Behind the Motorola ROKR iTunes Phone
Wired offers an detailed history behind the create of the ROKR iTunes phone and the dynamics between Apple, Motorola and the cellular phone companies.
The article describes the creation of the ROKR being at odds between the interests of Motorola, Apple and the cellular phone companies... all struggling for the larger piece of the pie.
While this was happening in the U.S., Wired reports that a new wave of music phones and services have already been in place internationally, and these services will start making their way into the U.S. Also mentioned is Apple's refusal to broadly license their copy-protection format ("Fairplay") to all comers. Motorola is the only 3rd party company that has had access to Fairplay, thus allowing their product to play purchased iTunes music.
When Jobs and Ed Zander, CEO of Motorola, announced 15 months ago that the two companies were going to partner on a new phone, people imagined a hybrid of two of the coolest products in existence: Apple's iPod and Moto's RAZR. For months the new gizmo glimmered mirage-like on gadget sites - ever promised, never delivered. When it finally did show up, it bore the unmistakable hump of a committee camel.
The article describes the creation of the ROKR being at odds between the interests of Motorola, Apple and the cellular phone companies... all struggling for the larger piece of the pie.
While this was happening in the U.S., Wired reports that a new wave of music phones and services have already been in place internationally, and these services will start making their way into the U.S. Also mentioned is Apple's refusal to broadly license their copy-protection format ("Fairplay") to all comers. Motorola is the only 3rd party company that has had access to Fairplay, thus allowing their product to play purchased iTunes music.
Top Rated Comments
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82 months ago
who's the second company?
You're kidding, right? 3rd party company means other company. As in "3rd party." In other words, they're the ONLY company other than Apple that has the right to play iTunes music.
82 months ago
I'd like to see Apple license FairPlay. In the longterm, it is in the Company's best interest to do so.
*License FairPlay to TiVo. Anything that's bad for Windows Media Center is ultimately good for Apple.
*Take J. Allard up on his public offer and license FairPlay for use on the Xbox360. Porting iTunes to the Xbox360 probably wouldn't be too difficult. And doing this would drive Sony into a tissy and back to the negotiation table on that co-ownership deal Jobs originally offered to Sony two years ago.
*License FairPlay to Palm. Gives a leg up to the Palm platform to spite PocketPC (statement not meant to convey keeping it off the Windows powered Treos).
*License FairPlay to the RIAA companies for inclusion on their copy protected CDs. Do this in exchange for more leeway in terms of the iTunes Music Store. The arrangement requires Edgar Bronfman to shut his mouth publically on pricing.
*Choose one or two other MP3 player companies to license FairPlay to in order to defeat any "monopoly" charges and destroy the "Plays for Sure" marketing campaign. There might be some form of trade-off that could be negotiated on with Toshiba and Samsung that might be beneficial to Apple in some other way.
*License FairPlay to TiVo. Anything that's bad for Windows Media Center is ultimately good for Apple.
*Take J. Allard up on his public offer and license FairPlay for use on the Xbox360. Porting iTunes to the Xbox360 probably wouldn't be too difficult. And doing this would drive Sony into a tissy and back to the negotiation table on that co-ownership deal Jobs originally offered to Sony two years ago.
*License FairPlay to Palm. Gives a leg up to the Palm platform to spite PocketPC (statement not meant to convey keeping it off the Windows powered Treos).
*License FairPlay to the RIAA companies for inclusion on their copy protected CDs. Do this in exchange for more leeway in terms of the iTunes Music Store. The arrangement requires Edgar Bronfman to shut his mouth publically on pricing.
*Choose one or two other MP3 player companies to license FairPlay to in order to defeat any "monopoly" charges and destroy the "Plays for Sure" marketing campaign. There might be some form of trade-off that could be negotiated on with Toshiba and Samsung that might be beneficial to Apple in some other way.
82 months ago
Yeah. Not Me(apple), not You(consumer) but Them(Motorolla).
I don't think Apple EVER needs to license Fairplay. It's their creation. If they choose to make a vertically integrated product and it becomes successful, no one says they HAVE to give away their stuff.
Of course, it would ultimately be better for consumers if they could use iTMS on non-iPods, but they have no innate obligation to do so (that I know of). If the iPod is truly better than all others, then it should hold up well to an open MP3 market.
I don't think Apple EVER needs to license Fairplay. It's their creation. If they choose to make a vertically integrated product and it becomes successful, no one says they HAVE to give away their stuff.
Of course, it would ultimately be better for consumers if they could use iTMS on non-iPods, but they have no innate obligation to do so (that I know of). If the iPod is truly better than all others, then it should hold up well to an open MP3 market.
82 months ago
In theory combining the two is not a bad idea. I was walking around my campus today and most students either have a cell phone glued to their head or are listening to an iPod.
I think the direction was wrong though. They should put cell phone capabilities into an iPod...not the other way around.
I think the direction was wrong though. They should put cell phone capabilities into an iPod...not the other way around.
82 months ago
You're kidding, right? 3rd party company means other company. As in "3rd party." In other words, they're the ONLY company other than Apple that has the right to play iTunes music.
ha ha, maybe if I read it correctly I wouldn't have looked like an ass.
switch "only" and "the", and my question makes a little more sense.
82 months ago
we all know it was a bad thing. we all know it was completely upstaged by the nano. and we probably all think that it's going to be introduced in the 3G razr that's being developed right now (shown to me by a friend in Vodafone, who're working closely with them)...
can't we just forget this as it's a crap subject really. who wants an iTunes phone until it's done right? let's just ignore it until someone brings up a rumour of a kick ass phone.
can't we just forget this as it's a crap subject really. who wants an iTunes phone until it's done right? let's just ignore it until someone brings up a rumour of a kick ass phone.
82 months ago
Yeah. Not Me(apple), not You(consumer) but Them(Motorolla).
I don't think Apple EVER needs to license Fairplay. It's their creation. If they choose to make a vertically integrated product and it becomes successful, no one says they HAVE to give away their stuff.
I don't think anyone is suggesting they give it away. They could license it for a fee and subject to compliance with certain design parameters. And no, they don't "have to," of course. However, closed proprietary systems don't seem to fare well in the marketplace. I wouldn't want to see Apple AAC become the next ATRAC.
82 months ago
I regretfully got the ROKR. The phone has been super buggy and lacks normal features I used all the time on my two year old cell phone. I used to record converstations while driving so I wouldn't have talk on the phone, drive, and write down phone numbers. Can't happen on this phone.
The other issues with it seem small, but have caused me a lot of problems.
1. Can't record conversations while talking on the phone
2. Can't see WHAT TIME IT IS while talking on the phone or in any other menu other than the main screen.
3. To this day I still can't find where to see today's 'date' on the phone. I have to look it up on my computer if I forget what today's date is.
4. The phone has crashed on me several times where I have to take the battery out (which is hard to do) to reboot it.
5. At one point the phone was screwing up where it would drop my call after 30 or so seconds of talking, and then start ringing as if someone was calling UNABLE To stop it until the guy called me back, to then get dropped 30 seconds later again ringing again... I had to take the battery out to fix it ..
6. THe ROKR can only hold 100 songs no matter how much memory is in it. Apple pisses me off with this one. It's just the straw that says F-YOU!! Seriously, why do they have to lock you out... what happened to 'think different'. Apple's slogan these days is 'Think like Apple.'.
Apple's lack of ability to theme apps or change the look/feel is very 'Think like Apple' instead of 'think different'. At least microsoft puts in the bells and wistles and lets you change them around.
The other issues with it seem small, but have caused me a lot of problems.
1. Can't record conversations while talking on the phone
2. Can't see WHAT TIME IT IS while talking on the phone or in any other menu other than the main screen.
3. To this day I still can't find where to see today's 'date' on the phone. I have to look it up on my computer if I forget what today's date is.
4. The phone has crashed on me several times where I have to take the battery out (which is hard to do) to reboot it.
5. At one point the phone was screwing up where it would drop my call after 30 or so seconds of talking, and then start ringing as if someone was calling UNABLE To stop it until the guy called me back, to then get dropped 30 seconds later again ringing again... I had to take the battery out to fix it ..
6. THe ROKR can only hold 100 songs no matter how much memory is in it. Apple pisses me off with this one. It's just the straw that says F-YOU!! Seriously, why do they have to lock you out... what happened to 'think different'. Apple's slogan these days is 'Think like Apple.'.
Apple's lack of ability to theme apps or change the look/feel is very 'Think like Apple' instead of 'think different'. At least microsoft puts in the bells and wistles and lets you change them around.
82 months ago
Eh... I haven't been impressed with any aspect of the ROKR. It's just a fad fluff piece of technology.
:rolleyes:
I do miss Motorola phones. I'd still have my trusty StarTac if they'd kept updating the darn thing. The Vader phone never hit the mass market in any practical sense. Motorola completely left the SprintPCS marketshare.
Also - why is the ROKR only available on Singular? (if that's still the case) It seems like Verizon or Sprint would have been a better choice there.
:rolleyes:
I do miss Motorola phones. I'd still have my trusty StarTac if they'd kept updating the darn thing. The Vader phone never hit the mass market in any practical sense. Motorola completely left the SprintPCS marketshare.
Also - why is the ROKR only available on Singular? (if that's still the case) It seems like Verizon or Sprint would have been a better choice there.
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