While all the ongoing specultion about where Motorola is going with its handset business trundle along in the background, the company is still laying down some cash for mobile investments. Motorola’s investment arm, Motorola Ventures has revealed its put some money into Quantum, a company that makes devices and software for DVB-H mobile broadcasting, although there’s no figure given on just how much Moto is investing.
It’s interesting to see investments in mobile TV that aren’t specifically targeted at mobile phones themselves, instead Quantum specialises in media-player type devices. However, the software it makes will doubtless interest mobile operators – it comes with the type of content protection software (read DRM) that record labels and movie studios are very keen on.
Whatever Motorola decides on handsets, it makes sense for Motorola to continue dipping its toe into mobile telly – it struck a deal with Nokia to co-operate on DVB-H development back in 2006 and it’s set top box business is still looking healthy. Perhaps there’s room for Moto to cross-breed Quantum’s mobile TV players with its own phones?