-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 RdSD6BL2dALw+mVLU5IDvX9n4U3YHCL2cMIckbQrRu642tbj0zAozUa++nBENXqx
 8gziKkfdRDD6h0NCPsE2rg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000278352-03-000090.txt : 20031217
<SEC-HEADER>0000278352-03-000090.hdr.sgml : 20031217
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031217162510
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000278352-03-000090
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031215
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031217

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CHRENC ROBERT J
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001273610

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-09802
		FILM NUMBER:		031060289

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O SYMBOL TECHNOLOGIES INC
		STREET 2:		ONE SYMBOL PLAZA
		CITY:			HOLTSVILLE
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			11768

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O SYMBOL TECHNOLOGIES INC
		STREET 2:		ONE SYMBOL PLAZA
		CITY:			HOLTSVILLE
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			11768

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SYMBOL TECHNOLOGIES INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000278352
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	COMPUTER PERIPHERAL EQUIPMENT, NEC [3577]
		IRS NUMBER:				112308681
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE SYMBOL PLAZA
		CITY:			HOLTSVILLE
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			11742-1300
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5165632400

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE SYMBOL PLAZA
		CITY:			HOLTSVILLE
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			11742-1300
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-15</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000278352</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SYMBOL TECHNOLOGIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SBL</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001273610</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CHRENC ROBERT J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>SYMBOL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>ONE SYMBOL PLAZA</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HOLTSVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>11742</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>16.79</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-12-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>50000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-12-15</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-12-14</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTi
tle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>50000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>50000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">25 percent (25%) of these options vest on 12/15/04 and 25 percent (25%) vest on each of the next 3 consecutive one-year anniversary dates of that date.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Walter Siegel, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-17</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----