Apple and Motorola phone?

Michael Gartenberg | December 17, 2004, 08:25 AM

Bear in mind there are different aspects to this that people are buzzing about. An Apple branded cellphone ala the iPod and Apple working with Motorola to allow iTunes to work on a phone are two different things. One is likely and one is not. No surprise about the second, we know it's been announced. No surprise there will be Apple an brand or influence on the phone, it's going to play iTunes songs. Does this mean Apple is jumping into cellphones. I don't think so. Does Apple think the cellphone is an iPod replacement? Not likely they would license the iTunes stuff to them if they really did believe that.

There’s been a lot of mublings about Motorola and Apple working on a cellphone together, and even an iTunes capablephone Moto was already supposed to roll out. Today, however, the bomb dropped: Apple officially announced some kind of cellphone partnership which would result not just in a Motorola phone that is iTunes capable, but in something users could call a proper “accessory” to their iPod, chiefly one that Apple should have a large part in the interface and exterior design of. The phone should be expected to have fully-enabled Bluetooth (spitting right in Verizon’s eye) and run “mid-range” (i.e. estimated $200-350 US), which we certainly didn’t see coming. As usual, we only know what little bit has leaked from Apple themselves, so we’ll keep you up to the minute with the usual rumors and conjecture as we get it. Until MacWorld, anyway.
[Engadget]