Motorola launched five new handsets yesterday and announced it would use high-speed GPRS (general packet radio services) technology across its entire product line, a move expected to help jump-start the introduction of next-generation telephone services.
The company also released its first third-generation (3G) mobile handset, a move that puts it one step ahead of its European competitors such as Nokia, Siemens and Ericsson.
The world's second-largest handset-maker said the new products and upgrades to three existing phones marked a revamped focus on design and technology as Motorola tried to reverse a difficult period last year, when it posted its first loss since the 1930s and saw demand for mobile phones shrink for the first time.
Mike Zafirovski, president of Motorola's personal communications sector (PCS), said: 'Anyone who tracks our industry will recognise the new direction represented by our 2002 portfolio. Design, style, elegance, entertainment and overall experience - these are all the hallmarks of a renewed and refocused Motorola PCS.'
Motorola introduced the handsets at its design centre in Milan. The phones feature a mix of fashion and technology, and cover the low and high end of the market.
The handsets include two models that were recently made available in Asia ahead of their global launch, reflecting the region's growing importance to the industry.