Motorola @ CTIA - The (non)scoop on the e399/ROKR/iTunes phone

All of Moto's top brass were up on stage, so we had to ask: what's the freaking deal with the
e399/ROKR/iTunes phone that we've seen pushed back time and time again, and when can we expect it? And furthermore, is there any truth to the rumors that the launch keeps getting pushed back due to carrier pressure to keep Apple and iTunes out of the music download revenue stream (or more precisely, to keep the carriers in that revenue stream)?

To be honest, we weren't really expecting much of a response, but we got a sort of half answer: the phone still isn't being announced, but that's because of the difference in "product release cultures" between Moto and Apple, and that Apple wants things under tight wraps until everything is good to go (no surprise there, right?). They also said Apple's got the tip on working with the carriers and Moto's not in that loop at all, so it sounds like we can definitely expect tight iTunes integration with cellphone providers, and for no announcements (and especially no dates) until Apple lets it go. Or until one of our sources invariably leaks it.

When Ed Zander was asked how Steve Jobs was, he replied, "He's doing very well, thanks."