Apple, Motorola: A love-hate relationship
The latest chapter of the apparent love-hate relationship between Apple and Motorola is unfolding in the blogosphere after some choice comments by the latter company's chief executive. Trade publication InfoWorld reported that Motorola's Ed Zander dissed the iPod Nano at a Silicon Valley gathering Friday, saying: "Screw the Nano. What the hell does the Nano do? Who listens to 1,000 songs?"
Zander seemed to be joking when he made his remarks, but it wouldn't be surprising if they reflected some underlying tension between the companies. Conflicts between the two partners go back as far as 1999 (when Zander was still at Sun Microsystems), with Apple blaming some of its financial problems on Motorola's inability to manufacture its PowerPC chips fast enough to keep up with Macintosh production.
This year, Apple executives were said to be furious when the jointly produced Rokr iTunes phone--already behind schedule--wasn't ready in time for a spate of Motorola product announcements this summer. And when the phone finally made its debut this month, some believe that Apple deliberately upstaged Motorola by unveiling the Nano at the same event.
If all this continues, the next joint press conference may require a referee.
Blog community response:
"It may be, as many have suspected, that Apple intentionally introduced the Nano on the same day as the ROKR to pull attention from what they had felt had become a project that they wished to distance themselves from. I can see how Motorola might've become a little agitated, especially if they'd been sold on the idea of an 'exclusive' event and Apple pulls the year's hottest new gadget from their front pocket, literally."
--Ars Technica
"I think he's just upset. Upset that first, his new iTunes cell phone bombed. Second, I'm sure he had no idea that Apple was going to announce their new
iPod nano in the same breath as Motorola's phone. Guess what turned more heads? Yep. The nano. Mr. Jobs said in an interview that he didn't think there was a market for this type of phone right now, if ever."
--Walt's Corner
"iPod Nanos spotted walking around SF this morning: quite a few. Motorola ROKRs seen: none. Don't hate on Apple because they've come up with something people want to buy, Ed. Watch and learn."
--MobHappy
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Frank.L
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