Moto X (Is Out) [8.01.2013]

[lopri]

Edit (8/1/2013): It's out.

http://www.motorola.com/us/consumers/Moto-X/moto-x,en_US,pg.html

Width 65.3 Height 129.3mm
Curve 5.6 -10.4mm
Display 4.7" AMOLED (RGB) / HD 720p
Weight 130G
Battery 2200 mAh. Talk time up to 13 hours. Mixed usage up to 24 hours

Rear Camera 10MP CLEAR PIXEL (RGBC) / LED Flash / 1080p video (30 fps)
Front Camera 2MP 1080p HD video


Operating system Android 4.2.2
Architecture Motorola X8 Mobile Computing System
RAM 2 GB
Storage 16 GB standard, 32 GB version available online. 2 years 50GB storage free on Google Drive
Bluetooth 4.0 LE + EDR
WiFi 802.11a/g/b/n/ac (dual band capable), mobile hotspot
Bands GSM/GPRS/EDGE
UMTS/HSPA + up to 42 Mbps
CDMA/EVDO Rev. A (CDMA model only)
4G - LTE

Edit: Motorola has a sign-up page for Moto X newsletter.

https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/ci/documents/detail/2/2013-summer-annc-us-en

I think we can start talking about this rumored product? Google no longer pretends Motorola is somehow independent from Google any more as seen from the new logo debuted.

The specs are leaking out, although there have been chatters about them for some time. But things look more concrete now. I believe there is an old thread about this but most discussions were speculative, iirc. So I figured a new thread is warranted.

https://twitter.com/evleaks/status/345761593876938753

What's interesting are the allegedly user-configurable body colors and screen size (Forget the marketing mumbo-jumbo "Made in U.S.A."), as well as rumored starting price of $199 without contracts.

Interesting or not?

 

[saratoga172]

Most of what I'm hearing makes this thing hot. $199 straight up? I'd consider getting one to use along with my iPhone 5 and swap between them. If it's smooth and fluid I'd use it as my daily and swap between the phones every couple months or so. That'd hold me for a while.

Customizeable colors? Don't need it personally but I could see that alone being a huge selling point. People can make it more of an accessory.

Dual core and a 720p screen? Those should fit the bill nicely. Especially if this comes in a 4.3" screen size. That to me would be perfect. It could be physically a bit larger than an ip5. Leaks look almost like the body of the razr m which is a nice size.

 

[Ravynmagi]

I've still seen nothing that gets me excited.

Not sure what user configurable means. So there will be an option to put lower end specs on the phone, I'm going to opt for the best screen and processor anyway, so this doesn't mean much. Maybe color options would be nice if they aren't ugly.

Starting $200 price would probably be a seriously dumbed down phone if that is true.

I'm still waiting for clearer details before getting excited.

 

[ImDonly1]

Was hoping for a high end phone, but it seems more mid range, which is fine if it costs $200.

But I think we were all expecting a S4 or HTC One equivalent.

 

[lothar]

Meh...I'm not really excited about it since it uses last year's specs which I already have with my Nexus 4. I'm not interested in spending extra money for "more of the same".
I care more about "function" than "design" so I don't care about it's customization options such as picking from 20 different colors or case designs.
Now if the customization options allows me to select things like the SoC/CPU, GPU, storage space, screen size, battery, etc...like I can do today customizing a Dell, HP, or ASUS computer on their respective websites...that would be great.

At $200 non-contract price(watch some carrier try to price gouge by selling it for $50-100 with a contract instead of giving it for free with a contract), it's definitely excellent value I'd give it that.
But this phone just does not incite the geek instinct in me.

 

[podspi]

For $200 this would be amazing. I definitely think it is doable, given that you can buy full-sized laptops for around $250, and it is way overdue. MY GF's Droid Bionic is due for an off-contract upgrade (no more subsidies on VZW) and she will only buy Moto's, so hopefully there is some truth to this rumor, because this sounds perfect.

The only thing that worries me (we can't have everything!) is that I hope this doesn't start a race to the bottom, where MOST phones released moving forward are junk.

 

[Yuriman]

At $200 I'll ebay my Galaxy S2 and pick one up. I couldn't justify $4-700 for a phone off contract - the S2 doesn't feel slow to me at all, but the low resolution screen is starting to show its age. The upgrade would cost me practically nothing.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

I feel like this $199 is geared towards US consumers who can't handle full priced phones. As a result in order to penetrate the market, we need dumbed down specs. Sigh.

 

[podspi]

If the specs are 100% spot-on, this should be a little faster than the U.S. SGS3. That doesn't sound dumbed-down to me. It isn't top-of-the-line for sure, but for $200 that's fantastic. You can't even (easily) find a used phone with those specs for $200.

 

[cliftonite]

I feel like this $199 is geared towards US consumers who can't handle full priced phones. As a result in order to penetrate the market, we need dumbed down specs. Sigh.

I thought specs don't matter?

 

[Anubis]

If the specs are 100% spot-on, this should be a little faster than the U.S. SGS3. That doesn't sound dumbed-down to me. It isn't top-of-the-line for sure, but for $200 that's fantastic. You can't even (easily) find a used phone with those specs for $200.

i agree with this

if its true ill most likely buy one to replace my nexus. i dont need or really even care about anything faster than the S3. there is nothing i do with my phone that needs that kind of power. NOTHING. and there are millions of people like me. who play basic games and use the phone for web and email and such.

i will give up raw CPU/GPU specs for better battery live every single day of the week prob is no one makes a decent phone that does this now or is cheapish

only downside i see to those specs is 8/16 GB
really needs a 32 option IMO

 

[gmaster456]

Everything I've read about the X phone points to a snapdragon 400 which at 1.7Ghz should be faster than the dual core S4 in the GS3. I wouldn't really sneeze at that.

 

[lothar]

I feel like this $199 is geared towards US consumers who can't handle full priced phones. As a result in order to penetrate the market, we need dumbed down specs. Sigh.

A few days ago, you lashed out at a poster that considered the Xperia Z as being outdated...What changed on the S4 Pro since your posting a few days ago that you now consider it all of a sudden to be dumbed down specs?

At $200, this phone provides much better value than a $600+ Xperia Z at this point.

 

[lothar]

Everything I've read about the X phone points to a snapdragon 400 which at 1.7Ghz should be faster than the dual core S4 in the GS3. I wouldn't really sneeze at that.

It's much faster and I agree.
If this phone was released earlier about 2 months ago, I would have bought this phone for my mom instead of buying another Nexus 4.

This phone isn't good enough for a geek like me though.

 

[Ravynmagi]

If the specs are 100% spot-on, this should be a little faster than the U.S. SGS3. That doesn't sound dumbed-down to me. It isn't top-of-the-line for sure, but for $200 that's fantastic. You can't even (easily) find a used phone with those specs for $200.

I think people are delusional if they think they are getting those alleged leaked specs in a $200 phone.

What I meant by dumbed down is people keep talking about "customizable" phone, and perhaps that means there will be a SKU that has a single core processor and a 800x480 display for $200. And the dual core 1.7GHz 1280x720 model will probably cost $400 or something. So if the $200 is real, I think that's the starting price for the low end model.

 

[lopri]

Additional details on customization. (alleged)

According to the source, users can select the casing color, trim color, receive custom engravings on back of the device, as well as have personal/custom photos installed to be the phone’s wallpaper. All of this will take place through a website that Motorola is building for consumers.

http://www.droid-life.com/2013/07/0...aked-custom-colors-engravings-and-wallpapers/

 

[Ravynmagi]

This sounds neat. But I really had my heart set on my next phone having a 1080p screen, so hope that is an option (despite the leaks only mentioning 720p so far).

 

[Phokus]

This sounds neat. But I really had my heart set on my next phone having a 1080p screen, so hope that is an option (despite the leaks only mentioning 720p so far).

It's a 4.3 inch screen so i don't see what the big deal is about it being 720p... i think 720p is already somewhat of an overkill. I think it's actually good it isn't 1080p, you won't really be able to tell the difference and you get better battery life.

 

[v8envy]

Considering the Nexus 4 is a "$300" phone from last year with much better specs it's entirely possible to see a $200 off-contract device with midrange specs, especially if it's not sold through retail channels.

Look at the Nokia 521. They're about $130 retail. There's quite a bit of headroom there to up the specs a little and still fit under $200, especially considering Motorola is unlikely to be paying Microsoft a license fee per unit. Google always said they wanted to change the way people buy and pay for phones & data service, and this would definitely be it.

Is it a phone for those who like the latest, greatest and most powerful? Heck no. This is the $300 HP laptop to your $1500 gaming desktop. I could see my mom, dad, wife and maybe even kids getting one at that price point.

$200 is a very important psychological price point. As you may recall Android tablets were going nowhere at the $500-$800 range, and only took off once decent choices were available at the $200 level -- Nexus 7, Nook, Fire...

 

[lopri]

$200 is a borderline amazing price for this product, if true. Especially with those customizations. They may be trivial, but they still cost labor. (U.S. labor no less :sneaky: ) You guys should see those Chinese web shops that sell fake phones for $200~$300. Their specs are a lot worse than this.

Besides which, I don't know how carriers will price a $200 phone? As of now their bottom line seems to be $300~$400 for a 2 year contract. So we get $550 phone for $200 with contracts, for example. Are they going to give $100 credit toward monthly bill or something?

 

[lopri]

I don't know what to make out of this..?

 

[A5]

$200 is a borderline amazing price for this product, if true. Especially with those customizations. They may be trivial, but they still cost labor. (U.S. labor no less :sneaky: ) You guys should see those Chinese web shops that sell fake phones for $200~$300. Their specs are a lot worse than this.

Besides which, I don't know how carriers will price a $200 phone? As of now their bottom line seems to be $300~$400 for a 2 year contract. So we get $550 phone for $200 with contracts, for example. Are they going to give $100 credit toward monthly bill or something?

They'd call it free and pocket the difference, obviously. $199 no contract would be great for T-Mo or prepaid users though.

 

[shabby]

I don't know what to make out of this..?

Girls want girly colored phones, now lets hope theres some manly colors too otherwise off a cliff we go.

 

[Ravynmagi]

Considering the Nexus 4 is a "$300" phone from last year with much better specs it's entirely possible to see a $200 off-contract device with midrange specs, especially if it's not sold through retail channels.

Look at the Nokia 521. They're about $130 retail. There's quite a bit of headroom there to up the specs a little and still fit under $200, especially considering Motorola is unlikely to be paying Microsoft a license fee per unit. Google always said they wanted to change the way people buy and pay for phones & data service, and this would definitely be it.

Is it a phone for those who like the latest, greatest and most powerful? Heck no. This is the $300 HP laptop to your $1500 gaming desktop. I could see my mom, dad, wife and maybe even kids getting one at that price point.

$200 is a very important psychological price point. As you may recall Android tablets were going nowhere at the $500-$800 range, and only took off once decent choices were available at the $200 level -- Nexus 7, Nook, Fire...

The Nexus 4 is really a non profit phone for Google. If it wasn't a Nexus phone it would be retailing for a lot more than $300. I'm pretty sure Motorola will not be subsidizing the X Phone.

Nokia 521 has the same specs as a 3 year old phone. It's very low end. Your not getting a 1.7Ghz dual core and 720p IPS display for $200. I like to optimistic, but the specs leaked won't be at $200. I have a feeling the rumor price is either a contract price or just completely wrong, or is some really low end version of the phone.

I'd be very happy if it was a decent phone in the $400 price range. I think $200 for a higher quality phone is just not possible.

 

[Ravynmagi]

I don't know what to make out of this..?

I like the matte colors on the Motorola better. They won't leave fingerprints as easily. I think I can already see fingerprint smudges on those glossy iPhone backs.