Motorola launches 1st smartphone in China after Google deal

Mobile phone maker Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc unveiled its first Intel-based smartphone in China on Monday, aiming to make a comeback in the country that has the world's largest number of mobiles.

The Motorola MT788, which has an Intel chipset, is also the first Motorola smartphone launched in China since Google Inc bought the company in May.

The last time Motorola introduced a handset in the Chinese market was in April, when it cooperated with China Unicom (Hong Kong) Ltd to launch an affordable smartphone model, the XT390.

Frank Meng, president of Motorola Mobility China, said that the company is "restructuring itself" after Google's deal.

"Motorola is changing its product strategy. We would like to launch fewer smartphone models every year, but we hope that they have a more significant market influence," Meng said at a Beijing news briefing on Monday.

The restructuring plan is also going to help Motorola stand out in both the global and Chinese smartphone markets, Meng said.

The new Motorola handset is based on China Mobile's TD-SCDMA 3G network. It is priced at about 2,000 yuan ($317) per unit and targeted at young, fashionable customers.

The smartphone is also the first product under Motorola's cooperation project with Intel, as Intel aims for a bigger share of the smartphone chipset market.

Ian Yang, president of Intel China, said during the same event that this is just the start of the cooperation between Intel and Motorola.

"Intel hopes to introduce a diversified product line to the Chinese market. The Motorola MT788 targets the mainstream market and we are working on more products to be launched in the future," Yang said.