We weren’t kidding when we said there’s a new phone every week, with Motorola adding to the pile with an announcement that Australians might not see, at least for the moment.
Unveiled to the world this week, the latest phone from the once king of mobiles Motorola is called the “Moto X,” and based on initial glances, represents a new line of thinking for the brand.
First are the specs, which won’t win awards for being the best of the best, but still provide a good dose of excellence without pushing the limits of what smartphones are capable of.
We’re seeing a Snapdragon S4 Pro – the same chip used in the LG Optimus G – paired alongside two special processors developed by Motorola that we hear might be useful for language and sensors, while the handset also features either 16 or 32GB storage, 2GB RAM, 4G support, GPS, 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0, Near-Field Communication, and support for Miracast wireless display technology.
Smartphones and cameras have a lot in common these days, and that hasn’t stopped with the Moto X, the handset incorporating a 10 megapixel “Clear Pixel” camera on the back and a 2 megapixel front camera.
Also included is a 2200mAh battery and Google’s Android 4.2.2 “Jelly Bean,” which while not the latest, has been optimised to be as close to stock Android as possible.
It’s also the first non-Apple smartphone to join the nanoSIM club, with the even-smaller-than-microSIM card required here.
All of this sits under a 4.7 inch AMOLED screen supporting 720p, which isn’t going to bring it close to the Full HD found in the HTC One’s 4.7 inch screen, but should still get close to the iPhone 5’s Retina-grade resolution.
The real kicker for Moto X is that its Motorola’s first attempt at a smartphone offering true personalisation, with custom build colours coming and even a wooden back, for that truly premium feel.
Availability hasn’t been confirmed or even announced for our region, though, and we’re currently checking with Motorola’s people on if this will be coming to Australia.
Right now, it’s just the US, Canada, and Latin America, but given that the last batch of RAZR handsets are beginning to look a little dated, maybe we’ll hear more about this newly announced X-device soon.
