Announcing Availability of ROKR Z6, S9 Headset and Unique
Marketing Agreement with Napster
NEW YORK – 15 May 2007 – Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT), a global leader in
wireless communications, today announced its new ROKR brand of music-optimized
headsets and handsets, highlighted by the powerful ROKR Z6, which is expected
to hit stores in May. Further delivering the best music experience for mobile
consumers, the company also announced a unique marketing agreement with Napster
(Nasdaq: NAPS) to give music fans even easier access to millions of songs on
the go.
Style and Substance
Motorola’s ROKR devices unite Motorola’s iconic style, with full MP3 player
capabilities, and the seamless capability of a high-quality operating system.
Inside the clean lines of the ROKR Z6 is a Linux/JavaTM music phone
with Windows MediaTM technologies, including Windows Media Audio
(WMA) Windows Media DRM 10, and media transfer protocol (MTP). The ROKR Z6 lets
consumers “plug and play” with any personal computer running Windows Media
Player 10 or 11. With fast PC direct connectivity via High Speed USB 2.0, the
Z6 lets you access music you want simply and seamlessly.
“The new ROKR music handsets are a true convergence of the MP3 player and
mobile phone,” said Chris White, senior director, Mobile Devices Multimedia
Entertainment, Motorola. “These innovative devices are packed with the features
mobile consumers demand today, including easy PC synching and access to
hundreds of music stores.”
The ROKR portfolio has a style for every taste and preference – a touch-screen
on the ROKR E6 and a slider form on the new ROKR Z6.
Music Masterpiece
The ROKR Z6 music handset delivers the key elements consumers look for in a
music phone, including:
- Music dedication - Making the easy transition from phone to music and back again, the ROKR Z6 allows one-touch access to your library and pauses music as calls come through.
- Put your fingers on the wheel - A touch of the 4-way navigation wheel gives immediate access to content.
- High-speed synching - Start rocking fast with High Speed USB 2.0 to side-load songs in 2-3 seconds, almost five times faster than a competitive music phone: that’s a 500 song library in 15 minutes, instead of 2 hours. Synch purchased music from over 200 music stores, including Napster, onto the device from your PC; or side-load tunes from over 200 music stores worldwide - an advantage over most other devices.
- Rocks with Windows - The Z6 makes it easy to find and manage songs using Windows Media PlayerTM on the PC, which supports playlists, album art, search by genre, artist and more. It even answers calls while you transfer. The ROKR Z6 works right out of the box; Windows Media Player automatically recognizes the device.
- Musical memory - With the external memory slot, load up 2GB microSD cards with your music collection; each holds approximately 1,000 songs and 70 hours of music.
- Time to rock - With more than 10 hours of music enjoyment in airplane mode, battery life concerns are history.
Looking to provide the world’s most compelling music experience, Motorola has
also created an ecosystem of additional products, accessories and services to
support the ROKR family, including headphones and access to a wide array of
digital music.
Wire-Free Music Enjoyment
The ROKR Z6 also features stereo Bluetooth® wireless technology,
enabling users to enjoy a wireless mobile stereo experience on the go with
compatible Bluetooth-enabled stereo headphones such as the ROKR S9 wrap-around
headset, another recent addition to the ROKR family. The amazing one-ounce S9
provides a tangle-free way to groove to tunes and dance to the music without
ever missing a call.
Availability
ROKR Z6 will be on sale in Asian markets starting in May. Providing a complete
end-to-end music service in China, the ROKR Z6 will download and side-load
content from Motorola’s music store, www.motomusic.com.cn.
The ROKR Z6 and ROKR Z6m will be available for purchase in Latin America,
Europe, North America and other markets beginning in June. For specific
regional availability and pricing, contact your local Motorola representative.
More Music On the Go With Napster
Motorola and Napster will develop promotional efforts for North America and
European markets designed to make it easy for consumers to join the Napster
community and load tracks from Napster’s over three million-song catalogue to
ROKR Z6 and other future Motorola music-enabled handsets. The companies will
also explore the creation of unique and exciting new bundled music experiences
at retail for mobile music enthusiasts.
“Motorola’s powerful global brand image, music leadership and exceptional
market position present tremendous potential for Napster deepening and
broadening its global presence,” Chris Gorog, chairman and chief operating
officer, Napster.
The first phase of the multi-faceted marketing agreement provides mobile music
lovers with one month of free unlimited access to more than 3 million songs and
unique content through a subscription to Napster To Go ®. The companies
will offer the service through in-box and aftermarket promotions, through
retailers and carrier channels in the US and Europe with further details to be
announced in the coming months, along with additional promotional
opportunities. European customers will also be entitled to five free permanent
downloads in connection with their subscription.
Motorola A Pioneer On The Global Music Scene
Motorola has made many pioneering moves in the music arena. Earlier this year,
Motorola announced a global strategic alliance with Warner Music Group to
create new music-based products and experiences for the mobile platform. This
global agreement provides for collaboration on the development of digital
products, marketing campaigns and strategic planning across multiple devices
and featuring a variety of artists.
Motorola has also teamed-up with more than 20 leading international and local
music labels in China to launch www.motomusic.com.cn,
a growing community for music enthusiasts.
Source: Motorola press release
