Apple, Motorola and Cingular Wireless today announced the availability of the world’s first mobile phone with iTunes, enabling music lovers to transfer up to 100 of their favorite songs from the iTunes jukebox on their Mac or PC to their mobile phone. Apple’s iTunes software on the Motorola ROKR features easy to use menus, simple navigation and playback, and the ability to simply switch from phone to music and back again with the push of a dedicated music key. The new Motorola ROKR is available today at http://www.cingular.com and will be sold exclusively in all Cingular retail locations beginning tomorrow.
“We’ve worked closely with Motorola to deliver the world’s best music experience on a mobile phone,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO in the press release. “We’re also thrilled to be working with Cingular, the largest wireless carrier in the US, to bring this pioneering phone to market.”
“The ROKR brings music to the mobile phone in a way unlike any other, with the unrivaled ease of use that has become the signature of iTunes,” said Ed Zander, chairman and CEO of Motorola in the press release. “We predict that the ROKR is going to be a hit this holiday season.”
“We’re excited to be the first wireless carrier to offer the world’s first phone with iTunes to our customers nationwide,” said Ralph de la Vega, chief operating officer of Cingular Wireless in the press release. “This innovative product represents a world class handset, connected to a world class network, delivering a world class application.”
The new Motorola ROKR has a color display for viewing album art and features built-in dual-stereo speakers, as well as stereo headphones that also serve as a mobile headset with microphone. Music fans can randomly autofill or manually fill the mobile phone with playlists from their favorite music, audiobooks and Podcasts from their iTunes library via a USB connection. The Motorola ROKR pauses music automatically when users take a call and offers the ability to listen to music while messaging with friends or snapping a photo.
The new Motorola ROKR with iTunes pre-installed is available for $249.99 (US) with a two-year commitment at all Cingular stores nationwide and includes stereo headphones and a USB cable. iTunes for Mac and Windows includes the iTunes Music Store and is available as a free download from http://www.apple.com/itunes . Purchase and download of songs from the iTunes Music Store for Mac or Windows requires a valid credit card with a billing address in the country of purchase.
More info from Cingular here.
More info from Apple here.
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Apple introduces iTunes 5, iTunes Music Store catalog tops two million songs – September 07, 2005
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Apple announces Motorola ROKR iTunes phone, Cingular partnership, iTunes 5 – September 07, 2005
OOOOH, OOOOH
$250 for a friggin phone? Not on your life. I’ll stay with my cheap Nokia.
Remember…this is iTunes on a MOTOROLA phone. Apple had nothing to do with the design. So before you start dumping on APPLE for making an ugly phone. Remember, they didn’t. Posters on Engadget seem to believe Apple now makes really ugly phones.
When she works in Canada, I’ll the the bomb, for me…
It won’t replace my iPod G3 though.
Jb
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da, that’s all I got to say to you all.
“Purchase and download of songs from the iTunes Music Store for Mac or Windows requires a valid credit card with a billing address in the country of purchase.”
….and a computer connected to the internet.
I see no mention of the rumored ability to purchase from the music store over Cingular’s network.
It’s ugly and expensive. You’re better off purchasing the new iPod nano for $199.00 and picking up a decent phone from other vendors. The new nano holds a lot more songs and is smaller and lighhter than any phone except maybe that razor from MOTO.
the most disappointed product from Apple ever….. but thanks, that’s made clear to most of the people to go for the Walkman phone from SonyEricsson
Also no mention if it is MAC compatible– would like to use it for wireless broadband (through cell phone)– but no carriers have Mac software to do it. Hopefully this one will– eventually..
Bah it’s with Cingular!
Who the hell is sleeping with who here??
First, Cingular exclusively get the black RAZR phone, now they get the iTunes phone as well?? WTF?????
Cingular only? Guess I’m not getting one.
Apple must have been bummed at that design. The RAZRs are much sexier.
I think the phone is so bleah. Apple would have done better to release iTunes on the RAZR, which is more in keeping with Apple’s industrial design flavor.
Even if the phone isn’t a hit, Apple still stands to gain a lot. That new iPod nano sure looks very attractive compared to this $249 industrial design throwback!
It stinks!
I think there is a problem in iTunes 5. my ibook all of a sudden wont conect to my airport express, and it froze !!!!!!!!, needing a restart airtunes was working half an hour before i downloaded iTunes 5.
H 🙁
But does it vibrate?
Ward, don’t you think you were a bit hard on the Beaver last night?
how many MBs???? anyome? gbs???
The commercial is hot.
A salesman the other day at a Cingular retail store told me that they were coming out with a new Razr w/ the ipod feature sometime in Feb/March of 06. Does anyone know if that’s true?