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pple has no interest in teaming up with satellite radio provider Sirius, CEO Mel Karmazin told investors and analysts at McGraw Hillis 2005 Media Summit Wednesday.
With the iPodis ability to store thousands of tunes, Apple CEO Steve Jobs told Sirius that Apple doesnit see the need of adding satellite radio functionality to the device. Karmazin declined to elaborate on his discussions with Jobs, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
Sirius rival XM Satellite Radio launched a portable receiver last year, the Delphi XM MyFi, and Sirius expects to have a similar solution ready by yearis end.
Rumors swirled in December 2004 that Apple teaming up with Sirius and that an announcement could come at Macworld Expo San Francisco. Shortly afterwards, XM Satellite Radio trademarked the word “SkyPod.”
“Do I think (a satellite radio-MP3 player combo) is going to happen some day in the future? Absolutely,” April Horace, a satellite radio analyst with Janco Partners told CNN/Money, calling an iPod coupled with satellite radio the “killer app.” She added whether XM or Sirius partners with Apple or another MP3 maker is anybodyis guess.
TMO reported in Janaury that XM Satellite Radio had approached several MP3 makers about making a combo digital music device, but that no deals had been made yet.