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The failure of the iTunes mobile phone: theory 3
Apple and Motorola might be working on a mobile phone that's equipped with a mobile version of the iTunes Music Store, but so far the project has been plagued by setbacks.
Motorola tried showing a demo last January at CES, but instead of showing a working model, the company insulted attendees by presenting them with a mock-up. The software wasn't ready yet, a red faced Motorola later had to admit.
No fear, the iTunes phone would debut at Cebit or a mobile conference in New Orleans mid march. But it didn't. This time Motorola blamed Apple. The company prevented the handset maker from showing the product because of its policy that prohibits the showing of products before they hit the stores.
But now Business Week suggests there are greater problems facing iTunes mobile. The mobile operators refuse to work with Apple because they prefer to set up mobile music stores themselves.
That's a fair point considering that the operators over the years have build up a multi billion dollar business selling ring tones. Meanwhile the iTunes music store operates on razor thin margins – and don't forget that Apple is working on creating its own little monopoly corner inside the music industry by using a closed digital rights management technology.
The iTunes music phone has a long way to come and as a consumer interested in fair use, that makes me very happy.
March 28, 2005 at 08:18 PM | Permalink
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