Verizon Launches Music Phone
Verizon Wireless unveiled its first consumer phone that doubles as a digital music player on Tuesday. Manufactured by Samsung, the SCH-a950 will store music on a TransFlash memory card that the user will need to purchase separately.
The Samsung SCH-a950 includes a play button on the exterior of the unit that will allow for one button access to a user's music collection. Other buttons on the face of the phone will stop and skip songs in the library, while a jog dial similar to the scroll wheel on iPods will allow for even faster navigation.
The wireless carrier is marketing the phone as the "complete entertainment experience." As well as MP3 support, the phone will also be able to access Verizon's high-speed VCAST multimedia network.
Other features include Bluetooth compatibility, speakerphone, voice dialing, a 1.3-megapixel camera and video recording functions.
The phone will be available for $249.99 USD with a two-year agreement with the carrier. As an incentive, Verizon will offer purchasers a $100 mail-in rebate on the phone.
Tuesday's move follows Cingular's announcement September 7 that it would sell the Motorola ROKR iTunes phone. The ROKR also sells for $249.99 USD with a two-year contract, but no rebate has been offered.