Disappointed With Motorola ROKR

Apple industrial design has dominated much of the pc landscape for over 10 years. Each time Steve Jobs announces a new product, the whole industry turns into Siskel and Ebert, tearing about every nook and cranny, defining what works and what doesn't. If other PC manufacturers were forced to subscribe to the same level of scrutiny, they would have their asses chewed out. No other PC manufacturer with the exception of Sony, comes anywhere close to the might of Apple industrial design. This is where the brand spanking new Motorola ROKR confuses me.

Why oh why, with all of Apple's know how in easy of use, simplicity in design, grade of materials, quality of build and branding - allow the ROKR to be the first iTunes branded phone? With the simultaneous announcement of the iPod nano, it's clear that Apple still knows how to design drool worthy products. In fact, Apple is about the ONLY home grown consumer electronics company that can make the Japanese and Koreans envious. This only adds to my confusion as to why Apple would let Motorola design (re-brand an existing phone) the ROKR themselves. Wasn't it clear to both Motorola and Apple execs that an Apple designed phone would have sent shockwaves thru the cellular industry? Wasn't it clear to them that an Apple designed phone would have sent the mobile carriers into a frenzy trying to carry the phone exclusively?

After some thought, I can think of one reason why; money. I suspect Apple won't be making much money off of the phone. Almost all profits will probably be going to Motorola and Cingular. Motorola because they designed the phone; Cingular because they are the exclusive carrier. How does Apple fit in? Simply integrating their iTunes client into a phone isn't going to make them money. I suspect they are charging a small licensing fee but without a cellular version of the iTunes store, I don't see how else they could be turning a profit. So it must be a stepping stone for Apple. They are testing the waters in a new market without heavily investing themselves. They are taking the safer route. Go with an established handset maker and the largest cellular provider. If those two ingredients aren't enough to sky rocket Apple to success in the mobile market, then they can easily exit with a minimum of loss. What's the flip side to this scenario? Well, lets say the Motorola ROKR becomes a raging success. Where other companies like Samsung and Sony Ericsson fail to successfully integrate music into their phones, Apple and Motorola have somehow forced the industry to it's kneews and expanded the digital music market. Apple now has experience and they go back to the drawing board to truly design an Apple iPhone. How will this affect their relationship with Motorola? Not by much at all. Despite Apple's expertise, they still don't manufacturer any of the internal components to their hardware. This will also ring true for an Apple designed iPhone. It's internal components will come from Motorola, but it's outer shell, interface and UI will be all Apple. It's seamless syncing ability and customization to both Macs and PC's will teach other companies how to do it right. It would be a high end phone, powerful enough for professionals, easy enough for your mom and dad. It's the kind of device that will do what the iPod did for the music industry. it will become and iconic figure and go down in history as a true evolution in the doggy dog world of cell phones.