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Motorola, the inventor of the smartphone, used to be a household name in the US and even around most of the world. Its owner, Lenovo of China, is hoping that the new Moto Z lines of phones will bring back the Motorola name and once again make it a top player in the smartphone industry. It was a company known for its quality, innovation, and great radios. During its glory days, the Motorola RAZR was the must have device – everybody wanted one and people to this day, wish they would come out with a new model. While the Moto Z has not stirred up that kind of enthusiasm, Lenovo is hoping that the interest in the Motorola brand will begin to gain ground with the Moto Z series and their accompanying Moto Mods that keep growing by the day.
The Motorola name was in a state of flux as it bought first by Google in 2012 and the resold to Lenovo in 2014. It was hard for the Motorola name to gain any firm foundation or market share. To avoid confusion, Lenovo was going to phase out the Motorola name altogether and called it “Moto by Lenovo” in an effort to co-exist with the Lenovo line of smartphones. Thankfully, ideas were tossed around, and a new leadership team was installed to work out the kinks. They will proudly keep the Motorola name and its iconic “bat wing” icon is back as Lenovo hopes to use the name recognition to increase buyers. Motorola Chairman and President Aymar de Lencquesaing said that “We have clarity on how we present ourselves.”
Aymar de Lencquesaing is excited about their new line of Moto Zs and their modular capabilities – a concept that did not work for the LG G5. However, the Moto Mods simply latch onto the back of the Moto Z via magnets and the protruding, yet stabilizing, camera hump. The Mods do not invade the inside of the Moto Z, and there is a growing variety to keep people interested. Another thing in favor of Moto’s ‘Z’ line is they have three models – the more affordable Moto Z Play, the middle Moto Z, and the flagship Moto Z Force sold under Verizon’s DROID moniker. Another part of the plan is to expand the availability of the Moto Z to other US carriers to broaden sales. The Moto Mods can be used on all levels of the Moto Z phones – this leaves no purchaser out of the loop. According to de Lencquesaing, the Moto Mods are selling much better than they anticipated with half the Moto Z buyers picking up a Mod when they purchase their phone. Of course, they realize that Mods alone cannot necessarily bring in new customers without a solid smartphone in the first place. While the Motorola name is well-known in the US, it is not in China, but Lenovo plans to eventually use the Motorola name on phones sold there as well. It all takes time and a well-orchestrated scheme – something Lenovo now understands and will execute.