Motorola mulls multi-touch mobile

Schaumburg (IL) - Motorola is reportedly thinking about a new touch-screen cell phone that would be in direct combat with Apple’s iPhone.

At an investors’ conference, Motorola’s chief financial officer Tom Meredith said, "We mau introduce touch-screens in the US," according to a Market Watch report.

Motorola has released touch-screen handsets in Asian countries, where advanced mobile technology has historically been more widely accepted.

Meredith reportedly went on to claim that US companies were previously unwilling to market touch-screen phones to North American customers. That all changed with the iPhone. "Its user interface is exceptional," said Meredith of Apple’s two-month-old phone.

Despite critical acclaim, Apple recently slashed the price of the 8 GB iPhone by $200, one of the earliest price cuts in the company’s history. The hope is the lower price, now $400, will allow Apple to increase sales of the device for the holiday season. Apple also announced plans to discontinue the lower capacity 4 GB iPhone.

Motorola did not announce any firm plans for its potential touch-screen phone.