“Motorola Inc., the world’s No. 2 cell-phone maker, on Tuesday revealed details of its plans for iRadio, a subscription music service that will go on sale this year. It also unveiled a new home phone that consumers could link with cell-phone and Web phone services,” Reuters reports. “Motorola’s iRadio service will first run on the Rokr E2 cell phone, which, unlike the first Rokr phone, will not include Apple Computer Inc.’s popular iTunes music software. Motorola aims to sell the service and phone via mobile operators. Motorola said in October its first cell phone for iRadio would be able to hold about 70 hours of music.”
“The iRadio service, will include 435 commercial-free radio channels, including genres such as Heavy Metal, Rockin’ Cowboys and Angry Women. Its satellite rivals also provide specialized music channels, often without ads,” Reuters reports. “iRadio will let users download channels on the computer and transfer them to play on their phones or on car or home stereos, like satellite radio. The iRadio service will cost about $7 a month but the price may vary depending on which wireless phone service the subscriber uses, according to Motorola.”
Full article here.
‘iRadio?” Gee, where’d you get that “i” from Zander, you genius? Blank Motorola, blank their horrible, incomprehensible mobile phone user interfaces, and blank the horses they rode in on; it’s past time for the Apple iPhone.
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Related article:
Inside story of why the Motorola ROKR iTunes mobile phone went wrong – October 25, 2005
Report: Motorola ROKR iTunes phone ‘may have flopped’ with six times the returns versus normal rate – October 21, 2005
How Apple’s Steve Jobs snookered the entire cell phone industry – October 03, 2005
Motorola CEO Zander: Apple to build a smart phone, it’s only a matter of time – September 29, 2005
Motorola says ‘screw nano’ comment was joke – September 26, 2005
Motorola CEO Ed Zander on Apple iPod nano: ‘Screw the nano’ – September 26, 2005
If Apple isn’t working on their own iPhone, they’re making a stupid mistake – September 12, 2005
Does Apple need a mobile phone of its own design? – September 09, 2005
Music phones pose no threat to Apple iPod – September 09, 2005
Apple announces Motorola ROKR iTunes phone, Cingular partnership, iTunes 5 – September 07, 2005
Apple, Motorola & Cingular debut world’s first iTunes mobile phone – September 07, 2005
Hmmm…. ownership of “i”
If that’s possible, I’ve got dibs on “q” and “Q” and “x” and “X”.
Did iRiver come in to being before the iPod? And what was the first portable media player on the market… the one before the iPod?
Loosen up the undies folks? Points of View seem a little tight on this board.
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this is so weak, I can’t believe Sony didn’t think of it first.
Party on!!!
The question is, did Motorola decide to dump iTunes, or did Apple decide it didn’t want it’s best of class software tied to a mediocre at best phone?
Has any company ever had a good relationship with Apple?
One has to wonder what the arrogance of the Stevego will get Apple in the long run?
It´s tough to be a monopolist-wanna´be with Microsoft around.
>DavidO wrote: To me this sounds like a premptive announcement from Motorola… before Steve burries ’em by introducing something much better just a week fom now??
I sure hope not. Apple has (or is developing) an awful rep for being a lousy business partner. Apple has strong clout and huge leads, but business is cyclical and glory days don’t last forever.
I wonder what would happen if Apple were to anger enough stakeholders (partners, customers, developers) that they pool their efforts against Apple, rather than for it. People don’t bend over forever.
>DavidO wrote: To me this sounds like a premptive announcement from Motorola… before Steve burries ’em by introducing something much better just a week fom now??
I sure hope not. Apple has (or is developing) an awful rep for being a lousy business partner. Apple has strong clout and huge leads, but business is cyclical and glory days don’t last forever.
I wonder what would happen if Apple were to anger enough stakeholders (partners, customers, developers) that they pool their efforts against Apple, rather than for it. People don’t bend over forever.
>DavidO wrote: To me this sounds like a premptive announcement from Motorola… before Steve burries ’em by introducing something much better just a week fom now??
I sure hope not. Apple has (or is developing) an awful rep for being a lousy business partner. Apple has strong clout and huge leads, but business is cyclical and glory days don’t last forever.
I wonder what would happen if Apple were to anger enough stakeholders (partners, customers, developers) that they pool their efforts against Apple, rather than for it. People don’t bend over forever.
>DavidO wrote: To me this sounds like a premptive announcement from Motorola… before Steve burries ’em by introducing something much better just a week fom now??
I sure hope not. Apple has (or is developing) an awful rep for being a lousy business partner. Apple has strong clout and huge leads, but business is cyclical and glory days don’t last forever.
I wonder what would happen if Apple were to anger enough stakeholders (partners, customers, developers) that they pool their efforts against Apple, rather than for it. People don’t bend over forever.
If so, that’s really a shame. My Seimens phone is three years old and works well, but I’d go for a new ROKR if it ran iTunes and held 1,000 songs. No iTunes, no Moto for me.
I want to assume that Motorola is pissed because Apple cut a deal for production of iPhone with a different manufacturer. So, I’ll buy that instead.
Tera Patricks
Mac360
>I want to assume that Motorola is pissed because Apple cut a deal for production of iPhone with a different manufacturer.
If true, what an ugly apple Apple will have become. Is there no loyalty to partners? It’s awfully dangerous to make enemies of all your friends.
>I want to assume that Motorola is pissed because Apple cut a deal for production of iPhone with a different manufacturer.
If true, what an ugly apple Apple will have become. Is there no loyalty to partners? It’s awfully dangerous to make enemies of all your friends.
>I want to assume that Motorola is pissed because Apple cut a deal for production of iPhone with a different manufacturer.
If true, what an ugly apple Apple will have become. Is there no loyalty to partners? It’s awfully dangerous to make enemies of all your friends.
>I want to assume that Motorola is pissed because Apple cut a deal for production of iPhone with a different manufacturer.
If true, what an ugly apple Apple will have become. Is there no loyalty to partners? It’s awfully dangerous to make enemies of all your friends.
Let’s see, cell-phones are close to the top of my “never buy one” list so, frankly, I couldn’t care a less how good or bad Motorola’s musical communicators turn out to be.
Andy C. was right-on though; good luck to Apple if they decide to get into the market. Hopefully, they can find a partner they can work with. It wouldn’t surprise me if Apple’s string of broken marriages made Hollywood blush.
Time for Steve to release the iPhone and Intel Macs, cut all ties to Moto as they apparently are becoming the Dell of the phone biz.
Great move by Moto. Get rid of the excess bagagge.
Come onnnnn . . . this stuff’s not going to fly.
Even de little teenage brats who’d have phones growing out of their ears if they could don’t want this crap. Here’s a clue, MotorHoleA — people use cell phones for TALKING! Yeh-heh-hessssssssss. Maybe spend some more money making your crappy reception better and people will switch in droves. You know, improve your basic product a little bit first. Kind of like Conan did when he dumped Richter.
iRadio my ass. I’ll pull out an oldie-but-a-goodie that I coined a few months back on this very forum: I think this new service should be called iFAILio!!!!
Most people would consider the phone as the excess baggage, certainly the experts did.
I would imagine that Motorola is merely trying the next big thing with their products, and trying out various technology partners like Apple and satellite radio. The ROKR wasn’t a big hit, so it’s onto something else. I don’t own a cell phone yet and am not sure what features other than better reception you would need from a cell phone.
Personally, I think Apple needs to get their act together and concentrate their efforts about properly syncing with other cell phones and PDAs. An iPhone would be nice, but being able to properly sync your Mac to any cell phone would be even better.
–rudge
Triumph. I think the kids missed that one. Classic though.
“When Moto teams with Apple, all the sheep sing its praise. When Moto shows some balls of its own – and since Apple has shown to be a lousy partner”
It’s amazing that people like this think that we are nothing but sheep. No, we know what we like and we call it like we see it. Fact is, when the ROKR came out, people were excited about the possibilities, but almost to the last person on this board, when the ROKR was unveiled, there was a sweeping chorus of ‘it sucks’.
and if you don’t blieve me here’s the link to the article.
http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/7365/
I knew it!
The ROKR phone is a POS (piece of $h*t) and wayyyyyy to expensive.
People want a phone that is just a phone and at a good price.
Cingular is horrible, I inquired about a phone once (didn’t get it) and next thing I knew I’m getting $300+ bills in the mail, harrasing phone calls too.
I threatened to sue, to take them to court in Alaska or something and took down names after calling and visiting them 10 times to resolve the issue.
Mac & PC Guy said “what an ugly apple Apple will have become. Is there no loyalty to partners?”.
I can’t for one minute see the sense in taking this attitude. We have no idea of the story behind this. Motorola may have been a ‘partner’ from hell and Apple can afford to choose the deals it does with other businesses.
And why on earth should Apple make a special deal of Motorola – who stood to benefit from iTunes much more than Apple stood to benefit from a few Moto-phones carrying the banner.
I’m firmly in the ‘stuff Motorola’ camp’ on this issue.
Listen
Apple deosn’t bring a whole lot to the table. Cable companies and network providers have all the cards.
Look at supermarkets, they can decide what product gets shelf space. Even adding their own brand cheaper because they don’t have to advertise.
Why cut Apple in when they can do it cheaper themselves?
It’s just business and Apple has been grasping at anything like the drowning rat.
Sure they came up with a few winners, but hardware is nothing if customers are forced to pay $100-$200 a month for phone and cable bills, that’s steady money compared to Apple’s buy it once iPod or Mac and we won’t see you for another 5 years.
This is why Apple is trying so hard to get content to sell.
Content is king, it changes, people want more of it to keep from being bored.