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Apple and Motorola may soon produce mobile phone

updated 02:55 pm EST, Thu December 16, 2004

Apple-Moto cell phone

Apple Computer and Motorola could soon they are developing to play music purchased from Apple's iTunes online music store, according to Forbes. "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," said Eddy Cue, vice president in charge of applications at Apple. "What we've talked about is a something that is valuable for the mass market," Cue added. "It has to be a phone in the middle-tier of the market, not a $500-tier phone. It has to be very seamless to use. And we're very happy with the results." Cue reportedly declined to say whether CEO Steve Jobs would introduce the phone at next month's Macworld Expo in San Francisco.

by MacNN Staff

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bsaxton
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2000

0

12/16, 03:15pm | report spam | close Reply |
Cell phones get flash

Does anyone think the toshiba flash drives are for these cell phones? MP3/phone/anything else?

Zaren
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Joined: Aug 2001

0

12/16, 03:16pm | report spam | close Reply |
Found this this week...

http://www.shampoopoo.com/pictures/iphone.jpg

Zaren
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Joined: Aug 2001

0

12/16, 03:19pm | report spam | close Reply |
Of course...

it would be totally ridiculous to have it running osx, but it's still an intereting premise otherwise.

dpfenninger
Forum Regular

Joined: May 2000

0

12/16, 03:31pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: Found this this week

That's one nice-looking hoax. The giveaway: no way Apple would go back to using their old font. They haven't used Garamond on stuff for a while now...why would they introduce a new product with it all over the packaging?

Also, if Apple is partnering with Motorola, why would they use Sony Ericsson technology?

Don't get me wrong...I think it's highly possible that Apple will release an "iPhone." That photo though is not it.

MrTomServo
Dedicated MacNNer

Joined: Oct 1999

0

12/16, 03:35pm | report spam | close Reply |
Settle down, people

They moved away from Apple Garamond and toward Myriad a few years ago, so it's unlikely that this ad is real. A good photoshop job, though. Oh, and if you read closely, it says "SonyEricsson" in there somewhere.

So put the hankies away, kids.

cmoney
Mac Enthusiast

Joined: Sep 2000

0

12/16, 03:35pm | report spam | close Reply |
my perfect phone

would essentially be a sidekick II with bluetooth and itunes playback. put it on a GSM 3G network (not that they exist in the US yet) and i'm there! that would be the perfect convergence device for me. oh and make it as fancy looking as the Sony PSP also.

but since it's a mid-level product, we're probably looking at a verizon flip phone or a gsm phone like the moto a630 with itunes built-in. (wasn't that the demo unit they had at the first intro?) and if verizon gets their hooks into it, look for a $5/month service fee just to have the right to run itunes! at least if they go with gsm, they can target the whole world.

maybe the flash rumors are actually for flash memory going into a cell phone? but then i guess motorola will probably be producing the phone anyway. ok, just rambling now.

MrTomServo
Dedicated MacNNer

Joined: Oct 1999

0

12/16, 03:36pm | report spam | close Reply |
Darn you dpfenninger

But the point is worth repeating, apparently. :)

greenergrad
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Joined: Nov 2001

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12/16, 03:41pm | report spam | close Reply |
nice pic, but...

It's an old image and not related to the Apple-Moto deal. The faked ad shows a dreamed-up Sony Ericsson-Apple combo and the ad copy refers directly to Sony Ericsson.

njfuzzy
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Joined: Apr 2001

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12/16, 03:44pm | report spam | close Reply |
I've got a theory.

The "flash iPod" will be this phone. Apple and Motorola will jointly release an Apple-branded motorola phone with iPod compatibility. The flash storage rumors we have been hearing will turn out to be about this phone.

The iPod mini will remain the small form-factor version of the iPod. Apple will keep working on making it smaller, sexier, and a bit cheaper. If at some point flash can be around 4-5 GB, the mini will go flash. Otherwise, it will stay hard drive and not be joined by a flash-based iPod.

You heard it here first.

jcmurphy
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Joined: Dec 2004

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12/16, 03:48pm | report spam | close Reply |
iSync

Maybe they'll even allow iSync to talk to the phone via bluetooth. That would be a nice change, grumbled the v505 owner.

From http://www.apple.com/isync/devices.html:
Motorola (USB cable only)

Faizon318
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Joined: Mar 2004

0

12/16, 03:57pm | report spam | close Reply |
My Phone & MY ipod

So I listen to music on my phone and kill my battery .. YAY now I cant make phone calls .. MP3 on phone is not a good idea .. I dont think people will buy .

slugslugslug
Mac Elite

Joined: Jan 2002

0

12/16, 04:06pm | report spam | close Reply |
Phone or just SW?

It's not entirely obvious from the article that they're promising a whole new phone. When Jobs announced the collaboration at the Motorola event last summer, it seemed everyone was implying that there'd be an iTunes for several of the then-announced Moto phones. Maybe Cue was referring to the Apple-coded software working well with current AND upcoming Moto phones, including mid-range ones..

That's not to say I'm convinced there won't be an iPhone or whatever you want to call it, just that the Forbes article is too ambiguous to make it seem like a Sure Thing.

redwood
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Joined: Oct 2003

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12/16, 04:12pm | report spam | close Reply |
My god man..

Why does Apple have this incredible hold on my psyche. I see this and I want to run out and buy it immediately. I would spent 300, 400, 500 for a beautiful Apple phone if it worked on Verizon.

Oh Apple, why do you have such a grip on us!???

CambAngst
Forum Regular

Joined: Aug 2003

0

12/16, 04:20pm | report spam | close Reply |
Possibilities

If this thing is what people think it is and it were to hit the street around the same time as the first Cobalt-based PalmOS phones, that would make for an interesting choice, indeed. Makes me even happier about my decision not to upgrade to the Treo 650.

Filburt
Junior Member

Joined: Aug 2001

0

12/16, 04:35pm | report spam | close Reply |
Re: My god man..

Although Verizon Wireless does have best-in-class network coverage, it is the most anti-"value for customers" provider in the US. Verizon requiring Motorola to cripple Bluetooth is one example, it rejecting many great CDMA phones for the US market is another. "Do it our way or else... because we have great coverage."

As the article points out, it is unlikely Verizon would allow Apple to compete against its own data/music business, at least for the time being.

active
Junior Member

Joined: Apr 2000

0

12/16, 05:04pm | report spam | close Reply |
No..

http://www.shampoopoo.com/pictures/iphone.jpg

That's a hoax created nearly a year ago, by a UK magazine called 'iCreate'. Each month they'd create a new hoax image, like this phone. I think this was one of their first.

Looks good though.

Monstermind
Junior Member

Joined: May 2000

0

12/16, 05:07pm | report spam | close Reply |
eeheee!

Now I have an excuse to buy a cell phone! I just hope they make translucent orange ones...

SineMac
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Joined: May 2000

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12/16, 05:27pm | report spam | close Reply |
Holding off upgrading

I've been debating whether to get myself one of the new Motorola RAZR phones (it would go great with my Powerbook!) - I think if the Apple/Moto phone announcement is immanent (i.e. at MacWorld), I'll hold off for a bit.

macdaemon
Junior Member

Joined: Jul 2004

0

12/16, 05:29pm | report spam | close Reply |
MACALEX

I would spend $900 for the nice Apple mobile smartphone!
I hate my SE P900, it's slow when I use multitasking. I listen music on my P900 and use Agile Messager and ssh client and more...

benhur
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12/16, 06:02pm | report spam | close Reply |
Here's hoping . .

that the starting price isn't $400 and eventually gets higher and higher.

Eriamjh
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Joined: Oct 2001

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12/16, 07:23pm | report spam | close Reply |
Sounds stupid

yup.

medmuse
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Joined: Nov 2002

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12/16, 08:51pm | report spam | close Reply |
forget it...

...an hour after the announcement Motorola issued a release explaining that they were unable to keep up with the current demand for the chips but were sure that once the product was actually released....

LouZer
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Joined: Nov 2000

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12/16, 11:27pm | report spam | close Reply |
Doesn't matter

Motorola will fall behind and be unable to produce enough chips, and they'll just stagnate for two years.

Halfloaf
Junior Member

Joined: May 2003

0

12/17, 06:14am | report spam | close Reply |
Please, no phone...

So Apple are now in the phone business as well...Well that sucks. Why don't they rather concentrate on the Mac line and improve the products there? I couldn't give a toss about a phone that plays music...That's what my iPod is for!

JTVD
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Joined: Apr 2001

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12/17, 06:49am | report spam | close Reply |
Please no phone...lol!!!

What a silly comment that is, contradicting yourself, too, I see...
"Why don't they rather concentrate on the Mac line and improve the products there?" Did you say the same thing when they launched the iPod? Ooops, I see you bought one...

hayesk
Professional Poster

Joined: Sep 1999

0

12/17, 08:58am | report spam | close Reply |
Re: Please no phone

Are you serious? Do you really think they go to all the Mac engineers and say "Put that PowerBook G5 on hold, you're making a cell phone now?"

I'd bet the only Apple part of this venture is the FairPlay code. Maybe the interface. The rest of the design/construction will be all Motorola.

Halfloaf
Junior Member

Joined: May 2003

0

12/17, 11:34am | report spam | close Reply |
Oops!

"Did you say the same thing when they launched the iPod? Ooops, I see you bought one... "
I didn't buy it, it was given to me...

So no, I did not contradict myself.

I just wish they'd put more effort into their computing line. If it's only the code they're marketing then fair enough. Hopefully Motorola will be left doing all the work.

ibugv4
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Joined: Jun 2003

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12/17, 11:50am | report spam | close Reply |
Hello? Moto?

Ok, so like have any of you *used* a Motorola phone in recent years (or at any point in your life)? Their interface is craptastic. IF Apple was to do this, Moto would make the hardare but Apple would outsource (like iPod) the OS so that it was actually useable. Should this device turn out to be an Apple-designed interface, not just hit menu and volia iTunes4Moto (most likely the situation), then I'd shell the cash out. However, my Nokia 3600 plays MP3s, has an SD slot, and it's not a flip phone [thank god]. It also runs Symbian, I can buy or recompile Symbian apps for it, and by far is the best phone on the market -- or any Symbian based Nokia, for that matter. And as stated before, Moto won't be able to get it made fast enough, and let's hope this won't infringe with their Windows Mobile edition phone (that takes 2 minutes to power on), oh and chances are if you're NOT with Cingular, you won't be seeing this phone for any time to come. Moto and Cingular are in bed, as both companies are with Apple (remember the MacWorld where Cingulars CEO said he was glad that a company that believes in Self Expression should find and partner with a company that Thinks Different?) -- and FYI, Moto phones that are GSM (reads: all of them) since the V550 are unlocked. Thus, the RAZR, that Cingular totes as "only for use with us" works on AT&T, T-Mobile, and any other GSM provider. And yes, they will sell you the phone without service (for $699). Cheers!

technohedz
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 2000

0

12/17, 02:43pm | report spam | close Reply |
Sounds like good comp..

etition. Not all MOT's are 'GSM' standard. ex: IDEN/Nextel (gprs ptt). Not all MOT's run their horrible interface (although most do). They have at least one Linux based phone, but the Application Development Kit is prohibitive because of the GUI sdk license fee. Running OS X isn't ridiculous as long as they scale it for the phone. I love symbian as an OS and I think it has a lot of possibilitiies. I use my Nok Symb for ebooks, mp3's, AMR audio books, bt voice, address book and cal sync, alarms, etc. Helix and/or Real run on: Windows, Macintosh, Symbian, Palm, etc... Apple not having QT mobile across the board is nuts. I hope they do at least get software into the market. Cingular (Bell 1+Bell 2 + Bell 3 + ATT) has about 1 phone that's quad band (IIRC it's a MOT). SE has 3 different P910's for localization now. I wouldn't buy a MOT phone w/o a complete re-vamp of their GUI and I don't have a 'thing' for flip phones either. I hope they at least have a new GUI, make it quad band GSM/EDGE/Buzzcompatibility, and remember to market the thing globally.

jwdsail
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jun 2000

0

12/17, 03:41pm | report spam | close Reply |
re-ibugv4- Moto Symbian

Moto also has a Symbian phone, the a1000... Hard to find in the US, yet it does exist.

Whatever comes from this, while I agree an improved UI would be nice, I just want a Moto phone that will sync over BT w/o turning to 3rd party apps like OnSync. If the only change made is to that effect, and it's otherwise similar to the v620, or the 2005 v635, I'm replacing my old Timeport p280 ASAP. My main concern is the RF on the phone.. Motos have had the best reception of any phone I've used.. My phone needs to be a good phone 1st.. So if I can get that and the syncing above, I'm happy as a pig in...

Symbian, or an OS similar to the iPod would also add the possibility of finally getting a Moto phone that would work well with Salling Clicker.. sigh... Again, nice, but not a deal breaker for me.

Just my $0.02

Later all

JTVD
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Apr 2001

0

12/18, 10:08pm | report spam | close Reply |
Oops!

Hahahahahahahaahahaaaaaahahahahahaaa!
You are a laugh a minute!...
I presume you are still quite happy with your given iPod..., can't see you refusing to use it.
Must make you think 'if only they had not developed the iPod, I'd much rather they had updated the Mac line instead, that would have been much smarter and so much better for us!'
Let me spell it out then:
You are contradicting yourself because on one hand you are complaining about Apple developing products outside of the Mac-line (whatever that may be, I hope you are not excluding the portable range as well), on the other hand you are using (I presume happily so, since you refer to the item in a favourable manner) a product that has resulted from exactly this sort of activity.
Surely, you must see the irony of your comment...
At least, I sincerely hope that you do.

All the best

JTVD

ibugv4
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jun 2003

0

12/19, 11:32pm | report spam | close Reply |
i'm shocked!

Just had to thank those who agreed with my pooint of view and for pointing out that not all Moto phones are GSM (forgot about Nextel, not Sprint-Nextel), and I did not know of the Symbian a1000.

daxler
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Apr 2003

0

12/22, 08:33pm | report spam | close Reply |
moto apple bad idea

In my humble opinion the apple moto alliance is not the best. An Apple Sony-ericsson would be much better but this will never happen because of sony entering the music download buisness. Motorola phones have consistantly disappointed me. They are hard to use and feel very cheap.

All of you who are wondering about smart phones are also barking up the wrong tree. Apple's best at making things simple and functional meaning somthing which has all the bells and whistles (ie a proper OS (symbian etc) are out the window. Don't try and make a phone that does 2 much.

As for the moment I will stick with my SE v800 which is the best phone ever as far as I am concerned. It may not do everything but it does everything else well. I will wait and see what apple comes up with i just hope they stick to what they are best at and make it simple.

Newfie
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Mar 2003

0

12/30, 02:20pm | report spam | close Reply |
Think Crashing Phones

HAHAHAA "Your phone has crashed, but all applications are running just fine".

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Apple and Motorola may soon produce mobile phone

updated 02:55 pm EST, Thu December 16, 2004

Apple-Moto cell phone

Related Articles

Recent Articles

Cell phones get flash

Found this this week...

Of course...

Re: Found this this week

Settle down, people

my perfect phone

Darn you dpfenninger

nice pic, but...

I've got a theory.

iSync

My Phone & MY ipod

Phone or just SW?

My god man..

Possibilities

Re: My god man..

No..

eeheee!

Holding off upgrading

MACALEX

Here's hoping . .

Sounds stupid

forget it...

Doesn't matter

Please, no phone...

Please no phone...lol!!!

Re: Please no phone

Oops!

Hello? Moto?

Sounds like good comp..

re-ibugv4- Moto Symbian

Oops!

i'm shocked!

moto apple bad idea

Think Crashing Phones

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