Motorola Launches Defy+ Rugged Android Handset

For Motorola Mobility, is was business as usual on the same day it agreed to put its fate in Google’s hands. The phone and tablet maker, which agreed to be acquired by Google on 15 August for $12.5 billion (£7.6bn) in cash, unveiled the Motorola Defy+, a so-called “rugged” smartphone based on Google’s Android 2.3 “Gingerbread” operating system and powered by a 1 GHz processor.

The Defy+ is designed to resist damage from water, scratches and dust, thanks to the 3.7-inch display touchscreen built with Corning Gorilla Glass, which is similar to that of the first Defy.

Running partner

“Motorola Defy+ can survive a sudden rain shower, a day on the beach, an all-night party – or even a tough workout with the pre-loaded CardioTrainer application, which transforms the device into the perfect running mate,” Motorola said in a statement.

The device is the successor to the original Android 2.2 “Froyo”-based Motorola Defy, which the phone maker launched last October, and will provide the durable alternative to the Motorola Titanium, which is based on Android 2.1.

Aside from the Gingerbread inclusion, the new Defy+ boasts better battery life than its predecessor, using a 1700 mAh power source compared to the Defy’s 1540 mAh battery. Motorola is promising 7.1 hours of talk time and 17 days of standby time for the new handset.

The new device also supports a music player to let users access and share their tunes, which may be streamed from users’ desktops via Motorola Media Link.

The Defy+ also includes Google Talk video chat; 2GB of internal storage, expandable to 32GB; support for Adobe Flash Player 10 for multimedia consumption; and a 5MP camera with flash, digital zoom and auto focus.

Rugged

Pricing is not yet available for the Defy+, which Motorola will begin selling in Europe, Asia and Latin America this autumn.

The device was introduced the same day Google bid to purchase Motorola Mobility, which split from its networking business, to fortify its patent portfolio versus Apple and Microsoft, which are suing Motorola and other Android OEMs.

Motorola has become something of a champion of rugged Android phones. The company launched the Motorola i1 in the US more than a year ago before following that device with the Titanium on the same carrier this past June.