The iconic Motorola walkie-talkie is entering the smartphone age

Motorola Solutions is releasing a new version of its APX radio for first responders that adds a touchscreen and voice control support to the device for the first time. The APX Next can connect over LTE in addition to offering a walkie-talkie’s standard LMR (land mobile radio) connectivity, and it can even transmit an officer’s location data directly to a dispatcher.

While many of these features have been available on smartphones for years, they’re much more challenging to implement on a device meant for first responders, according to Fast Company. The touchscreen has to work in the rain or while using gloves, and Motorola Solutions (which is distinct from the Motorola Mobility smartphone division that’s now owned by Lenovo) had to be...

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