More on Apple/Motorola Joint Cell Phone Venture

1+(smarterThanYou) writes "Forbes.com has an article with updates on the previous Slashdot story on the Motorola/Apple iTunes compatible mobile phone. 'Apple Computer and Motorola could soon show us the mobile phone they are developing to play music purchased from Apple's iTunes online music store. 'We've said we have something coming on this in the first half of 2005 and we're definitely on schedule for that. Hopefully you'll be able to see more about it soon,' says Eddy Cue, vice president in charge of applications at Apple.'" Theories about this device showing up at the next MacWorld Expo abound.

Comments

Flash-based iPod actually a phone?

[Anonymous Coward]

Could this phone be the rumoured flash-based iPod?

Re:Flash-based iPod actually a phone?

[PabloJones]

I believe that Steve has specifically said in the past that Apple would not be making a cell phone anytime in the near future.

But maybe he's had a change of heart. Afterall, if Apple came out with a phone, people would be drooling over it... stylish and easy to use, plus iTunes support. Who knows.

Not to shabby

[Flyinace2000]

Cellular would be the next logical area for apple to explorer. While i think a dedicated Apple Cellular phone would be interesting i don't think it would fly. A joint venture would be a good alternative. Make a slimmed downed ituens for a mobile device. Though i dobt VZW would carry such a cool phone...i mean they finally got bluetooth and look how that mess turned out.

As two rumors converge

[xxblackice]

it seems that this phone + mp3 player might be the convergence of the "flash based" ipod and the apple/motorola venture. Mac heads gotta have their lifeblood flowing...rumors...mmmm

Mobile Device Teams

[wallitron]

So many things are becoming an addition to the mobile phone, and different groups teaming up to cover their core areas. Obviously Sony are placed fairly well at the moment with their audio, imaging, comms and gaming devices. Who else will team up to compete?

Personally, I'd love to see the Nintendo technologies meshed with Apple and Motorola. To me both Apple and Nintendo, lean towards highly usable, simple technology with high build quality.

Who else is next?

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Glen Williams

Re:Apple is killing the iPod Image

[Anonymous Coward]

Through doing BS like this, they are destroying that image that has been so successful.

This may be a whacky idea, but have you considered waiting until you actually see a product before you condemn it?

Interesting.

[nativespeaker]

Hm...it doesn't look like they'll be able to use the name iPhone...Nuvio's got it locked up:

http://www.iphone.com/

tip of the iceberg

[Mazzaroth]

I can imagine the features:

• iTunes ringback (what the caller hears is an iTune bought by the callee)
• Distinctive iTune ringtone (I can program the ringtone I hear with an iTune I bought, according to the caller)
• iTunes will not only sync with iPod but also with iPhone
• iPhone to iPhone gifts (I bought an iTune and I give it to you)
• iPhone to iPhone recommendations (I recommend an iTune to you)
• Express your feeling with iTune (when you call her, she hears a music you selected)
• ...

it's just the beginning man! Wait 'till Apple sells movies, documentaries and radio shows...

Re:Apple is killing the iPod Image

[CALI-BANG]

i have mod points, i can modded you up but i'll just reply instead.

for now, iPod is doing well; but sooner or later some competitors will catch up.

this things happens in the philippines and i dunno how it affects other parts of the world. 7 years ago, star-tac is the king; it was overrun by nokia when nokia 3210 comes out of the market -- and then stays the lead until now and very very few people are buying motorola phones. 4 years ago, ericsson is not doing well in mobile phone market ... and now after teaming up with sony -- they capture the old market formerly held by nokia.

This joint venture by Apple and Motorola is a win-win for both of them. Design/Interface/Usability teams will add value to a technology competitive products from Motorola -- like what Sony did to Ericsson.

iTunes on phone does not mean iPod-Phone! RTFA

[johnpaul191]

the article says the phone is NOT AN IPOD. we knew Apple made a version of Quicktime for cellphones. this makes it sound like the phone will just use Apple software to playback some MP3/AAC songs on your phone. a dozen songs requires very little flash memory. i would guess the phone would be able to play songs bought at iTMS. the fact that the article mentions putting songs on a phone via bluetooth/cable and how that would bypass the carrier, i guess that means we will not see iTMS shopping via cell phone.

maybe the rumors are way off and this is what the flash iPod is. the Moto V710 phone has a removable memory card you can put MP3 files on and play them as ringtones, or listen to them on the speakerphone. i guess headphones or a carkit would be possible too? who knows. you have to read the article knowing some are quotes from Apple and Moto and some is filler/speculation by Forbes. not to diss them, but it's possible they don't totally know and are off the mark with their speculation.

and i quote:

At the event, Jobs took pains to point out that the phone would not compete with Apple's popular iPod music player, but should viewed as an iPod accessory. "Wouldn't it be great if you could take a dozen of your favorite songs with you" on a cell phone, Jobs said at the time.

The companies said they plan to release a phone that will connect locally to computers unning Microsoft's Windows as well as Apple's Macintosh computers using a cable or a Bluetooth wireless connection.

Well, check this out:

[daveschroeder]

http://treomac.com/v-web/portal/cms/modules.php?na me=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=32

I can throw a little more gas onto the Apple phone rumors. I was on a train this weekend, watching an episode of the Simpsons on my Treo600. The gentleman sitting across from me asked me how I liked the phone. I told him I loved it and we began a tech conversation. He mentioned that he worked for Motorola. I told him I was a Macintosh consultant, and then he dropped the bomb! "I've got a scoop for you", he teased.

Apparently some of his associates had been telling him earlier in the week about an Apple branded phone that had been circulating around the office at Motorola. The phone had Motorola components, but most certainly had Apple brandings on it. He said that he did not have a chance to handle the phone, but that his direct supervisor did. The phone was "sleek and sexy" in her words. He mentioned that there was talk amongst the people who had seen it that itunes and iphoto would factor into this device somehow. They also said that the phone had a slot on the top (media slot?) as well as what looked to be a usb 2.0 port on the bottom.

All very interesting. He gave me his card, so I'll be sure to press him for more details in the coming weeks.

Stay Tuned!
_________________
Tony Ricciardi
Administrator
TreoMac.com

Also, from another source:

It's basically the successor to the Motorola E398, but with iTunes, and extensive Apple influence and iPod integration. I haven't seen it yet, but my info is direct from Moto top people.

The current Motorola E398 was a tri-band GSM bar form factor phone, with a large screen, TransFlash slot, Bluetooth, camera, media player, speakerphone, and FM tuner. And since this offering is GSM, and Steve Jobs has twice trotted out Cingular CEO Stephen Carter at Macworld keynotes, and given other carriers' resistance to the idea of iTunes on a phone (for reasons of either not wanting to provide bandwidth for such a service at a reasonable cost, OR being opposed to having full computer/device connectivity via Bluetooth bypassing their networks), it would appear that Cingular/AT&T might be a good candidate to carry such a device.

And for all those who think that Motorola phones suck OR are only basing your opinion on NEXTEL phones, trust me: they've gotten a LOT better, and actually have some excellent offerings (e.g., RAZR V3 and v710, Verizon crippling aside).