when you think about Motorola as brand, what comes to your mind? A commodity phone maker or a fashion designer? Well, if you are like me, you will think of Motorola as a phone maker appealing to the mass market, at least with reasonably priced phones. Never crossed my mind in the league of Tag Heuer Meridiist. (BTW, Tag Heuer Meridiist is the maker of $6000 phones).

Motorola’s new product, Aura, priced at $2000 hits the market tomorrow. Don’t get me wrong, it is a cool phone, which looks like a watch with good features and pricey crystals inside.

Now in this economy - where the stock market is tanking, net-worths are dwindling and personal wealth is down-the-drain - why is Motorola wasting their energy on this kinda of products? They haven’t had a hit phone after Razor, which revolutionized the thin phone market.

While iPhone and blackberry are eating into their lunch, I just don’t understand Motorola’s strategy. It takes tremendous amount of time and effort to role out a consumer product, especially the $2000 phone buyers would have sky high expectations.

Aura is definitely destined for the deadpool. Hopefully that will  give a reason for Motorola to reflect and get back to their grassroots.