No More MOTO?

MOTO movers are in for a shock as Motorola plans to sell off its mobile handset division. That is the worst-case scenario as the company has come to realize that their mobile division is not doing as well as expected. The other alternative is to "explore the structural and strategic realignment of its businesses to better equip its Mobile Devices business to recapture global market leadership and to enhance shareholder value", according to an official press release.

“All of our businesses have exceptional people, products and intellectual property and the ability to achieve category leadership in their markets,” said Greg Brown, President and CEO. “We're exploring ways in which our Mobile Devices Business can accelerate its recovery and retain and attract talent while enabling our shareholders to realize the value of this great franchise.”

The revised strategy comes just one month after Brown succeeded Ed Zander as CEO and a year since Icahn initiated a proxy fight to shake up a company that was already in the throes of a severe decline in sales and profits. After grabbing world market share of 23 percent in 2006 on momentum led by its Razr phone, the company has lost nearly half that as rivals outpaced it with successful new products.

Could this be the end of the big MOTO? Even though I may not be a hardcore fan, this was the pioneer that brought us to where we are today in mobile technology. From those early brick-sized handsets that set the ball rolling to the ultraslim RAZR and RAZR2, one can only wonder what poor Abhishek Bachchan will shake his head to now.