Samsung, Motorola sign wireless technology deal

Samsung Electronics Co. and Motorola Inc., two of the world’s biggest makers of mobile phones, signed a preliminary agreement to share their wireless communication technology. Samsung spokeswoman Cho Sung-in declined to comment further on the statement, which didn’t provide financial or technical details because of a confidentiality pact. Motorola, the second-largest handset maker, and No. 3 Samsung may be combining their handset technologies in a bid to gain ground on industry leader Nokia Oyj, said Michael Min, an analyst at Korea Investment & Securities Co. Combined handset sales at Motorola and Samsung last year were 92 percent of Nokia’s, according to market researcher Strategy Analytics. “No. 2 and No. 3 teaming up is significant because they could set the standard for future mobile phone technologies,” Mr. Min said.