Motorola iPhone Killer: 10 Ways to Create It

by Don Reisinger

First and foremost, Motorola cannot ditch Android OS in any iPhone killer it offers. Apple might have its own operating system, but as recent sales figures have shown, the market is extremely happy with Android OS. The last thing Motorola should want to do is jeopardize its next device for the sake of developing its own operating system. Android OS is just fine. Motorola must remember that.

Although Apple has been able to get the iPhone 4’s antenna problem to go away, it’s clear that some consumers and enterprise customers are still concerned about it. Realizing that, Motorola should do everything it can to invest in a superior antenna design. At an impromptu press conference last month, Steve Jobs said that every device maker suffers from antenna problems of some sort. If Motorola can buck that trend for its own gain, it can go a long way in besting the iPhone.

The Droid X and the Droid 2 are fine devices, but they’re only available on a single carrier. As the prospect of an iPhone coming to Verizon’s store shelves becomes greater, Motorola’s iPhone killer will need to be available to as many customers as possible. If the company opts to stick with Verizon or jump to AT&T, it won’t beat the iPhone. Ubiquity means the difference between beating Apple’s iPhone and trailing it.

The corporate world is one place where Apple hasn’t been as active as it should. That’s perhaps the main reason why RIM’s BlackBerry is still so successful with sub-par hardware. Motorola should attempt to appeal to corporate customers in its next smartphone. If it can find a product that bridges the gap between corporate functionality and consumer desire, it will have a winner on its hands that might easily best Apple’s iPhone.

Motorola has proven over the past couple years that it knows how to market a product. Its “Droid Does” campaign has proven extremely successful. Whenever it builds its hopeful iPhone killer, the company should invest every last dime of its marketing budget into getting word out about the device to consumers. Motorola doesn’t have the luxury of hype that Apple enjoys. And it needs to remember that.

Leverage the Google RelationshipMotorola’s success in the mobile marketplace should earn it some respect from Google. The Droid X is selling extremely well, the Droid 2 is highly coveted,and all the while, Android OS market share continues to gain. Motorola should go to Google, make the search company realize how important it is to the bottom line and get Google to help it market its next smartphone. It also wouldn’t hurt if Google offered preferential treatment on getting Android OS sooner. Motorola is a success. It should use that to its advantage.

Until Android 3.0 comes out, the next Motorola smartphone must run Android 2.2. Perhaps the biggest issue standing in the Droid X’s way right now is that it still doesn’t have Google’s latest Android OS version. When it does, the company will finally get closer to an even playing field with Apple. Simply put, no iPhone killer will ever run Android 2.1.

Productivity is central to the success of a platform. Whether it’s video editing, the option to do more with document editing or something else, Motorola needs to find a way to make users of its next smartphone far more productive than they are right now. That’s especially important for companies that want to get more out of their employees. Improved productivity isn’t always easy on an iPhone. If a new Motorola smartphone can offer it, the company could go a long way in besting Apple.

Although Motorola wants to build an iPhone killer, the last thing it should do is focus its efforts on Apple. Yes, the iPhone is its target, but if it simply delivers features Apple’s iPhone already has, consumers won’t see much value in it. Motorola needs to think outside the box and be unique. Apple has proven that being unique helps in the smartphone market. Now it’s Motorola’s turn.

Motorola has already proven that it knows what it needs to do to be successful in the smartphone market. Its Droid X is arguably the second-best device in the space. Realizing that, it should build upon the Droid X’s success, rather than come up with something totally new. Motorola should keep the 4.3-inch display, include all the entertainment options and maintain the same basic design. But it’s the performance, functionality and the software that, if improved, could give it the upper hand against the iPhone.