As a video of a woman snapping a Samsung handset in half does the rounds on the internet, it turns out that Motorola could actually be behind a smear campaign, trying to protect their interest in thin mobile phones.
At 6.9mm thick the Samsung SGH-X820 is marketed as the thinnest mobile phone on the market. So when a video appears on the internet of a woman quite easily snapping the phone in half, you have to wonder have Samsung gone too far in the handset diet wars?
However, all is not as it seems. Although the video was first seen less than a week ago it has now been removed (and this is where the conspiracy begins), due to copyright infringement against Motorola. Curiouser and curiouser.
Are Motorola scared that their RAZR line of phones is becoming tired and might be surpassed by Samsung's Ultra Edition, so they employ mudslinging amongst the online geek community?
As you can imagine, Samsung is furious that their reputation for build quality is in question and have told the press and public not to worry. According to Samsung, the events in the video can't be recreated in normal circumstance due to the fibreglass infused plastic used, implying that the phone must have been tampered with. Samsung are said to be considering taking legal action after a lengthy probe into who made and distributed the video.
Motorola have been firmly denying any involvement saying "...It is unthinkable that a global company like Motorola is involved in such unethical conduct..." but YouTube, the video community site where the video originally surfaced, has replaced it with the following message:
Although the original video has been taken down, you can't put a good thing down especially where geeks are involved. Our web monkeys have found another copy, also on YouTube.
Update: It would appear that the second copy of the movie has also been taken down. Not to worry, we've got another one.
Mobile Business's web nerds also found the following video of a guy smashing plates with his new Samsung. Could this be Samsung's reply, or the new way of marketing, an end to multi-million pound campaigns? Nobody tell Sony E, they've just signed a huge contract with Saatchi & Saatchi.