Google Introduces Three Motorola Razr Phones Ahead Of Apple Units

Google (Nasdaq: GOOG), the No. 1 search engine, which now owns the Motorola brand, refreshed its product line with three new members of the Razr phone brand line in a bid to recapture past success. They're the first major new lines since Google completed the $12.5 billion acquisition of the former Motorola Mobility in May.

All three phones run on the latest version of Google's Android OS, Jelly Bean 4.1, and will be sold through Verizon Wireless, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ), the No. 1 mobile carrier, said Google, of Mountain View, Calif.

The Droid Razr has a 4.7-inch screen, double the talk time of its 2011 version with management claiming it offers 85 percent more color saturation than the year-old iPhone 4S from Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL), the world's most valuable company. The Razr Max has the same dimensions but 21 hours more talk time and can stream 10 hours of video. The Razr M has a 4.3-inch screen, a high-resolution display and 2,000 milliamp battery.

Prices and shipping dates for the first two devices will be disclosed later. The Razr M will sell for $99 and can be ordered immediately, Google said. Finland's Nokia (NYSE: NOK) unveiled two new smart phones Wednesday and Apple is scheduled to introduce what could be the iPhone 5 next week.

Google shares rose $1.39 to $682.43 in afternoon trading.