Motorola Moto X officially revealed: Specs, features, pricing and release date
Motorola have finally lifted the covers off their long-awaited Moto X handset, revealed as a gap-bridging device from the Google-owned company to tide smartphone fans over while they await the next entry into the Nexus line.
A 4.7-inch handset, the Moto X makes use of a 4.7-inch 720p OLED display, running off a dual-core 1.7GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro processor backed by 2GB of RAM, putting the handset firmly in the mid-range zone of the smartphone market.
A slim, slightly curvy design (not a million miles removed from the LG Nexus 4 in fact) with a textured backplate, the handset also sports a 10MP camera on the rear, with a 2.1MP front facing camera for video calling.
Under the hood can also be found 16GB or 32GB of storage space depending on how much you’re willing to spend, with supports for LTE 4G, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0+ EDR and 802.11ac Wi-Fi. As previously rumoured, the device also uses a tiny nano-SIM, rather than the now-standard microSIM.
Pushing smart features that adapt to your usage and current situation to the fore, the Moto X uses a new X8 chip system with an “Active Display” that provides you intelligently with at-a-glance contextual information based on what you’re doing, without the need to pass through the lockscreen.
The handset will also feature advanced “Touchless” control through voice activated commands. Saying “OK Google” as the trigger, followed by a command, will see the phone pull off a number of functions without the need to swipe through screens.
As suggested by an earlier retail leak, a simple flick of the wrist is enough to trigger the camera app, with the imaging tech applying autofocus and auto-exposure adjustments on the fly, instantly adapting to what’s required to take the best photo.
Customisation of the handset’s physical look will also be extensive – a “Motomaker” feature on the Motorola website will allow would-be customers to pick from 18 different colours for the back and front of the device, as well as its accents. Engraving services will also be available.
In terms of desktop connectivity, a new Connect Chrome extension for Moto X and Moto Droid owners will keep the handset synced with a user’s Chrome desktop browser, allowing them to screen calls and see incoming messages on their computer screen’s browser, as well as answering text messages directly from the desktop.
The Moto X will hit the US through five carriers (AT&T, Sprint, US Cellular, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile) by the end of August, with the 16GB model priced at $199. Canadian and Latin American launches will roll out over the end of August and start of September. However, no UK release date, nor European release, is planned at present, with Motorola instead promising this to be the first in a “family” of devices that will grow and expand to more territories over the coming months. Unlocked and developer versions will become available shortly after the initial US launch.
