3GSM 2006: Motorola turn to Microsoft not Apple for next phase in music roll-out

Motorola and Microsoft has announced a collaboration to integrate a version of Microsoft Windows Media player into a number of Motorola's music handsets suggesting that the company's pack with Apple and its iTunes player hasn't been as fruitful as it might have first been thought.

Forthcoming Motorola music handsets will enable seamless connectivity to Windows-based PCs via the USB 2.0 high-speed protocol. Windows Media Player will automatically recognize Motorola handsets and enable users to quickly and easily sync their music from their PC to their phone.

Music acquired from any pay-per-download or subscription store using Windows Media technology will transfer and playback on Motorola handsets.

In addition Motorola and Microsoft plan to provide mobile handset offerings from 2007 that will allow users to download music on the go via a 3G network.

Motorola's music handsets will add support for Windows Media Digital Rights Management (DRM), Windows Media Audio (WMA), the enhanced Windows Media Audio Pro codec and Media Transfer Protocol (MTP).

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