Motorola back on track for iTunes mobile

Motorola is still on track to deliver its delayed iTunes mobile phone, chief executive Ed Zander said in a conference call discussing the company's first-quarter financial results.

The handset that allows consumers to buy and play tracks from the iTunes music store will arrive within the next few months, according to Motorola.

Doubts were raised about the future of the phone after it emerged that Motorola had used a non-functioning mock-up at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January.

The company was later expected to launch the phone in France at the 3GSM mobile show, or in February at the CeBIT tradeshow in Germany, but passed on both occasions.

Analysts speculated that mobile operators spoiled the party by threatening to block the music buying service for fear of losing lucrative ringtone business.

Apple charges less for a full version of a song than consumers are used to paying for a few seconds of ringtone.