Nokia today announced that it would not include Apple's popular iTunes music software into its upcoming N91 music phone, countering speculation that it would.
"There is no commercial agreement between Nokia and Apple to integrate iTunes into the N-series devices," Kari Tuutti, a spokesman for Nokia's multimedia division said. "Our main strategy is to provide links to telecom operators' music stores."
Tuutti added, "Since the N91 is based on a computer platform, anybody - including Apple, if they so wish - can very easily develop this kind of application and offer it to consumers, via the internet, for example."
Currently Nokia has an agreement with Microsoft, including software that enables easy music transfer between phones and computers. However wild speculation appeared after Finnish daily Taloussanomat had reported the Nokia N91 would support iTunes.
Tuutti said Nokia had already seen such applications in research labs but had not agreed to any commercial deals. "We are not making any exclusive arrangements with any music store but believe that we want to give the consumer the choice of where they want to purchase their music."
Since the popularity of portable music took off, consumers and investors alike saw the natural merger between the iPod and cell phones. Contrary to Nokia, Motorola has signed a similar deal with Apple, and its long-awaited iTunes phone will go on sale at the end of 2005.
