Motorola unveils Droid phone
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Motorola (MOT.N) unveiled its second phone based on Google (GOOG.O) Android system on Wednesday with U.S. market leader Verizon Wireless, which said it will promote the phone with its biggest marketing campaign ever.
The Droid phone, which includes a computer-like keyboard and a new version of Google (GOOG.O) software, Android 2.0, will go on sale for $199 (63 pounds) on November 6 to Verizon Wireless customers.
The device will compete directly against Apple (AAPL.O) hugely popular iPhone.
Droid represents a massive bet for Motorola, which after losing ground to rivals for more than two years has reorganized its entire mobile business around the development of phones based on Android.
Verizon Wireless, a venture of Verizon Communications (VZ.N) and Vodafone Group (VOD.L), will look to the device to help it stem market share losses to AT&T (T.N), the exclusive U.S. provider of iPhone.
It recently started showing Droid video ads highlighting its advantages over iPhone without actually describing the device itself.
(Reporting by Sinead Carew, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)
© Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved.
Can I have one for Christmas?
The hottest toy in the U.S. this Christmas is an interactive hamster. It does not come from one of the major toy brands or from a movie but a small, seven-year-old company from Missouri. Full Coverage
UK
US
Made in China: a new 'electromobile'