Press Release 2001
(Source - Vendor Press Release slightly modified by MobileInfo.Com)

AOL TIME WARNER AND MOTOROLA ANNOUNCE MARKETING AND TECHNOLOGY ALLIANCE

Agreement Leverages Companies' Combined Marketing, Technology Strengths to Bring Unprecedented Content Choice to Consumers On-The Go And At Home

AOL Instant Messenger Included on Motorola Products; Motorola to Market Across AOL Time Warner's Broad Range of Online, Print and Television Brands

NEW YORK and SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Dec. 11, 2001 — AOL Time Warner and Motorola Inc. today announced a cross-platform marketing and technology agreement that will enable Motorola to market across a variety of AOL Time Warner media and provide popular content and services to wireline and wireless consumers through a comprehensive package of mobile and instant messaging solutions. 

Motorola will license Warner Bros. content, including Looney Tunes characters for ring tones, screen savers and wireless games on mobile devices sold in Europe. Motorola will also be increasing its marketing presence across the AOL Time Warner family of brands in a campaign that could include television, print and online media, including Turner network properties, Time Inc. magazines, and America Online interactive brands like AOL, CompuServe and Netscape. 

Motorola and AOL Time Warner will leverage the strengths of both their brands to bring information, entertainment and always-on access to consumers no matter where they are — at home, in the car, at work or on the go. The multi-million dollar, multi-year alliance provides for joint technology and product development, cross-licensing, and marketing, sales, installation and support of jointly developed products. The agreement also lays the groundwork for the creation of new applications, enabling network operators to provide compelling new services to their consumer and enterprise customers. 

One such service is AOL(R) Instant Messenger(TM) (AIM) which will be made available as a built-in convenience on Motorola devices. The two companies will also work across their portfolios to bring exciting new functionality to current and next-generation cellular products. One-click access to instant messaging makes it even easier for consumers to take advantage of fun, two-way mobile instant messaging. 

In another example of the companies’ collaboration, announced last week, America Online and Motorola are exploring ways to include some AOLTV features like e-mail and instant messaging on Motorola digital set top terminals in the DCT2000 and DCT5000 families.

Bob Pittman, Co-Chief Operating Officer of AOL Time Warner, said, "We're pleased to work with Motorola, one of the world's premier technology companies. This agreement will also enable us to further our AOL Anywhere strategy and assist us as we work toward providing consumers with technology to make the digital household arrive faster. We look forward to enabling them to reach more consumers through integrated marketing programs across AOL Time Warner's unparalleled family of brands." 

"At Motorola, we believe consumers should be able to take their worlds with them — no matter where they go," said Chris Galvin, Chief Executive Officer of Motorola. "And our alliance with America Online will help those that delight in the AOL environment do just that. By blending the rich content and services from AOL, Warner Bros. and Time Warner cable with Motorola's world-class experience and leadership in multimedia wireless communications, we will create products and solutions that offer tremendous value to consumers — at work, at home, or at play."

The agreement takes advantage of each company's brand and marketing strengths through a broad package of opportunities including:

Integrated marketing concepts that will link wireless users with innovative customized features within numerous media properties of AOL Time Warner in publishing, broadcast, music, film and online. Commercial launch and cross promotions of Motorola/AOL products including mobile phones and personal communicators containing AIM with corresponding carriers. America Online Keyword promotions 

Mobileinfo Comments & Advisory: This agreement is important (and wise) in two respects. The two giants have agreed to take advantage of each others' core strengths in marketing and technology. They also realized that it is not such a good idea to cross over into other's turf and recognize who owns and services the customer. Too many wireless network infrastructure vendors are (pretending to) getting into provision of software and services to consumers - a domain of service providers. We also like their investigations into AOLTV through setup boxes. This could move the inevitable convergence further along.