Apple Computer Inc. CEO Steve Jobs told attendees of a Motorola event via satellite that Apple and Motorola Inc would partner to allow users to transfer iTunes music to their next generation mobile handsets. Apple will create an iTunes mobile music player, which will be standard on all of Motorola’s mass-market music phones.
“This isn’t meant to be a replacement for the iPod,” Eddy Cue, vice president of Applications at Apple, told MacCentral from the event in Chicago. “This partnership is a complement to the iPod and iPod mini.”
The deal with Motorola is Apple’s fourth partnership with companies supporting the iPod or the iTunes Music Store. Apple has already signed deals with Hewlett-Packard, AOL and BMW.
Apple’s Eddy Cue said they haven’t worked out exactly how many songs Motorola’s phone will hold, but it should be dozens. The new iTunes enabled mobile phones will be available the first half of next year.