Motorola is making big waves in the manufacturing industry with announcements regarding the Motorola Moto X, which is one of four cell phones the company is planning to introduce to Verizon Wireless customers in the coming months. The phones are the first to be released following Google's purchase of Motorola; the Moto X is going to come with some neat Google-backed technology and will be assembled domestically.
One aspect of the Moto X announcement that may excite professionals in the domestic manufacturing space is that Motorola intends to have the phones assembled in the United States. According to a report from ABC News, the manufacturing efforts will create 2,000 jobs by the end of the summer. Although the cell phones may sport "Made in America" labels, not every component included in the product will have the same distinction. For example, the company will manufacture the processors overseas. Still, Motorola is expecting efficiency and design benefits from building the phones in geographic locations that are closer to the designers.
The decision to assemble the Moto X domestically isn't surprising, given current trends in the mobile computing market and Google's own history. According to an industry report, both Google's Android and Apple's iOS operating systems are U.S. developed. In 2005, only 5 percent of mobile operating systems were developed domestically. Today, that number has increased to a whopping 88 percent. Other manufacturers are joining Motorola in domestic manufacturing. Lenovo manufactures some tablets in North Carolina, and Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, reported a desire to build a phone domestically.
The boost to domestic manufacturing isn't the only reason to get excited by Motorola's new product. Recent Google advertising makes it apparent that the Moto X is designed to compete with the top smartphones on the market, including Apple's iPhone 5. A simple design belies a plethora of technical tools, including a virtual assistant known as Google Now that will function like Apple's Siri. Statements and advertising from Motorola also hint at a smarter camera that activates with a certain motion, snaps photos with a touch of the screen and cuts down on the motion blur common with many mobile phone cameras. Active updates, custom wallpaper, and engraving options are a few competitive features you can expect to see with the Moto X. Prices haven't been set, but speculation puts the cost between $199 and $599 for Motorola's forthcoming flagship phone.
The Google-backed Moto X is an example of how smartphone manufacturers are evolving to compete in the market. Opting for made-in-America branding gives Motorola a competitive edge in some markets, but successful sales will likely come down to whether or not Google is offering user-friendly, functional technology that consumers want.
(Photo courtesy of photostock / freedigitalphotos.net)
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