SCHAUMBURG, IL - Unless current market trends change quickly, Motorola may soon become the world's fourth-largest mobile phone maker.

Nokia continues to lead the market with about 40% of the market share, and Samsung surpassed Motorola to take the second position last summer. Sony Ericsson has recently released several new phone products, and if Motorola's phone sales continue to decline, the company may end the year behind its rivals.

Stuart Reed, the former mobile phone chief has resigned, a month after CEO Greg Brown took over his duties. Brown has been under pressure from shareholders to break up the company, and in January, Brown and the board put the company’s mobile phone segment up for sale, while contending that the unit is fixable and that he's looking for a new chief in the attempt to turn things around.

Dell computer had been cited as a possible purchaser, but Dell's recent poor earnings report indicate that the company is not in the position for a new acquisition.

Without a new phone product to market, industry reports say Motorola's market share decline will likely continue, and the company did not present any new designs at two recent industry product showcase events.

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