Google’s Page Hints at Tougher, Long-Lasting Phones From Motorola
Google Chairman Eric Schmidt was pretty hot on the new phones the company’s Motorola division is working on during his interview at D: Dive Into Mobile Tuesday. “They’re very impressive,” he said. “Think of them as phones-plus.”
Phones-plus. What in the world does that mean? Hard to say, though recent comments from Google CEO Larry Page — who’s equally giddy about the devices — may offer some insight.
Commenting during Google’s Thursday earnings call, Page said he, too, is enthusiastic about the work the Motorola division has done so far, and his remarks suggest that the handsets it’s expected to soon debut will be more durable than their predecessors, with better battery longevity.
“Think about your device,” Page said. “Battery life is a challenge for most people. You shouldn’t need to carry around a charger with you to make it through the day. If your kids spill their drink on your tablet, the screen shouldn’t die. And when you drop your phone, it shouldn’t shatter. There’s real potential to invent new and better experiences, ones that are much faster and more intuitive.”
And presumably that’s exactly what Motorola has been working on. Said Page, “Having just seen Motorola’s upcoming products myself, I’m really excited about the potential there. In just under a year, they’ve accomplished a lot.”
We should expect to hear more about this at our D11 conference at the end of May, where Motorola Mobility’s CEO Dennis Woodside and SVP Regina Dugan will be interviewed onstage.