According to some internal memos posted today, Motorola is ceasing production of the original Droid.
If the screenshots below turn out to be true, Motorola (MOT) will be ending the run of the most successful Android device in the platform’s short history. Not ony did the original Droid (called A855 below) validate the Android platform by being its first best-seller, it brought Motorola back from the dead.
The Verizon (VZ) Droid was released with a series of commercials attacking the iPhone in October of 2009. Until that point, other manufacturers and carriers had taken a passive stance on iPhone comparisons.
The strategy worked. The original Droid was able to reach its first millionth customer quicker than even the original iPhone, according to Flurry Analytics (below) and continues to be the high-end Android device with a hardware keyboard.
All other similar smartphones (Palm Pre, Blackberry Bold, Windows Mobile/Nokia anything) had, until that time, drown in the wake left by the iPhone. Not the Droid. It was branded the anti-iPhone by celebrating its differences. Verizon continues with that success with its current Droid line. It released the Droid X yesterday and the original Droid’s successor, the Droid 2, is expected next month. The Samsung Galaxy S (Fascinate) on Verizon is also expected to carry the Droid brand.
Even Verizon’s advertising agency seemed to take the commercials to a new level. For old time’s sake, let’s have a look at that great original Droid marketing:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnaAQwGcBks&w=600&h=370]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w83UQkiuNZQ&w=600&h=370]
For you millions of Droid owners, don’t worry, you haven’t been forgotton. Rumors are that the original Droids will be the next phones to get updated to Android 2.2 Froyo, allowing faster browsing, Tethering/hotspot, Flash and all of the other things those Fall Android devices will carry.
The original Droid can still be found at Verizon ($149) and Amazon for free as well.
