On March 10 I linked to a report that Motorola's abrupt cancellation of its iTunes phone launch was due to conflict with its service carriers. The company did not fully explain the delay. Now, it is revealed that Apple requested the cancellation in a sort of product-announcement culture conflict. Apple normally intorudces products on the eve of their consumer availability, whereas cell phone companies traditionally divulge specifications and show prototypes months before product availability. Apple's concern is not objectionable, though it does seem surprising that the two companies weren't on the same pasge going into the CeBIT show at which Motorola was scheduled to unveil the darn thing.
