iPod Nano and Rokr, BIG Disappointments - Rokr, a Missed Opportunity
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Apple missed a huge marketing opportunity by not building a direct connection to its iTuens music store into the phone. Phones these days come with the option of downloading ring tones, games, or pictures from the phone’s service provider. I doubt that it would take much creativity to allow phones to buy music. It doesn’t take that much foresight to see a market for a mobile connection to the iTunes store, a magnet for impulse purchases.
One of the worst points of the Rokr is in how the iTunes software is implemented. It is supposed to be a music manager and a client to tranfer songs from the computer. It is trouble in both regards. The Rokr's software is not as intuitive as other cell phones, especially trying to switch between the music player and phone functions. The music manager software also responds sluggishly by all accounts. Most troubling is that the majority of people who have bought the phone have had issues putting music onto it. The connectivity between iTunes 5 and the phone is not as simple as plugging the phone in and pressing a button. The Apple forum is full of these problems and lists of fixes. There is an iTunes phone driver that users need to find and install, and the phone will only use a specific bitrate of sound file. This is a lot of trouble for average users. The cell-phone-buying masses would rather return a buggy phone than troubleshoot, with the exception of Apple fanatics.
However, Apple did implement its iTunes software to manage music on the phone and handle digital rights protection. This may be a start of something. iPod fans would enjoy using this mp3 phone over others because it handles music in the familiar interface. This is a bright spot for Apple when it comes to the Rokr. This opens up other opportunities with other mobile phone companies eager to cash in on a digital music player/mobile phone combination. For me though, this comes as something to look forward to, but it can’t satisfy my current appetite.
The phone is just a letdown, plain and simple. I’m sure it will open up future inroads into a ulcerative industry for Apple, but the actual product looks like any other chunk of plastic in need of some sleek Apple design. Hopefully someone will be able to incorporate Apple’s design cues, as well as their software, in a future incarnation.
It also strikes me that making this phone yawn-worthy really works to Apple benefit. It is possibly intentional. Without plans to manufacture phones on their own, Apple is stuck working with Motorla or other third parties that are established in this arena. Integrating mp3 players into phones effectively would hurt the iPod's position as the music player of choice. If music phones really take off, it could hurt Apple where it counts.
In summary, Mr. Jobs really let me down. I was pulling for him too. I really wanted to make the leap and buy a spanking new iPod or iPhone. Still, I want to take the iPod leap. There's no denying the cool factor, and there's nothing like buying a new toy to make you look marginallymore awesome. I’ll probably hit eBay for a used iPod Mini that someone is looking to part with as they upgrade to the Nano. I can live with a hard drive in my little music machine, as I think most people can.
Until then, I’ll just keep my hatchet somewhere close by.
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