LAS VEGAS--Cricket Wirless has delayed the launch of the Muve Music service and the Samsung Suede. The service, which offers all-you-can-eat music playback, downloads, ringtones, and more as part of a $55 plan, was meant to launch in Las Vegas today at CES 2011.
Instead, Cricket Wireless told CNET the new service and the availability of its debut phone is delayed until later in January. While phones and plans are temporarily on hold, Cricket's street campaign in Las Vegas is still in effect. We glimpsed a bus stop advertisement touting the rocking new phone plan.
When asked what caused the delay, a Cricket spokesperson told CNET that software bugs are behind the hold. Cricket's Muve Music service is an industry first that ties in what are essentially unlimited monthly music rentals as part of a $55-per-month plan. Other plans and carriers offer ringtone and download sales by the piece or through a separate monthly subscription, which can get pricey. The regional carrier commissioned a software maker to formulate the brand-new music operating system; first-time growing pains working on the software end may have also contributed to the tardy launch.
Despite the tactical troubles, we had a chance to play around with the phone at CES, and will have a video shortly. In the meantime, check out our first impressions of the Samsung Suede and Muve Music in the gallery below.