John F. Mitchell is named president of Motorola, Inc., and continues as assistant chief operating officer; Robert W. Galvin remains as CEO and chairman of the board and William J. Weisz is named vice chairman and continues as chief operating officer.
Photographs of Saturn taken by Voyager I are returned to Earth over a distance of one billion miles. Motorola equipment aboard both Voyagers I and II is their major communications link with Earth. Voyager II continues toward a rendezvous with the planets Uranus in 1986, and Neptune in 1989.
Electronic engine control modules supplied to Ford Motor Company are designed to control fuel efficiency and emissions. Similar products are being developed for General Motors and Chrysler. Electronic components for the automotive industry become the first major market for Motorola microprocessors.
After many years of development, the company's first "Dyna-TAC" cellular system will begin commercial operation in 1983. More than 43,000 Pocket Bell pagers are supplied to Nippon Telegraph and Telephone of Japan. Motorola's new "Sensar" pager is less than six inches long.
Four-Phase Systems, Inc., a manufacturer of networked computer systems, becomes a Motorola subsidiary. The Information Systems Group is formed to combine the complementary product portfolios of Four-Phase, the Codex Corporation, and Universal Data Systems. Revenues for the group's first year are $485 million.
The number of Motorola pagers being used in Japan reaches 200,000. The Paging Division occupies a new plant in Boynton Beach, Florida. As the Official Radio Communications Sponsor of the Olympic Games, Motorola provides a radio network comprising more than 10,000 pieces of equipment for the Summer Games in Los Angeles.
Motorola offers the first true 32-bit MC68020 microprocessor. its 200,000 transistors access up to four billion bytes of memory. By 1986, more than 125 companies are producing systems that use this device. The MC68HC11, an advanced microcomputer adjustable to specific applications is also introduced.
The General Systems Group is formed. It combines Motorola Computer Systems, Inc. (formerly Four-Phase Systems, Inc.), with the Cellular group. Contracts are received for cellular systems for New York, Philadelphia, Beijing, and Hong Kong, and system expansion contracts for the United Kingdom, Scandinavia and Japan.
Motorola invests more than $40 million in employee education. The company-wide Motorola Training and Education Center (MTEC) is headquartered in the new Galvin Center for Continuing Education. In 1990, MTEC becomes Motorola University.
Motorola produces its last auto radio. The company also divests itself of its display systems business as well as its automotive alternator and electromechanical meter product lines. New products include instrumentation for cars and trucks, and control modules for engine transmissions.
Motorola is a winner of the first Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award, given by Congress to recognise and inspire the pursuit of quality in American business. George M. C. Fisher is named president of Motorola, Inc.; Gary L.Tooker is named chief operating officer.
Motorola develops a low cost secure telephone terminal to protect sensitive information relayed in voice and data telecommunications. Called the Secure Telephone Unit (STU-III), it is used by governmental agencies and defense contractors.
The 88000 family of Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) microprocessors is announced. They are designed for such applications as multiprocessing and high-performance graphics. Motorola's MC68030 microprocessor, introduced in 1987, is being used by more than 50 computer manufacturers.
The General Systems Group is renamed General Systems Sector. The "Micro-TAC" personal cellular phone is the smallest and lightest on the market. Motorola is selected to replace existing cellular infrastructure equipment in Sacramento, San Diego, and Los Angeles, California.
History of Motorola
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A.T.Pon@cs.cf.ac.uk