For the world's no. 3 handset manufacturer Motorola, M stands for mourning. The company has announced that its 4th quarter profit fell by 84% and the road to recovery of its already watered-down handset unit is long and winding.

To make matters worse, its global market share plunged from 23% in 2006 to 13% last year. New CEO Greg Brown admits that initiatives taken by the Motorola were ineffective.

"Demand for some of our products has slowed in an intensified competitive landscape," he said on a conference call. "Our consistency of new product introduction is still not where it needs to be. And we still have gaps in the portfolio in areas that are experiencing high rates of growth, including 3G (third-generation), China and other emerging markets."

Analysts speculate it will take at least 2 years for Motorola to rebuild its handset unit and become a fierce competitor once again. Its recent intro of innovative mobile handsets might be the starting point for this uphill skirmish.

As for other leading handset manufacturers including Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson, do not wait for Motorola's comeback. Crush it now or suffer the consequences in the future.

Via Mobile Crunch