50 years ago today the first mobile phone call was made
Fifty years ago today, the world of communications changed forever. Martin Cooper, former Motorola VP and Director of R&D, used the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X to make the world’s first commercial mobile phone call from Sixth Avenue in New York City, opening the door to the world of mobile phones as we know it today.
This meant that for the first time, people no longer had to wait by a landline or ensure they received a call and stay connected. From the actions of Motorola and Martin Cooper, people could now communicate on the go with anyone at any time they wished. Says Martin Cooper as he shares his thoughts on this pivotal moment fifty years ago to the day in this exclusive video:
“When I made the first public portable cell phone call on April 3, 1973, I knew it was only the beginning; that Motorola and the cellphone industry were starting a revolution in personal communications.
“Since then, there have been a huge number of pivotal innovations, many of them created by Motorola. The first fifty years were only the warm-up. There will be many more exciting advancements that will transform humanity.”
Razr sharp looks
50 years later and Motorola says it has come a long way since the DynaTAC 8000X, which measured more than a foot long and weighed almost 2 pounds. Fast forward to the early 2000s and Motorola introduced the original RAZR V3, which came to market at a time when mobile design had become predictable. Popular for its unique clamshell design and thin appearance, RAZR V3 continues to be a globally iconic piece of technology today.
More recently, on April 3, 2019, the moto z3 combined with the 5G moto mod and became the world’s first commercially-available smartphone to connect to 5G. Since then, Motorola has been determined to democratise 5G technology bringing blazing-fast 5G speeds to the mid-tier through its moto g family. To help celebrate the 50-year anniversary, Motorola has also commissioned an illustration of 50 of its most iconic devices to date, with the help of Argentinian illustrator, Costhanzo,
Central to Motorola’s innovation is Motorola 312 Labs. Introduced in 2021, Motorola 312 Labs is a chartered innovation group within the Motorola product organisation, comprising global research, design and engineering experts focused on first-of-its-kind product development. Motorola 312 Labs is an important part of the brand’s innovation journey, continuing to challenge what the mobile experience feels, looks and acts like, claims Motorola.
