Motorola facts for kids
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| Public | |
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | September 25, 1928 |
Motorola was a very important company that made cell phones and other electronics. It was based in Schaumburg, Illinois, a town near Chicago. For many years, Motorola was a leader in making new and exciting technology.
Motorola was a "public" company. This means its shares could be bought and sold by anyone on the New York Stock Exchange. Its stock symbol was MOT.
How Motorola Started
The company began in 1928 with a different name: Galvin Manufacturing Corporation. It was founded by brothers Paul and Joseph Galvin. They started by making "battery eliminators" for radios. These devices allowed radios to run on household electricity instead of batteries.
The name 'Motorola' was first used for their car radios. It combined "motor" (for cars) and "ola" (which meant sound). The company officially changed its name to Motorola in 1947.
During World War II, Motorola made the first walkie-talkie. This was a two-way radio that soldiers could carry. It helped them talk to each other during battles. This invention was a big step forward in communication technology.
Big Changes for Motorola
Motorola faced some tough times between 2007 and 2009. The company lost a lot of money. Because of these financial challenges, Motorola decided to split into two separate companies.
On January 4, 2011, Motorola divided into:
- Motorola Mobility: This part focused on making cell phones and other mobile devices.
- Motorola Solutions: This part focused on communication for businesses and governments, like radios and public safety systems.
Later, Motorola Mobility was bought by other big technology companies. On August 15, 2011, Google announced it would buy Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion. Google wanted Motorola's patents and its phone-making experience.
Then, on October 30, 2014, Lenovo finalized its purchase of Motorola Mobility from Google. Lenovo is a Chinese technology company. This meant that Motorola's cell phone business became part of Lenovo.
Images for kids
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Local branch in Glostrup, Denmark
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Motorola vacuum tube carton
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Dr. Martin Cooper of Motorola made the first private handheld mobile phone call on a larger prototype model in 1973. This is a reenactment in 2007.
See also
In Spanish: Motorola Inc. para niños
