A US discussion forum dedicated to mobile telephony has posted extracts from what it claims to be Motorola’s 2003 product line-up. Devices include a Symbian OS smartphone referred to as Paragon II and a camera phone with the code A835.

Motorola is known to be working on a Symbian OS smartphone for Hutchison 3G, codenamed Paragon, which uses the same UIQ interface as SonyEricsson’s P800. Paragon II uses an enhanced version of Symbian OS 7, with support for J2ME, XHTML, VPN, instant messaging and polyphonic sound. It can play MP3s and comes with a set of remote-controlled headphones. There is an integrated digital camera, Bluetooth and GPS. It will accept SD cards, including an 802.11b accessory, and is scheduled for availability in Q4 2003.

The colour A835 supports J2ME, MMS, integrated digital video capture and playback, MP3 ringtones and downloadable themes. Other devices include the budget C370, with colour screen, J2ME, WAP 2.0 and EMS, and the E360R, with similar specifications but including a digital camera. The T725, due Q2 2003, is an update of of the T720 Motorola announced last year and also adds a digital camera.

Motorola is also planning colour screen versions of its V70 fashion handset in Q1 2003 and two colour-screen flip phones for the US market which support GSM in all four bands – 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 Mhz.

Motorola was unavailable for comment.

Insight

This information tallies with leaks from several other sources, but the products it refers to are still some months away from release and final specifications are unlikely to be decided even within Motorola. This is not a complete list of the products Motorola plans to unveil in 2003 either.

However, if we accept the published specifications of the Paragon II, it will represent another strong addition to the growing range of Symbian smartphones. It will also enhance opportunities for developers targeting the P800 by increasing the installed base of UIQ-compatible devices.

The range shows Motorola continuing to improve on the weaknesses which characterised its range towards the end of the 1990s and in early 2000 – industrial design, consumer features and user interface. All of the new handsets have colour screens and support for MP3 or MIDI ringtones. The Paragon II, in particular, is representative of a new design wave within Motorola, far removed from its business-like Timeport and StarTac ranges.