Motorola Inc., the world’s second-largest mobile phone maker, will begin selling all of the technology needed to build ’a basic mobile phone to outside manufacturers, in a key change of strategy. The inventor of the cell phone, which has been troubled by missteps compounded by a recent industry slump in sales, is trying to become a neutral provider of mobile technology to , with an eye toward fostering a much larger market than it could create itself. The Chicago area-based company, considered to have the widest range of technologies needed to build a phone, said it planned to make available chips, a design layout for the computer board, software, development tools and testing tools. Motorola has previously supplied mobile phone manufacturers with a couple of its chips, but this is the first time the company will offer its entire line of chips as well as a detailed blueprint. Mobile phones contain a variety of chips and components to control power, sound and amplification. ysts said they liked the new strategy but were cautious about whether Motorola’s mobile phone competitors would want to buy the technology from a rival.
The company, long known for its top-notch (等级) engineering culture, is hoping to profit from its mobile phone technology now that the basic technology to build a mobile phone has largely become a commodity. Motorola said it will begin offering the technology based on the next-generation GPRS (Global Packet Radio Service) standard because most mobile phone makers already have technology in place for current digital phones. GPRS offers faster access to data through "always on" network connections, and customers are charged only for the information they retrieve, rather than the length of download.
Burgess said the new business will not conflict with Motorola’s own mobile phone business because the latter will remain competitive by offering advanced features and designs. Motorola’s phones have been criticized as being too complicated and expensive to manufacture, but Burgess said Motorola will simplify the technology in the phones by a third. In addition to basic technology, Burgess said, Motorola would also offer additional features such as Bluetooth, a technology that allows wireless communications at a short distance, and Global Positioning System, which tracks the user’s whereabouts, and MP3 audio capability.
The technology supplied by Motorola is based on ______.