Slow PDA sales force Motorola to downsize

A slower-than-anticipated market for personal digital assistants (PDA) prompted last week's decision by Motorola, Inc. to downsize its wireless data group staff, industry observers said.

Motorola in Schaumburg, Ill., is expected to cut or reassign 180 workers--about 20% of its staff--from its wireless data group, which makes portable communications products such as Marco and Envoy. Motorola declined to confirm the reported numbers.

Strategy overhaul

While the cuts reflect that the PDA market is developing more slowly than expected, Motorola has said from the outset...