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Motorola losses widen ahead of sale to Lenovo

Motorola's revenue actually ticked up from a year ago as it shows some signs of progress.

Roger Cheng Former Executive Editor / Head of News
Roger Cheng (he/him/his) was the executive editor in charge of CNET News, managing everything from daily breaking news to in-depth investigative packages. Prior to this, he was on the telecommunications beat and wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal for nearly a decade and got his start writing and laying out pages at a local paper in Southern California. He's a devoted Trojan alum and thinks sleep is the perfect -- if unattainable -- hobby for a parent.
Expertise Mobile, 5G, Big Tech, Social Media Credentials
  • SABEW Best in Business 2011 Award for Breaking News Coverage, Eddie Award in 2020 for 5G coverage, runner-up National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award for culture analysis.
Roger Cheng

Moto360__Metal_RGB.jpg
With a metal band and traditional watch-face, the Moto 360 looks like a classic timepiece. Motorola

Google's Motorola Mobility unit posted a wider loss, but showed signs of progress with its sales ticking up.

Motorola, which Google agreed to sell to Chinese PC and phone maker Lenovo for $2.9 billion, posted revenue of $1.45 billion in the fiscal first quarter. With its looming sale, Google's net loss from discontinued operations was $198 million, slightly wider than the $182 million it posted a year ago.

Google posted first-quarter earnings that missed Wall Street expectations.

Motorola's higher sales suggest some people are picking up the Moto X flagship phone or its budget-friendly Moto G. The executive team, now under new President Rick Osterloh, has vowed to operate as business as usual as it awaits the takeover by Lenovo.

Motorola is expected to give the Chinese company a boost to its global credibility. Motorola has an established reputation as a handset maker and boasts strong relationships with carrier partners around the world.

It has recently garnered some buzz for its Moto 360 smartwatch, which it unveiled last month.

For now, Motorola remains part of Google.