Influence

The DynaTAC 8000x was just one step in Motorola’s goal: achieving global communication. "People want to talk to other people - not a house, or an office, or a car. Given a choice, people will demand the freedom to communicate wherever they are, unfettered by the infamous copper wire. It is that freedom we sought to vividly demonstrate..." (Martin Cooper, qtd. in Taylor, 2013). Motorola broke that wire chain and the historical barrier of stationary communications that it presented. They will be forever remembered for their revolutionary invention.

In the 1990s, Motorola conceived a system of satellites phones that would allow worldwide communication using a cell phone, but without cell towers (Collins, 2018). The company raised over $800 million, but a lack of consumer interest caused the Iridium project to temporarily collapse (Steinbock, 2002).

Sales Check:

In the 1980s, Motorola was the US’ fourth-largest semiconductor manufacturer, “By the end of the 1990s, annual sales had passed $30 billion, and there were over 20,000 Motorola employees working in the Chicago area” (Gilfoyle, N.D.).

Soon after, Motorola began to decline. In 1990, Motorola lost multiple partnerships with large tech firms. Then, Motorola was caught off-guard by the decreasing demand for analog cell phones. They were focused on analog cellular (1G) while companies such as Nokia took over with digital cellular (2G). Motorola was unable to keep up with digital technology because they kept trying to produce their own chips (Snyder, 1998).

(Dragoshanskiy, 2020)

Long Term

In 1996, Motorola's ceaseless innovation kept it in the top three of Chicago-based companies (Chicago Tribune, 1996).

Motorola remains an influential cellular company, and their invention that broke the barriers of communication will forever leave a mark on history.

Corporate Update

“By 2002...Motorola remained one of Chicago's largest corporations, with net revenues of almost $27 billion and 97,000 employees worldwide” (Gilfoyle, N.D.).
“Along with solid handset sales, Motorola also posted gains in the rest of its businesses. The company recorded $8.8 billion in revenues, a 17% jump from the same quarter a year ago. Furthermore, the company's earnings per share exploded by 52% to 38 cents, way ahead of expectations of 25 cents a share” (Dano, 2005).
"We had no idea that in as little as 35 years more than half the people on Earth would have cellular telephones, and they give the phones away to people for nothing” (Martin Cooper, qtd. in Taylor, 2013).

Recent History

Neighborhood destroyed by Hurricane Sandy (Mishella, 2012)

"Police, fire and rescue personnel depend on dedicated wireless channels to mobilize and communicate in a crisis. This is especially true in large-scale disasters that can overwhelm cell phone networks or when conditions such as smoke, heat, noise or loss of power can render other forms of communications useless."

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, hundreds of first responders came to the New Jersey area. Because of destroyed power lines and cell towers, communication would be close to impossible. Luckily, Motorola reacted to the disaster and sent in hundreds of their radios overnight. This enabled the first responders to have quick and reliable communications, which allowed them to save more people (Bearcom, 2013, 2019).

Left: DynaTAC 8000x (Wilson, N.D.) vs. right: Motorola Razr (The Hustle, 2019, Modified by William Kim)

1. For a time, "...the Motorola RAZR was the best-selling phone in the US market, and to this day is the best-selling clamshell phone in the world. In the space of four years, Motorola’s RAZR sold over 130 million units" (Messieh, 2011). It was Motorola's next evolution from the DynaTAC 8000x.

2. When the satellite phone was fixed, the DoD said, “Iridium will not only add to our existing capability...The system offers state-of-the-art satellite communications service to any open area in the world. It provides mobile, cryptographically secure telephone services to small handsets anywhere in the world, North Pole to South Pole, 24 hours a day, officials said” (Gilmore, 2000).

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Background: 1000 Logos, N.D., Modified by Sasha Dragoshanskiy