LIBERTYVILLE, Ill.-Motorola Inc. continued to follow through on promises of new phones with the release of a trio of push-to-talk devices for both GSM and CDMA operators. The move comes as both Nokia Corp. and Siemens AG announce major PTT handset plans, and follows Motorola’s longtime domination of Nextel Communications Inc.’s PTT handset lineup.
Motorola’s new clamshell V400p is a quad-band GSM device that includes a speakerphone, dedicated PTT button and integrated digital camera. The phone also support MP3 ring tones. Motorola also released its CDMA PTT phones, the T300p and the V65p. The T300p features a rugged design and dedicated push-to-talk button, and the clamshell V65p features a sleek metal housing and color screen.
“Our push-to-talk mobile phone portfolio delivers compelling experiences for those consumer segments that will be first to adopt this technology and drive the growth of the market,” said Tom Lynch, president and chief executive officer of Motorola’s phone division. “Our legacy in PTT offers a strong foundation from which to build and positions us to deliver solutions that make sense for network operators and create ‘must-do’ experiences for consumers.”
Motorola said it is committed to “enabling multi-vendor interoperability for push- to-talk,” and that it is working with the Open Mobile Alliance to develop global PTT standards.
Separately, Motorola signed a notable licensing deal with Internet browser company Opera Software. Motorola said it will install Opera’s browser on “multiple” Motorola handsets and would also resell the Opera Platform, a service that allows operators to remotely update the home screens of their subscribers’ phones. The deal comes as Sony Ericsson, Nokia and others have announced major support for Opera’s Internet browser, which renders standard HTML Internet content in a mobile phone-size screen.
In other handset news, Siemens introduced two new tri-band GSM phones, including an advanced camera phone and a clamshell phone with a unique loop-style antenna. Siemens’ new CX65 features a color screen and integrated video camera as well as support for Java and 11 MB of memory. The phone will be sold in Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America in the second quarter of this year. Siemens’ new clamshell CF62 features color screen and Java support as well as a looped antenna. The phone will be available in Europe in April and in Asia Pacific and North America in the second quarter.
