Motorola 'recalls' MPx220 smart phone

Handsets pulled to apply audio glitch fix, reports suggest

By Tony Smith • Get more from this author

Posted in Mobile, 16th November 2004 10:14 GMT

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Motorola has reportedly pulled all MPx220 Windows Mobile 2003 smart phones off Best Buy's shelves just a month after the handset went on sale in a bid to nip a firmware glitch in the bud.

According to a Mobile Gadget News forum posting which reproduces a page allegedly taken from the retail giant's internal web site, all MPx220s, currently offered exclusively with a Cingular connection, must be "pulled from the sales floor and put back in warehouse".

Separately, InfoSync World notes that the MPx220's withdrawal centres on a firmware issue which affects the handset's audio volume. Best Buy's page points to "earpiece issues". Motorola is said to have finalised a replacement version of the firmware code.

Handsets shipping from this past Friday (12 November) should contain the updated software. Best Buy's news posting points to an orange box sticker which indicates there's an updated machine inside. Motorola, meanwhile, has asked MPx220 users to contact it for a replacement, with new handsets being shipped within two business days, according to the Best Buy page.

At this stage, Motorola's own site does not yet refer to the alleged audio problem, nor does it ask MPx220 buyers to get in touch in order to obtain a replacement.

The MPx220 is due to arrive in the UK next month. The handset features a 2in, 176 x 220, 270,000-colour display and an integrated 1.23 megapixel digicam with a 3x digital zoom and flash. It supports Bluetooth, and includes 64MB of Flash ROM and 32MB of SDRAM. There's a Mini SD card slot capable of taking a 512MB memory card. The unit weighs 113g and measures 8.9 x 4.8 x 2.7cm. It provides quad-band support - 850, 900, 1800 and 1900MHz - GSM/GPRS connectivity. ®