Soham Posted August 20, 2005 Share Posted August 20, 2005 SAN FRANCISCO (Billboard) - Universal Music Group and partner SingleTouch Interactive are bringing to market a music-focused mobile phone, called MoveU Mobile, which will provide access to such personalized entertainment as ringtones, wallpaper images and other music-related downloads.The phone will include prepaid cellular service managed by SingleTouch, which resells airtime from wireless operator Sprint PCS. The MoveU phone will ship with selected ringtones, but users will have the option to pay an additional monthly fee -- as yet undetermined -- for unlimited access to master and polyphonic ringtones. Additionally, SingleTouch will create phones branded for individual UMG artists, sold through each artist's Web site, with preloaded content specific to that person. SingleTouch already has sold 7,000 units of a Hilary Duff-branded phone and is in the process of rolling out a Barbie-branded model. The MoveU phone will be sold later this year for $99.95 at Wal-Mart and other retail locations. That price is considered to be essential for mass consumer adoption. "I can't put an $800 phone into Wal-Mart," SingleTouch founder Anthony Macaluso says. "There are a lot of people out there in the $99 price range that would like to have music on their phone." BUSY SIGNALS The deal is UMG's second recent wireless-related partnership. On August 9, the company announced an investment in emerging wireless operator Amp'd Mobile. SingleTouch also operates a wireless content access service called #147, which rolled out August 15 in San Diego in conjunction with Clear Channel Radio. The service allows wireless subscribers to access such content as ringtones by dialing #147 on their wireless phone when prompted by a radio DJ. Once dialed, callers are connected to a content menu where they can buy the ringtone of the song they just heard on the radio. Ringtones then are sent to the phone via wireless messaging, with the charges added to the caller's wireless bill. Currently, only Cingular subscribers can use the service. SingleTouch and Clear Channel plan to roll out #147 in Atlanta; Orlando, Fla.; Cleveland; and Memphis in the next two weeks. Eventually, Macaluso says, the system will allow users to purchase full tracks over the air as well. SingleTouch also is developing a service that will let users listen to live concerts on their phones. During the broadcast, users can record a portion of the live concert to turn into a ringtone. source Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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