Two of the biggest US technology companies, Apple and Motorola, plan to launch mobile phones capable of playing music downloaded from the hugely popular iTunes website next year.
The new handsets will incorporate a slimmed down version of Apple's iTunes jukebox software, enabling music lovers to transfer their favourite tracks from their computers to their mobiles.
Motorola said yesterday it would make the new iTunes mobile player a standard music application on all its mass-market music phones, which are expected to become available in the first half of next year.
Apple chief executive Mr Steve Jobs made the announcement via video conference at an event on the eve of Motorola's annual analyst meeting in Chicago, an event that is characterised by new product releases.
"Wouldn't it be great if you could take a dozen of your favourite songs with you on your phone?" said Mr Jobs. "We thought it would be great if together, Motorola and Apple could give them \ a small taste of what this digital music revolution is about."
Apple has sold more than four million iPods and has sold more than 100 million tracks on its iTunes online music store since it was launched in April 2003.- (Additional reporting, Reuters)
