Motorola has a long history of innovation. In 1928 an entrepreneur named Paul V. Galvin started a small family electronics business named Galvin Manufacturing Corporation in Chicago, USA. Since then we’ve grown to be a worldwide leader in wireless and broadband communications.

With mobility in mind since the beginning, we pioneered commercial car radios in 1930 that carried the Motorola brand name. As the company grew, we expanded into home electronic products, two-way radio, semiconductors and embedded electronics, paging, cellular and broadband systems and networks. Beginning in the 1960s, we expanded our business and opened offices and manufacturing facilities outside the United States. Today, we continue to develop products and services around the world.

Many of Motorola’s innovations were industry firsts that laid the foundation for today’s music, video, voice and data experiences. View a timeline of Motorola’s history from its inception through eight decades of innovation.