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Byline: MIKE ANGELL
Five years ago, new Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs headed the company unit that made cell phones.
He keeps a cartoon of one phone model, the QPhone, pinned above his desk. The cartoon shows the QPhone cracking open, with monsters streaming out.
In real life as well, the QPhone's housing cracked and Qualcomm had to shut down production for three months. Eventually, it sold that business, and it no longer makes mobile phones.
No other QPhone-like disasters have befallen Qualcomm recently. But Jacobs keeps the picture as a reminder that companies can run into problems.
Jacobs says he's taking over a strong and well-run company, thanks largely to the management of his father, former CEO Irwin Jacobs. Paul intends to use the lessons of his father as he guides Qualcomm into new areas, such broadcast video cell phones via its $700 million, U.S.-wide MediaFlo network, as well as the gradual transition to advanced 3G cellular networks. (See related story, this page.)
Jacobs this week spoke with IBD about his new role at Qualcomm and the future of the cell phone industry.