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Last updated: Monday, September 29, 2008

Motorola is reportedly looking to beef up its Android development team, increasing its size from 50 to 350 people in hopes of getting in on the latest Google buzz. Motorola couldn’t immediately be reached for comment, but reports of insider leaks say the handset maker is working with a recruiter to find developers for Google’s open-source mobile operating system. Motorola is one of the founding members of the Open Handset Alliance, which has nearly three dozen technology, wireless and handset makers working together to push the Linux-based Android platform. However, Motorola also has its own Java-Linux initiative. If the news reports are true, hiring hundreds of Android developers could mark a dramatic shift in the struggling company’s strategy. Cashing in on the Buzz There is speculation among analysts as to whether a push toward Android will save Motorola. Michael Gartenberg, vice president of mobile strategy for Jupitermedia, can’t answer that question. However, he said, it seems clear that Android is the only mobile Linux initiative that matters right now. “When a company like Motorola says that it is doubling down its efforts to get into Android, we see that it gets plenty of media coverage. What I suspect is there was a lot of strong Android buzz last week. It has not escaped Motorola’s notice, and clearly none of it was going in their direction,” Gartenberg said. “One has to wonder with the timing how much of this was coordinated by Motorola in terms of getting the information out there.” Motorola and other handset makers witnessed last week’s debut of T-Mobile’s HTC model, dubbed the G1, and the week of media coverage it received. Analysts are certain other mobile-industry players will move quickly to tap into the buzz. But it might not help Motorola in the long run. Motorola’s Challenge Motorola still faces major issues that…

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Motorola Staffing Up To Cash In on Android Buzz

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