Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

Lenovo CEO says we could see “Motorola by Lenovo” branded devices in the future

Andy Boxall
By
Lenovo Vibe Z hands on ces 2014 rear top
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Lenovo’s CEO Yuanqing Yang has talking about the future, specifically what we should expect from the newly inked partnership between his company and Motorola, following the surprise sale earlier this week. Speaking to Fortune.com, Yang revealed a few details about what it may have planned for the two brands in the near future.

When asked if we will see Lenovo-branded phones for sale in America, Yang replied that no decision had been made so far, but indicated the Motorola name would probably be used – a sensible choice given its recent rise in popularity – but with a slight alteration. He suggested we could see phones with “Motorola by Lenovo” stamped on them.

Recommended Videos

Yang fully intends to use the Motorola name in the U.S. and internationally, but will keep using the Lenovo name in China, where it’s the number two smartphone brand behind Samsung. However, there is some doubt over whether it’ll continue to offer customization options. Interestingly, if Lenovo does decide it’s a worthwhile feature, we could see it offered in more markets around the world. The Moto X has recently launched in the UK without any of Moto Maker’s custom design options.

Related

Lenovo’s CEO says Motorola deal is reminiscent of IBM acquisition, and adds the pairing is “Definitely complimentary.

Going back to the Motorola by Lenovo name, if this sounds familiar, it’s because Lenovo occasionally uses a similar marketing message to promote its ThinkPad PC range. Yang commented that the Motorola deal was reminiscent of the IBM acquisition in other ways, saying the pairing is “Definitely complimentary.”

He expects it to be equally as successful too, and is aiming for 100 million smartphone sales by 2015. An ambitious target, as the combined sales of the two companies last year was 55 million. Not only that, but Yang says it’s targeting Apple and Samsung, the only two firms ahead of it in terms of market share.

Back in May last year, Yang said Lenovo wanted to launch a range of smartphones in the U.S. within 12 months time. By purchasing Motorola, it could potentially meet this target, provided everything is approved by the authorities. We liked the Vibe Z when we got the chance to play with the phone during CES, and love the Moto X and Moto G, so can’t help but remain positive about any future Motorola by Lenovo hardware.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Andy Boxall
Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
New Motorola Razr 2023 leaks show the colorful flip phone we need
Four side-by-side shots of the Moto Razr 2023. A new red coloway is visible.

There are only a few major names in the game if you're looking for a foldable smartphone, but the name with the longest pedigree is probably Motorola. Leaks of the new Moto Razr have emerged on Twitter, and while they show relatively little of the phone, it does show off a new outer screen personalization feature – and a new, bold red colorway.

The leaks come courtesy of seasoned tipster Evan Blass (who has a private Twitter account), and he refers to it as the "Motorola Razr 40 Ultra", further fueling speculation that Motorola may release multiple versions of the Razr this year, including a more reasonably priced Razr Lite. As an "Ultra", it would make sense for these leaks to show the more expensive, flagship version of the device and, as such, likely includes features that wouldn't be available on a "Lite" version.

Read more
The 9 biggest phones we’re still expecting in 2023: iPhone 15, Pixel 8, and more
iPhone 14 Pro Max surrounded by other flagship phones.

Nearly a third of 2023 has already passed, and we’ve already seen a slew of new flagship phones from a variety of manufacturers. So far, we have had the OnePlus 11 and Samsung’s latest flagship Galaxy series, which includes the S23, S23 Plus, and S23 Ultra.

But there’s still more than eight months left in the year, which means plenty of time for the other flagship phones to appear. We’re still expecting a lot in 2023, so let’s take a look at what we’re waiting for.
iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro

Read more
5 things we’d love to see at Google I/O 2023 (but probably won’t)
Google Pixel Watch on a wrist.

Google's annual developer conference, Google I/O, kicks off on May 10. Don't let the words "developer conference" put you off, though, as Google I/O is one of the biggest and most exciting shows of the year.

We've already covered what we expect to see at Google I/O 2023, and that list includes the Pixel 7a, Android 14, and even a Google Pixel Fold. But although those are all things we're really looking forward to and expecting to see, there are a number of reveals we'd also love to happen ... but are extremely unlikely to appear on the grand stage.

Read more