A number of sources are reporting that Motorola is to launch a range of high end multimedia ZiNE phones. This ties in with Motorola stated intent of using UIQ for high end multimedia phones. The rumours indicate that the first of the devices in this range will be the Z10.
Read on in the full article.
Just a shame the Z8 was so poor! Unless they can improve these phones markedly they'll not be getting any market share.
Sounds like they're copying Nokia's Nseries strategy - hopefully it's not too little too late or it's curtains for them!
I just hope they fix their UIQ firmware before releasing Z10. And update Z8 phones in the process.
I hope these do sell well as it would give Symbian an ideal route into the American market, and make US tech enthusiasts realise that Symbian does actually exist.
If Z8 is any indication, Z10 is unlikely to sell well. Z8 looks almost identical to a bunch of other, dumber Motorola phones. It has UIQ UI that has suffered from switching from pen-based input to buttons. It has absolutely flat, impossible to press buttons with no feedback. And, on top of that, the firmware is buggy and there is no firmware update so far, to the best of my knowledge.
All this is a real shame, as Z8 (and, no doubt, upcoming Z10) is a very nicely built phone. Were it produced by Nokia, this site would be full of fans salivating all over it, just like it is full of N95 fans now.
Z8 looks almost identical to a bunch of other, dumber Motorola phones. It has UIQ UI that has suffered from switching from pen-based input to buttons. It has absolutely flat, impossible to press buttons with no feedback. And, on top of that, the firmware is buggy and there is no firmware update so far, to the best of my knowledge.All this is a real shame, as Z8 (and, no doubt, upcoming Z10) is a very nicely built phone.
Er... slight contradiction there, surely? 😊
Oh, there is a contradiction all right. When you take Z8 in your hand, open it up, and stick it to your ear, you can immediately appreciate how solid it feels. The thing is built almost like a firearm. It is a pleasure to hold it in your hand, unlike some plastic pieces we have seen Nokia release lately. It is made of the right material. It has the right weight. It is balanced. It just feels right.
But then... then you try navigating its UI or just dialing a number and there you find out that Z8 is really solid all over, including the dialpad and the directional pad. It is all flat. There is absolutely no feedback from the keys, neither tactile nor audio. Because everything is flat and so close together, you often press wrong buttons. The flat and round directional pad has a nice look but is an absolute pain to operate.
So, in the end, you just put this toy down and go back to something cheesier but more practical. I guess, same may hold true for other, non-UIQ Motorola phones.
The Z10 is quite a big jump from the Z8, as some people were able to witness at the recent Smartphone Show in London.
The rumours indicate a number of other handsets from Motorola, including what we believe to be the upcoming Z12, otherwise known as Skarven.
krisse wrote:I hope these do sell well as it would give Symbian an ideal route into the American market, and make US tech enthusiasts realise that Symbian does actually exist.
No chance for the Symbian crap in the land of iPhones.