14 DAY TRIAL // One of the most digested rumors about the future iPhone from Apple is starting to shatter in pieces. An alliance between the Mac maker and the wireless provider was a popular rumor in the past - but now - Apple Insider has published some new information.
AppleInsider reports that Cingular is expected to partner with some of the biggest online music services. Future partnerships will include Napster, Yahoo Music and eMusic and their purpose will be to launch a music service on Cingular's cellphone network that would work with cellphones that double as music players.
If this turns out to be true, then all of the rumors that he No. 1 U.S. wireless carrier has agreed to an exclusive deal with Apple Computer to provide service for its upcoming iPhone, will shatter across the web winds. In fact... not only that Cingular won't have an exclusive deal with Apple, but it will be one of its competitors.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Cingular's new service will support the music transfer from personal computers to cellphones trough a data cable, but next year, an over-the-air downloading component is scheduled to be added. This new component will feature a menu item that will allow users to access a virtual store.
This initiative sets the stage for a battle with Apple Computer Inc., whose iPod dominates the digital-music market, reports the Journal. Also, when the iPhone will be launched, that is supposed to combine all the capabilities of a cellphone with those of a music player, Cingular's project will be a direct competitor to the iPod maker, so cooperation between those two is unlikely to happen.
Apart from the fact that Cingular users will be able to transfer music from all of Napster's to Go, Yahoo's Y Music Unlimited or eMusic services, they will also be able to transfer songs ripped from CDs or downloaded in the MP3 and Windows Media formats.
The Journal also said in its report that the Cingular service will include a feature called 'Music ID,' which will let a user hold his or her phone up to a speaker playing a song. It will then match the song against Napster's database and, if the song is available, offer the user the option to buy the song by clicking a link on the phone. The song will then be sent to the user's computer to be loaded on the phone later.
Related Links: