From Deseret News archives:

Style puts Motorola back in the game

Published: Monday, April 11, 2005 8:55 p.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
CHICAGO — Technology always trumped good looks at Motorola Inc., whose distinguished 77-year resume includes the first car radio, walkie-talkie and cell phone but not a lot of tech beauty prizes.

Geeks like Jim Wicks, working for a competitor a decade ago, were impressed with its well-engineered products but winced at their industrial look and relentlessly black and gray colors. "I thought, 'Wow, great products, but why are they so ugly?' " recalled Wick, now Motorola's chief phone designer.

Today, "plain" is out and "sleek and stylish" are in as a new focus on design wins back customers and market share at Motorola — a comeback from a long decline in full force after 1 1/2 years.

The symbol of the resurgence is the ultra-thin Razr, whose success helped vault the Schaumburg, Ill., company over worldwide leader Nokia Corp. as the top phone seller in North America last year and, even more noteworthy, stamped pioneer Motorola as the trendsetter again in innovative design.

The $450 Razr embodies "a departure from the stodgy, engineering-driven, Midwestern company that was Motorola," according to Yankee Group analyst John Jackson.

Those core values may make for a strong foundation but they don't necessarily resonate in an age where so many consumers want their choice of cell phone to define cool.

Story continues below
"These guys have to evolve from an engineering-focused company to a hip, slick, dynamic, rapidly moving consumer electronics company," Jackson said. "Thus far, they've been able to do that."

The device formerly known as the cell phone, as Motorola insiders refer to it, has itself been on an industrywide roll as consumers embrace its growing tools — camera, e-mail, music, speakerphone and shrinking size. The number of mobile phones sold worldwide surged 30 percent to 674 million last year en route to a projected 730 million-plus in 2005, according to the Gartner research firm.

"It's gone from a communications tool to a consumer electronics device in the last 10 years, or in some cases an object of self-expression," said Wicks.

Motorola appeared to have a head start on the development of consumer-conscious cell phones in 1996 with the pocket-sized StarTAC, a popular early clamshell or flip phone. But a series of subsequent operating and strategic flubs weakened sales, dropping it behind Nokia and threatening to tarnish its reputation for innovation.

That all began to change about four years ago with a bigger embrace of style and fashion.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

Image
M. Spencer Green, Associated Press

Rudy Krolopp, lead designer of the first cell phone, shows Motorola's thin Razr balanced on the "brick."

previousnext

Latest comments

Letters: Case of sour grapes

How to annoy a liberal - work hard, be happy, have success

Feeling the sorrow of the vitims and there family, I still opose to the death...

hey why dont you write on something we already know

Worrywort, first, your comments have nothing at all to do with the article....

My prediction: Friday, November 20 Timpview vs Springville 4A...

Jazz blow big lead, hang on

If Korver leaves the Jazz it will be to a team that values the 3 ! If Utah...

'Sesame' celebrates 40th birthday

I grew up watching and loving Sesame Street and it is fun to see my kids love...

If we believe in the goodness of the American Constitution, we believe that...

4-day week won't work for all

I am already not working 2 months. I was RIF from my job and not able to find...

Not surprising. Most LDS women are more selfless than the average women...

Advertisements
Advertisement