Motorola T720
{{Short description|Cell phone released in 2002}}
{{Infobox Mobile phone
| name = Motorola T720/T720i/T721/T725/T730
| logo =
| logosize =
| image = T720.png
| imagesize =
| caption =
| aka =
| developer = Motorola
| manufacturer =
| brand =
| colors =
| series =
| networks =
| released = {{Start date and age|2002|9}}
| discontinued =
| predecessor =
| successor = Motorola V500
| type = Mobile phone
| form = Clamshell
| dimensions = {{convert|90|mm|in|abbr=on}} H (folded)
{{convert|47|mm|in|abbr=on}} W
{{convert|21|mm|in|abbr=on}} D
| weight = {{convert|100|g|oz|abbr=on}}
| input = Keypad
| display = CSTN 4:3 ratio
| ext_display = Yes
}}
The Motorola T720 is a clamshell mobile phone developed by Motorola, announced on February 14, 2002 in Milan. It is a "T"-prefix product, although was not marketed under the Timeport or Talkabout brands and there would be no more handsets under this designation after the T720 line. The Motorola T720 was the company's first regular cell phone that had a color display, when excluding Motorola's Accompli 009 communicator.{{Cite web |last=Matura |first=Jan |date=2002-09-16 |title=Motorola T720 - první Motorola s barevným displejem se povedla (preview) |url=https://www.idnes.cz/nastaveni-souhlasu?url=https%3a%2f%2fwww.idnes.cz%2fmobil%2ftelefony%2fmotorola-t720-prvni-motorola-s-barevnym-displejem-se-povedla-preview.A020913_5161753_telefony |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=iDNES.cz}} It was released in GSM and CDMA variants.
The Motorola T720 was developed on the back of the success of the Motorola V60 and the growing trend and adoption for color.{{Cite web |date=2002-12-03 |title=EdgeReview: Handheld & Wireless: At a Glance: Motorola T720 |url=https://www.edgereview.com/ataglance.cfm?Category=handheld&ID=389 |access-date=2025-05-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021203032007/https://www.edgereview.com/ataglance.cfm?Category=handheld&ID=389 |archive-date=3 December 2002 }} The controls are generally similar to the V60 and V66. Its most notable feature is the color display: it is a CSTN display producing 4096 colors and passive matrix. This was however not technically as good as the competing Samsung T100 that featured an active matrix display. The Motorola T720 also had a much improved (over the V60) external display, with a resolution of 120x160 pixels, up from 96x16 pixels.{{Cite web |last=Matura |first=Jan |date=2002-02-15 |title=Nové Motoroly T720, V60i a V66i. High-tech do ruky. (první detailní informace!) |url=https://www.idnes.cz/nastaveni-souhlasu?url=https%3a%2f%2fwww.idnes.cz%2fmobil%2ftelefony%2fnove-motoroly-t720-v60i-a-v66i-high-tech-do-ruky-prvni-detailni-informace.A020214_0052832_telefony |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=iDNES.cz}}
Described as a cross between the Motorola V60 and Motorola StarTAC,{{Cite web |last=Willings |first=Adrian |date=2022-02-03 |title=Motorola phones through the years: The best and the worst, in pictures |url=https://www.pocket-lint.com/phones/news/131575-motorola-phones-since-1983-the-best-and-the-worst-in-pictures/ |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=Pocket-lint |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Redaktion |first=ZDNet de |date=2002-11-21 |title=Motorola T720 |url=https://www.zdnet.de/20001100/motorola-t720/ |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=ZDNet.de |language=de-DE}}{{Cite web |title=TechnoFile |url=https://www.technofile.com/articles/motorola_cellphone.html |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=www.technofile.com}} the Motorola T720's silver body is slightly larger than V60 and it also has bigger buttons with backlighting, and larger display, including a larger external display. As part of the color display, Motorola also designed a new user interface menu that would be used on many of their future feature phones for several years.{{Cite web |title=Review: Moto RAZR |url=https://www.phonescoop.com:443/articles/article.php?a=46&p=1222 |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=Phone Scoop |language=en-US}} Key features include GPRS, a WAP browser, EMS (5.0), and polyphonic ringtones, and an email client supporting POP3 and IMAP protocols. It does not have MMS, however. The T720 sold by Verizon Wireless ran BREW and could download ringtones and games using Verizon's Get It Now service.
Release and versions
The release of the T720 (alongside the entry-level Motorola C330) was critically delayed, as it was initially expected in early Q3 of 2002. This played a part in hitting Motorola's profits.{{Cite web |title=Mobile phone sales soar {{!}} The Register |url=https://www.theregister.com/2002/11/26/mobile_phone_sales_soar/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20040920060604/http://www.theregister.com:80/2002/11/26/mobile_phone_sales_soar/ |archive-date=2004-09-20 |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=www.theregister.com |language=en}} The phone was released in the US on September 20, 2002 carried by Verizon Wireless then on October 14, 2002 carried by AT&T. AT&T also later sold a software improved version with the model number T721.
On November 7, 2002, T-Mobile US announced the Motorola T720i as an exclusive which adds MMS capability and is compatible with a camera accessory. It was T-Mobile's first camera phones along with Sony Ericsson T300.{{Cite news |title=T-Mobile Introduces Camera Phones Starting at Under $100 - T-Mobile Newsroom |url=https://www.t-mobile.com/news/press/t-mobile-introduces-camera-phones-starting-at-under-100 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240423230348/https://www.t-mobile.com/news/press/t-mobile-introduces-camera-phones-starting-at-under-100 |archive-date=2024-04-23 |access-date=2025-05-24 |work=T-Mobile Newsroom |language=en-US}} This model was also released in other countries.{{Cite news |last=Norris |first=Ashley |date=2002-09-12 |title=What's new |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2002/sep/12/gadgets.electronicgoods |access-date=2025-05-24 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}
Motorola T725 is a variant of the GSM version that supports faster EDGE data. It was announced in January 2003.{{Cite web |date=2003-01-14 |title=Motorola leads world with quad-band unit |url=https://www.scmp.com/article/403422/motorola-leads-world-quad-band-unit |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}
The Motorola T730 is an improved CDMA version released by Verizon with 1xRTT data.{{Cite web |title=Motorola T730 / T731c |url=https://www.phonescoop.com/phones/phone.php?p=345 |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=Phone Scoop |language=en-US}}
In popular culture
A Motorola T720i briefly appears as being used by Woody Harrelson's character in the drama True Detective.{{Cite web |last=McDuling |first=John |date=2014-02-26 |title=T-Mobile's cameo in HBO's "True Detective" reflects America's wireless history |url=https://qz.com/181547/t-mobiles-cameo-in-hbos-true-detective-reflects-americas-wireless-history |access-date=2025-05-24 |website=Quartz |language=en}}