The ROKR: Poised to be a Hit?

Apple, Motorola and Cingular are all betting that the new Motorola ROKR mobile phone/MP3 player will catch on with customers who want to carry one device instead of two, as well as cell phone users who don't yet use an MP3 player. The ROKR contains an integrated version of iTunes, letting users download (and purchase) songs directly to their device... creating what Apple and Cingular surely hope is a lucrative revenue stream. The device also features a video camera, Surround Sound speakers, and Bluetooth.

The ROKR may be ideal for the majority of those who use MP3 players, as one survey found that half of those polled store fewer than 100 songs -- the maximum number the ROKR can hold -- on their MP3 devices. Another survey of US teens found that nearly half would spend money to download ringtones, streamed music, and MP3 files. Now that must be music to these companies' ears!



One downside to the ROKR, however, is its steep initial cost. At about $250, it is surely too pricey for many of the teens who make up its largest potential user base.

Source: eMarketer