Can the Droid save Motorola?

From CNET News.com: Judging from the hype surrounding the new smartphone, which is the first device to use the Google Android 2.0 operating system, there is a good chance the Droid could be the breakthrough device that helps Motorola rise from the ashes. But it will likely take more than a single phone to get Motorola back in the game after losing market share for nearly three years, especially as competition in the handset market intensifies.

Gadget bloggers and device reviewers, such as our own Bonnie Cha, have been impressed with the new Droid, which was announced on Wednesday. But Motorola's mobile devices CEO Sanjay Jha said that the Droid is just the beginning. The company plans to introduce no fewer than 20 devices using the Google Android operating system in 2010, he said during the Droid launch event in New York on Wednesday.

The Droid and the Cliq, which is being sold on T-Mobile USA's network, are the first two Motorola Android phones to hit the market. But Jha said that the Google Android operating system will not only be used in high-end devices like the Droid, but it will also be used to power less expensive phones, creating a new tier of smartphone that will eventually replace the basic feature phone category.

"With these products we've taken the first step in positioning ourselves for the mobile Internet and smartphone market," Jha said during the company's third-quarter earnings conference call Thursday. "And in 2010, there will be a variety of new devices as we expand the portfolio across various tiers. We will continue to shift the mix of products to respond to the growing smartphone opportunity."

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