News Flash: ROKR not a flop?

Rumors to the contrary aside, some industry analysts insist that the ROKR E1 iTunes phone isn't a flop, and that sales may pick up as Motorola continues to market it. John Bucher, an analyst at Harris Nesbit, told CNN/Money that the higher return rates on the phone are based more on its complexity than on any actual defects, and that "I have a sneaking suspicion that Motorola is making money on this product." Ittai Kidron, an analyst at CIBC World Markets, added that the ROKR's sales rate "is not disappointing by any means. It's a start, and it's a good start, but there is still a long path. Don't forget the RAZR was slow for couple quarters when it came out. Things take time to marinate." The question is whether Moto is prepared to let things marinate long enough for the ROKR to really cook, or whether they're going to decide they've been soaked and move on to the next course.