The ROKR is off to a Rocky Start

Telecom News Editorials Reports Glossary

3:11 am on October 27, 2005 | Category: Business, Mobile Devices, Cell Phones, Multimedia

Motorola’s new ROKR cell phone, best known for its ability to play Apple iTunes music, isn’t performing anywhere near as well as expected.

The new device is reportedly being returned to stores a shocking six times more than is average for a new handset; a clear indication that a lot of customers simply don’t like it. This may well be due to the phone’s lack of exciting features, and the fact that it just isn’t what it was cracked up to be.

Motorola CEO, Ed Zander, admits that the device has had it’s problems, and that there have been marketing problems from the beginning. “People were looking for an iPod and that’s not what it is. We may have missed the marketing message there.”

It appears that the company is finally realizing that hyping and the product’s music features (which are actually significantly below market standard) was a serious mistake. Zander now says that he will do his best to turn the phone’s image around. Saying, however, is easier than doing, and it will be a tough task to say the least.

Links: Motorola, ROKR, Mobile Phone, iTunes, iPhone, Music Phone, Music, Apple, iPod, iPods.

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[…] Although the ROKR phone has performed quite poorly so far, this latest move is an obvious attempt to combine the popularity of the America’s most successful line of phones with Apple’s iTunes software, and take another crack at the “music on the go” market. In short, Motorola is being tenacious on this one and refuses to give up on the partnership. […]

Pingback by Motorola Gives iTunes a Second Chance » Telecommunications Industry News — November 9, 2005 #
[…] Of course, the success of a true iPhone is still somewhat doubtful. With the relatively poor performance Motorola’s ROKR iTunes cell phone, Apple will definitely have to make some significant changes if they hope to succeed with their own model of the very same thing. […]

Pingback by Could Apple be planning a new iPhone? » Telecommunications Industry News — November 12, 2005 #