Cingular music deal excludes Apple

Cingular last year also became the exclusive provider of the Motorola ROKR phone, integrating Apple's iTunes mobile software to play audio tracks purchased from the iTunes Music Store. The ROKR was dubbed a flop, however, and the disappointment led to an overhaul of the ROKR phone followed by Motorola's complete severance from Apple as the company took on iTunes in early January with its next-generation ROKR E2 phone, which uses its own digital radio service to play music rather than iTunes software.

Cingular's new service will initially support transferring music from computers to cellular phones using a cable, offering support for tracks downloaded from Napster to Go, as well as Yahoo's Y Music Unlimited and eMusic services. The new service also supports transferring tracks ripped from CDs, MP3s, and Windows Media files, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. Cingular also plans to add an over-the-air downloading option next year that will take users to a virtual store via compatible telephone headsets, similar to those already used for ringtone sales.

Filed under: industry
Other story tags: digital music/video