Sell Your AURA mobile phone on eBay

Back to the world of Motorola, now, with a story from The Register. You may remember I spoke about the Motorola AURA a couple of weeks back, and how it was Motorola’s attempt at breaking into the niche ‘rich-folk‘ market dominated by the Nokia 8800 series and Vertu’s mobile phones. I was torn, then, about whether the Motorola AURA is a good idea, or not, since it is, at the end of the day, a stupidly expensive mobile phone that isn’t even a top-ender, although it does look nice.

I reckon it’s fair to say my mind has been made up that Motorola have just shot themselves firmly in both feet, with news that the AURA can only be bought if you sign a contract saying you won’t sell the mobile phone to anyone else after you buy it, especially not on eBay.

Erm, what?

So, let me get this straight, if one were to, say, buy the Motorola AURA, making it one’s property, one would have to sign a contract saying one is not allowed to sell it on, therefore making it in no real sense one’s actual property…

Yeah, people are gonna queue up for that idea, without a doubt…

I’m trying really hard to like Motorola, I really am. I’m trying to believe they’re going to make a triumphant, phoenix-like return, and that their mobile phones will dominate the world. I’m trying to believe that someone within Motorola has a grip, genuinely, I am. But I’m finding it hard to see exactly how doing patently daft things like that will help turn your business round. You don’t get Vertu doing that, I’ll you that for nothing. And you don’t get Nokia doing that with the 8800 Arte. A quick glance on eBay shows about 10 auctions for Vertu mobile phones, for example, and Vertu, well, don’t give a monkeys that they’re up there. I can only assume Motorola have done this to increase the perception of the AURA’s exclusivity.

I can’t help but think that Vertu aren’t going to be quaking in terror… and that Motorola aren’t making a sensible business choice…

Meanwhile, if you want a luxury mobile phone that’s both cheaper AND better, grab yourself the Nokia 8800 Arte, today!