SCHAUMBURG, Ill.-Motorola Inc. appears to be prepping a range of new advanced devices for possible introduction during the 3GSM show in Cannes, France, including new 3G phones with the Symbian operating system, new phones running the Microsoft Corp. smart phone OS and the company’s first camera phone for Verizon Wireless.
Pictures of and information about the devices have been popping up on various Internet sites over the past week, including Phone Scoop and the Federal Communications Commission Web site. Motorola did not return calls for comment on the possible information leaks.
The FCC recently approved the Motorola V710, a CDMA phone with an integrated digital camera and Bluetooth support. Verizon Wireless’ logo appeared on the filings. A Verizon spokeswoman confirmed that the carrier was testing the phone, but said Verizon had not yet decided to sell it. If sold, the phone would be notable for several reasons. First, it would be Motorola’s first camera phone for Verizon, an offering that has been delayed since before the holiday shopping season. It would also be one of the first North American Bluetooth devices for CDMA networks. Sprint PCS is currently selling the Bluetooth-capable T608 from Sony Ericsson, although only through a 1-800 sales number.
On the smart-phone side, Internet rumors have for weeks predicted a new Motorola device running Microsoft’s operating system. Motorola made waves last year when it introduced a Microsoft smart phone for AT&T Wireless Services Inc. According to CoolSmartPhone.com, Motorola has plans for three new Microsoft smart phones, including devices with an integrated digital camera, Bluetooth and a stylus and touch screen. Two of the phones feature clamshell designs while the third is a bar-shaped model.
Finally, according to Taiwanese newspaper DigiTimes, Motorola plans to sell four new 3G phones, including devices featuring the Symbian operating system and digital cameras with resolutions of 1.3 megapixels. According to the newspaper, Motorola plans to sell the W-CDMA A1000 with the Symbian operating system in the second half of this year, as well as the E1000 with Bluetooth. The company plans to introduce the V1000 with a 1.2-megapixel camera in the first half of next year, as well as the entry-level V980.
The annual 3GSM show has in past years been the scene of a variety of new mobile-phone introductions.
