August 05, 2004
Motorola posts Steve Jobs’ Apple iTunes announcement video – July 28, 2004
Apple, Motorola iTunes deal not exclusive, debuts Apple’s licensing of FairPlay DRM – July 27, 2004
Motorola and Apple to bring iTunes Music Player to Motorola’s next-gen mobile phones – July 26, 2004
From the article:
“Cell phone companies, including Verizon, Cingular, and Sprint, are planning on rolling out music download services later this year, according to a recent BusinessWeek story, and want to charge $2 to $3 a song…”
Screw ’em!
Actually that sounds conservative. They charge $2 for ring tones, so I’m guessing they think they can compete with the rapidly growing iTunes Music Store and dedicated music players (iPods) by charging $5 a song? What a bunch of clowns.
They’d have to charge 50 cents a song to begin to compete. These guys are gonna get their clock cleaned!
Actually–and I’m not sure if this is possible–but if Apple were to sell the phones that were compatible with the networks in question, I know I would buy one (subsidized or not by the cell-phone companies).
Why? To let the cell-phone companies know where they can stick it.
I am not going to spend $15 on a CD or $10 from the Apple Store and then have to re-buy a song for $2 just so I can listen to it on a phone.
AT&T was offering a music download service before they got bought by Cingular (and still are if you were an AT&T customer). Like that service went anywhere.
ViTunes anyone?
$2 a song, huh? Can you screw me now?
Seriously Peter: I wish Verizon would get their head out of their asses. I don’t need them to subsidize a high-end phone.
Well, at least Steve Jobs will be able to listen to iTunes on his Motorola phone.
Lot of money in development for a product that is dead before it arrives.
most people do not pay retail for phones in the US. Usually the phone is given for free or for a greatly reduced price with a two year contract. The phone company pays the manufacturer.
Motorola, Siemens, Nokia, do sell unrestricted phones for full price and you can take them to a local carrier and activate them. This is what I usually do. I get the phone with the features I want and keep it. I still have a Siemens S55 phone with BT which came out almost 5 years ago. Works great with T-Mobile and would with Cingular or other GSM provider. And I can switch anytime without a two year contract. And the phone will work with all the GSM providers. If you buy the phone from Cingular, it will not work with any other provider.
Downloading $2 songs over a cell connection is an idea that is DOA. The cell phone companies don’t have a clue. Their mindset has its roots in the days of $1/minute air time. They are used to their typical mouth-breather customers whose lips move when they try to read their cell phone bill. This is a whole different ballgame.
But Apple and Motorola may have to let them find out the hard way. The only question is which provider will come begging for the iTunes phone first and thereby get a competitive leg up on the other providers by offering it, even though they don’t make a killing on proprietary downloads.
I really hope Apple makes nice with the cell phone manufacturers and network companies, especially the network companies.
The phone is the Achilles heal for the iPod juggernaut. I hope Apple is working it, and not repeating the mistakes that let Microsoft have their ill-gained Monopoly which brought innovation to its knees.
NO to 2 dollars songs, NO to carriers who thumb their noses at us, NO to paying through the nose for the download airtime, NO to some slimeball know-nothing phone salesman who knows diddly squat.
NO and NO and NO.
Piss on those operator assholes!
Great! Now if everybody would just start buying up that damn AAPL stock again, I’d be much more impressed.
Sorry, guys, as of right now the Apple cell phone looks doomed–zero chance of success. The major network companies have already declared they won’t subsidize this phone, and that is basically a death nell, since over 95% of the phones in use are subsidized by them. Given the importance they are attaching to this potential revenue stream, I bet they won’t even allow it onto their networks. What was Apple even thinking, trying to cut them out of any revenue on this phone? Pulling this off would take SJ really pulling a rabbit out of hat–not gonna happen’.
(Of course, I hope he/Apple succeed on this.)
What lots of you don’t get is that a cell phone is the only piece of information technology a whole lot of people own. Far, far, far more people use cell phones than have iPods or use iTunes. A cell phone is the only way a large number of people outside the U.S. access the Internet.
No, the iTunes cell phone is not appealing to those of us who hang out on the Internet watching the MDN headlines, but we are not representative of the majority, not by a long shot.
It’s quite obvious that the cell carriers want this to fail…
Why?
Because they didn’t think of it… and Apple did…
they don’t subsidize high-end phones either… and people still buy them. early adopters etc.
No One subsidizes an iPod purchase, do they?
Imagine buying a phone from apple at a reasonable price, instead of the overinflated prices (which are inflated so as to lock you into a contract)… and then being able to choose which carrier you want to use… no contract… i’m willing to bet quite a few would do that.
RT,
“I bet they won’t even allow it onto their networks.”
How would they do that? If I buy the phone at full price/unsubsidized/unlocked/no “2 year contract”, I can buy a service plan from ANY of the carriers which will include a simcard which will work in the phone.
Tune in my phone? Only for a ringtone. My cell battery always died within half a day, now youll never be able to make another call cause you listened to too may tunes. I would rather have PDA functionality (as in stylus input) then I could buy it and have my company pony up 1/4 to 1/2.
Buffy,
If your company is only willing to “pony” up 1/4 to 1/2 for a phone that you would use for business…. maybe it’s time to find another company. Just a thought.
What if apple puts in downloading of ring tones in itunes…. for 10 cents…. wouldn’t that piss them off even more
TUKILZ INTERNATIONAL NIG.LTD
SALES OF PDA/AND MOBILE PHONES
01 PLOT 2-7 OWOMORE STREET,
IKEJA LAGOS,
NIGERIA.
23401.
TEL: +234-1-8197927
Mobile:+234 80 5803 5904
EMAIL:tukilz@gawab.com
WEB: http://www.tukilzpm.com
TUKILZ MOBILE AND PDA LINK LTD.
We sell all brands and models of mobile phones at a cheaper price and all phones are factory original and unlocked in a sealed box.
Please Note that we are located in Lagos Nigeria and we only accept WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER as method of payment.
We ship via FEDEX,DHL and UPS depends on the prefered on but you, all order worth 50units of phones will be handled shipment free by my company.
Regards,
Tukilz Gomez.
TUKILZ MOBILE AND PDA LINK LTD.
We sell all brands and models of mobile phones at a cheaper price and all phones are factory original and unlocked in a sealed box.
Please Note that we are located in Lagos Nigeria and we only accept WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER as method of payment.
We ship via FEDEX,DHL and UPS depends on the prefered on but you, all order worth 50units of phones will be handled shipment free by my company.
Regards,
Tukilz Gomez.
TUKILZ INTERNATIONAL NIG.LTD
SALES OF PDA/AND MOBILE PHONES
01 PLOT 2-7 OWOMORE STREET,
IKEJA LAGOS,
NIGERIA.
23401.
TEL: +234-1-8197927
Mobile:+234 80 5803 5904
EMAIL:tukilz@gawab.com
WEB: http://www.tukilzpm.com
TUKILZ MOBILE AND PDA LINK LTD.
We sell all brands and models of mobile phones at a cheaper price and all phones are factory original and unlocked in a sealed box.
Please Note that we are located in Lagos Nigeria and we only accept WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER as method of payment.
We ship via FEDEX,DHL and UPS depends on the prefered on but you, all order worth 50units of phones will be handled shipment free by my company.
Regards,
Tukilz Gomez.