What Happened to Motorola? A Legacy of Innovation and Reinvention

Remember Motorola?

Motorola, the pioneering telecommunications giant, didn’t vanish—it’s evolved through splits, sales, and strategic shifts. Founded in 1928 as Galvin Manufacturing Corporation by brothers Paul and Joseph Galvin in Chicago, it started with battery eliminators for radios and quickly innovated in car radios, earning its “Motorola” name in 1930. 10 The company exploded during WWII with the SCR-536 “Handie-Talkie” walkie-talkie and later dominated mobile tech: inventing the first cellular phone (DynaTAC 8000X in 1983), the MicroTAC flip phone (1989), and the iconic RAZR V3 (2004), which sold 130 million units. 

But glory faded. By the mid-2000s, Motorola struggled against Nokia, Samsung, and Apple’s 2007 iPhone revolution. Sales halved, and it posted $4.3 billion in losses from 2007–2009 due to outdated designs, internal rivalries, and slow adaptation to smartphones. 

The Big Split: 2011

To survive, Motorola restructured dramatically. On January 4, 2011, it divided into two public companies:

• Motorola Solutions (NYSE: MSI): The “legal successor,” focusing on enterprise and public safety communications (radios, video security, command centers). It shed consumer products and thrived, hitting $10 billion in revenue in 2023 (up 9% YoY) and a $72.9 billion market cap as of August 2025. 1 8 12 Today, it serves governments, schools, and businesses in 100+ countries, with a $14.3 billion backlog entering 2024. 
• Motorola Mobility: The consumer arm (phones, tablets, accessories), spun off with Google’s $12.5 billion acquisition in May 2012 to bolster Android hardware. 

Post-Split Twists

Google owned Motorola Mobility briefly (2012–2014), launching Moto G and X series before selling it to China’s Lenovo for $2.91 billion in 2014. Lenovo integrated it, absorbing its own phone unit, and revived the brand with affordable, innovative devices like foldables. 

As of October 2025, Motorola Mobility (under Lenovo) ships 30+ million units annually, emphasizing the Edge (high-end), Razr (foldables), and Moto G (budget) lines. Its 2025 flagship is the Razr 60 Ultra, with sustainability goals like 50% recycled materials in products.   Recent wins include partnerships with Formula 1 (global sponsor from 2025) and FIFA. Headquartered in Chicago with ~4,000 employees, it’s profitable in emerging markets but trails giants like Samsung. 

Motorola’s “death” was a rebirth: from radio pioneer to split survivor, its DNA powers public safety (Solutions) and consumer gadgets (Mobility). The original conglomerate? Gone, but its innovations—like Six Sigma, born here in 1986—endure globally.