More Moto X smart features surface, including active notifications and phone tracking

More Moto X features have been described by a publication with access to the device, some of them never discussed by previous leaks and rumors.

Android Police has continued its Moto X “teardown” (after looking at specs, camera specs and posting a boot animation video) and revealed some of the features of the handset that haven’t made it into existing reports.

• TouchLess Control: The feature is also found in the new Verizon Droids and lets users issue voice-based commands to the handset – the Rogers video has already demoed this feature. The phone will apparently learn your voice, and the hotword is “Ok Google Now,” (it’s not clear if it can be changed at this time).

• Active Display and Active Notifications: Also demoed on the new Droids, the feature takes advantage of the AMOLED display in these handsets (the Moto X will apparently pack one such display too) to light up only certain pixels when the screen is off in order to display notifications while conserving battery life. The phone will know when it’s in your pocket or purse, in a call, or place face down on a surface, in which case the display won’t light up for notifications. You can also configure it not to turn on during the night. The feature comes with new gestures: swiping up will let you see more details about the notifications, swiping down unlocks the device, while dragging the finger to left and right will clear notifications.

• Motorola Connect: A Motorola Connect Chrome extension will be available to Moto X owners, and once enabled, it will let you send and receive messages from the desktop, as well as get call notifications. The service will be available for the new Droids as well.

• Motorola Migrate: The tool will let you easily migrate information from your former smartphone to the Moto X, including text messages, call history, SIM contacts, media, and even some settings. To work, a Motorola Migrate app should be installed on the old device.

• Motorola Assist: This app apparently replaces Smart Actions and will help you automatically switch settings depending on certain parameters. Some of these smart actions include automatically moving to driving mode when detecting driving or to silent mode for meetings or at night. The Assist app has a Google Now-like UI, and together with the Active Notification feature seems to be included in the phone’s “contextual awareness” features we’ve heard about in so many Moto X reports.

• Phone tracking: Finally, this feature will help you find a lost or stolen phone by using your Google account and an unspecified web portal to track it.

Check out the features above in the following screenshot gallery provided by the publication:

Moto X: Active Display and Active Notifications 

Moto X: Active Display and Active Notifications 

Moto X: Active Display and Active Notifications 

Moto X: Active Display and Active Notifications 

Moto X: Active Display and Active Notifications 

Moto X: Motorola Connect 

Moto X: Phone tracking

Moto X: Phone tracking

Moto X: Motorola Migrate 

Moto X: Motorola Migrate 

Moto X: Motorola Assist 

Moto X: Motorola Assist 

Moto X: Phone tracking 

Moto X will be officially unveiled on August 1, during a special event in which Google will probably confirm all the reports related to the handset that we’ve seen lately.

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Purported AT&T Moto X version leak reveals specs and benchmarks

An AT&T Moto X test version has apparently been caught in the wild, helping a website provide more details about the device, including specs and benchmarks.

Android Police obtained access to a variety of images showing the AT&T Moto X phone (model number XT1058, also known as “Ghost”) – we’ll note that this isn’t the first time we see an AT&T version of the handset get leaked. Here’s what the full specs list looks like, according to the publication:

• dual-core Qualcomm S4 Pro MSM8960DT 1.7GHz CPU, Adreno 320 GPU. [Android Police] is still not sure what the “d” stands for in the processor model number, but it’s likely the same as MSM8960T – confirmed by [AnTuTu benchmark]
• 2GB of RAM – confirmed by [AnTuTu benchmark]
• 720×1184 4.7″ (about 4.5″ without on-screen buttons) display – confirmed by [AnTuTu benchmark]
• 2.1MP front-facing camera / 10.5MP rear camera with flash – confirmed by [AnTuTu benchmark]
• 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi (ac made it in, nice!) – confirmed by FCC docs
• Android 4.2.2 on the unit being tested – confirmed by [AnTuTu benchmark]
• 16GB internal memory, 12GB of which is user-accessible (on the unit being tested) – confirmed by [AnTuTu benchmark]
• NFC – confirmed by [images]
• 2,200 mAh non-removable battery – confirmed by FCC docs and first tipped off by @evleaks
• 128.5mm x 65mm – confirmed by FCC docs
• no microSD support

Since we did talk about AnTuTu benchmarks, you’ll notice in the image gallery below that the XT1058 has scored 18753 in the test.

Interestingly, in the graphics department (3DMark Ice Storm Extreme), the Moto X topped 7100, outranking several devices including the Galaxy S4. However, the screen resolution (720p instead of 1080p) may have something to do with the score obtain by the handset, so we’ll have to wait for proper benchmarks performed on a final Moto X version before drawing any conclusions.

At the end of the day, these aren’t Motorola-confirmed specs and features, but they everything looks rather legitimate, considering what we’ve seen so far. With just 10 days to go until Google unveils the Moto X, we can only wonder whether there’s anything else to see about the handset, as the leaks “campaign” has apparently revealed all there is to know about the device.

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Moto X exciting for Larry Page, Motorola financial performance probably not so much

Google’s CEO revealed during the company’s Q2 2013 earnings conference call that he’s “really excited” for the upcoming Moto X, although it’s not all good news for Motorola, especially when looking at its financial performance.

Page revealed during his remarks that he has been a tester of the Moto X for a while, without specifically naming the device. However, he did not mention any details regarding the announcement of the handset in his prepared speech.

During the questions session, Page was asked about that rumored half a billion Moto X advertising budget but he did not confirm or deny the number. Instead he said that Google is “doing things that are normal for that business,” adding that that “probably too much has been made” about it in the news.

The CEO also hinted that Motorola is an independent company when asked “how Google was walking that fine line between wanting the Moto X to be a success but not such a success that it affects major Android partners like Samsung.”

Motorola, however, is yet to be the successful company Google probably wants it to be. Google CFO Patrick Pichette says that “a lot of progress” has been made at Motorola, but when looking at the numbers you’ll see that the company is still in the red.

Despite being a Google subsidiary, the company is yet to be come a profitable Android player, and the losses continue to accumulate for Google on top of the initial $12.5 billion it paid to acquire it.

In Q2 2013, Motorola posted a loss of $342 million, 75% bigger than its Q2 2012 loss, despite revenue increasing 18% compared to the same period last year to $998 million. much of the posted loss may be tied up with the company’s investment in itsU.S.-based smartphone factory that will mass-produce the Moto X, and probably other mobile devices in the future.

Motorola has halved its workforce in the past quarter, registering 4,599 workers at the end of Q2 2013 compared to the 9,982 employees that were working for the company at the end of the first quarter. At the same time, the U.S. factory will hire more than 2,000 employees that will be working on those Moto X units.

With the Moto X expected to be a low-cost device, it’ll certainly be interesting to see how Motorola performs in the coming quarters. The device won’t be the only new smartphone the company will launch as three Android-running beasts will join the Moto X this summer, all of them expected to be unveiled by Verizon during a special event next week.

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Verizon Moto X, Droid RAZR M Ultra and Droid RAZR Ultra apparently spotted in Cellebrite system

Three upcoming Verizon smartphones have apparently been spotted in a Cellebrite system, suggesting their launch is imminent.

We found the following image in our inbox, clearly listing three upcoming Motorola devices. While we don’t know whose Cellebrite unit we’re looking at, and whether the picture is legitimate, it certainly matches recent reports. However, the image above also mentions two other rather old Motorola handsets, the Droid 2 and its R2D2 version.

Those of you not familiar with current rumors may not recognize the new handsets by their model numbers, but if you’ve closely followed Android news this year, you’ll know that the XT1060 is said to be Verizon’s Moto X version (at least according to the FCC), while the XT1030 and XT1080 most likely describe the Droid RAZR M Ultra and the Droid RAZR Ultra.

These product numbers have been seen in previous reports so far. Moreover, there’s a third model in the new Droid series, the XT1080M, which should describe the upcoming Droid MAXX, but isn’t seen in the image above.
Verizon has already announced a media event for July 23, when it will likely unveil the new Droid models, but we still don’t have an announcement date for the highly anticipated Moto X.
Since Motorola’s upcoming flagship device will not be included in the Droid family, we don’t expect it to be announced during Verizon’s show. Instead, Google and/or Motorola should properly unveil the Moto X at some point in the coming weeks.

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Purported Moto X shown in new images; phone reportedly not coming on July 10-11

Images showing alleged Moto X phone components (specifically the front and back panels of the handset) have hit the web, ahead of the phone's announcement. At the same time, a new report is now claiming that the phone won't be introduced later this week, as previously rumored.

While the images can’t be confirmed at this time – so make sure you take them with the appropriate amount of salt – we will notice that it looks like Motorola’s marketing team is on the attack these days.

Earlier this week we’ve seen the first Moto X phone ad leak before it actually hit newspapers on July 4, but we’ve also seen a variety of leaks concerning other upcoming Motorola devices – most recently, purported images of the new Motorola Droid Ultra and the Motorola Droid MAXX have also been (conveniently?) leaked.

Now it’s time to look at several pictures (see gallery below) that reportedly show the flagship smartphone of the company, the Moto X. The front panel of the device is shown in most photos, and from the looks of it, it’s clear that we’re not looking at the Droid Ultra or the Droid MAXX from the other leaks.

As you can see in these images, the Moto X has Nexus 4-like corners that are rounder than the Droid Ultra's and Droid Maxx's – assuming all these recent leaks actually show the final product versions.

Moreover, we’re apparently looking at a device that will feature an edge-to-edge display with small bezels, and which will be available in both black and white, in addition to all the other colors that are rumored to be available to buyers.

On the front side of the device we’re can also see the front-facing camera, speaker and sensors, and, interestingly, a hole placed near the mid section of the bottom bezel.

The black panel features a Motorola logo as shown in previous similar leaks (image below), but the same logo isn’t present on the white one.

The back of the handset, available in only one picture, shows the camera, flash and Motorola logo (in this order from top to bottom) all placed towards the top side of the device. The back plate seems to be similar to a device spotted in Vietnam in mid-March, which was said to be a Moto X prototype (image below).

G for Games doesn’t tell us where it got these images from, but the publication says they came from different sources. Other details about the Moto X aren’t offered at this time either.

Despite speculation that Google could be planning to reveal the Moto X at a special media event next week, a source tells CNET that the Motorola event is actually about something else besides the company's first big Android release as a Google company.

That said, we’ll remind you that we have already put together a collection of Moto X rumors for you to check out while you wait for the company to unveil its latest creation.

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Moto X phone rumor round up – everything we think we know

Moto X phone rumor round up – everything we think we know

As more and more Moto X rumors and reports keep on pouring in right alongside official mentions of the phone, we look at the big picture – here’s what you need to know about the future Motorola flagship device according to the information available before its official (second) announcement.

The phone has been confirmed back in May at the D11 event, where CEO Dennis Woodside confirmed the device, revealing its official name and mentioning some of its features. But we didn’t get to see the handset, nor were we offered a complete list of specs for the smartphone.

Since then, we’ve seen plenty of rumors hitting the web, with more details being apparently revealed around July 4, a day Motorola chose to start its Moto X advertising campaign. After all, one of the company’s marketing pillars is the fact that the phone will be assembled in the USA, unlike its competitors, which are made overseas.

Is that just a cheap marketing campaign or is it actually important for Motorola?

Design and customization

Motorola is going to let users customize their Moto X handsets to a certain degree – this particular detail appeared in various rumors and was widely known by anyone following Android-related news well ahead being official – but buyers won’t actually be able to customize the hardware.

That’s maybe something we’ll see in the future (something like what that Sony XTRUD concept phone proposes maybe?) but for now users will be limited to personalizing their device when it comes to case colors and materials, as well as wallpapers and preinstalled apps, if recent rumors are to be believed.

Taylor Wimberly from Android and Me, one of the first publications to publish Moto X details, said recently that users will be able to choose case material (rumored materials include plastic, metal, wood and carbon fiber) and colors. On that note, a leaked that followed Wimberly’s Google+ answers post on the Moto X, has shown purported case colors for the Moto X including red, purple and teal. A distant rumor did say that the handset will be available in 20 colors, although that's yet to be made official

As for the wallpaper and preloaded apps, users will reportedly be able to set up their handsets on a website, most likely in a similar manner HTC One and HTC One X+ buyers can personalize their device.

Additional details about customization options for the handset arrived via ABC News, which has learned from sources close to the matter that buyers would be able to “select from a palette of different colors” through a website – most likely Motorola’s – and choose a different color for the trim of the phone and the back case. Moreover, Moto X buyers will apparently be allowed to engrave a name of message on the back plate.

So while the fact that the phone will be assembled in the USA may be considered a marketing trick, it’ll also help Motorola ship customized Moto X handsets in a timely fashion. The same ABC News report revealed that the company will have orders shippped in a matter of days, which wouldn’t be exactly possible with a device made over in Asia.

The publication also mentioned that carriers will get “standard” versions, which sounds like carriers will have a certain model in stores, with users interested in customizing the handset having to order the handset directly from Motorola.

An image of the Moto X is still not available yet, although various rumors and purported leaked photos seem to indicate that the phone could be similar to the handset that starred in a hands-on report for a Vietnamese publication a day before the Galaxy S4 was unveiled.

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