Apple phone

The iTunes-based Motorola ROKR is "just a ," according to Business 2.0. The reaction to the ROKR has been "lukewarm at best," and was actually overshadowed by the launch of the iPod nano, according to the report. Although some Apple fans and investors were disappointed that Apple didn't unveil its own phone, "holding off on the iPhone is a smart move for Apple because it let Motorola focus on the hardware design while Apple remained focused on the iTunes software industry." The "mobile handset business is notoriously convoluted," explains writer Matthew Maier, and "the difficulty of creating its own phone without alienating carriers kept Apple from creating what many were hoping for -- the iPhone." What Apple could do, according to the article, is launch its own virtual network. Then, "there would be nothing keeping it from creating its own handset. Certainly it has a rabid enough customer base and clear understanding of the consumer market to do so."

by MacNN Staff