Motorola Inc. unveiled the Slvr V8 cell phone Monday, a derivative of its hot-selling Razr V3, along with another phone featuring a unique design, the Pebl V6.
Those two models were among the nine phones Motorola–the world’s second-largest maker of cell phones–introduced at the 3GSM World Conference, a wireless industry exposition in Cannes, France.
Several other phonemakers, including global industry leader Nokia, also unveiled new models at the show.
Motorola introduced the Razr V3 in November, winning kudos for its styling. It has sold well even though it costs $499. Motorola wouldn’t comment on the price of either the Slvr or the Pebl, but they may not be in the same rarified price league as the Razr.
“We want to drive high design into more of a high-volume, mass-market product,” said Jim Caruso, director of operations for Motorola’s cell phone design group. “It’s more affordable high design.”
Both phones are slated to be available in the second half of 2005.
Like the Razr, the Slvr is a camera phone that features an ultra-thin design. In fact, it’s a little thinner than the Razr, which is less than a half-inch thick, Caruso said.
While the Razr is a “clam shell” that folds with a hinge, the Slvr is a “candy bar” style phone. And while the Razr’s shell is made from aircraft-grade aluminum, the Slvr’s is formed from plastic.
The Pebl’s styling is the opposite of the Slvr: It’s rounded and smooth, not angular and bladelike. Both models come in a charcoal-metallic color.
Motorola also unveiled three new “3G” phones for the European market. 3G refers to “next generation” wireless networks that transmit data much faster. Such networks are more extensive in Europe than the U.S.
Also on Monday, the GSM Association, a wireless industry trade group, announced that Motorola has been selected to make a low-cost cell phone–one priced below $40–for developing countries.
