Motorola has unveiled its latest flagship Android smartphone, the new Moto X -- a redesigned and upgraded version of 2013's Moto X.
This build -- now with a 5.2-inch screen versus the previous 4.7-inch -- has been improved in a number of ways, which we could attest to in our brief hands-on time ahead of the device's official launch today in Chicago. It runs Google's stock (read: unmodified and lovely) version of Android 4.4 KitKat and is, as the screen size suggests, a larger device: it's a little taller and wider, but is also half a millimetre thinner. That'll balance out the fact that it's a notch heavier at 144 grams.
But while still riding the improvements train the Moto X now has a full HD 1080 screen that pushes 423 pixels into each inch of AMOLED display space. That's near-as-dammit the same as Samsung's Galaxy S5 and Sony's Xperia Z3. If anyone says they can tell the difference, they're either wrong, stupid or in possession of hitherto unseen levels of eyeball talent.
Behind that screen lies a 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 CPU, which is also the same as the Galaxy S5 and Xperia Z3. In our hands-on time we weren't able to clarify how much RAM the system offers. Last year's Moto X had 2GB and so it's highly doubtful it will be any lower than this (for reference, the S5 has 2GB, the Z3 has 3GB).
In the hand the device is lightweight, with an extremely sharp screen. It'll come as no surprise that it was responsive and snappy to navigate, but one would expect no less from a quad-core-powered flagship smartphone.
The Moto X runs stock Android, which is arguably a feature to its credit -- no clutter from third parties trying to differentiate themselves is, ironically, a good way to differentiate oneself.
It's a feature, or lack thereof, often reserved for lower-end devices from manufacturers that either can't, or won't, spend time or money developing customised Android skins and apps. Combined with the power on offer from Qualcomm's Snapdragon chip, therefore, the use of Google's intended incarnation of its operating system is an exciting match.
A neat feature we tested was the ability to start the camera while the phone's screen is off by shaking your wrist a couple of times. The phone recognises the gesture and boots up the rear camera. A Motorola spokesperson explained it was "the fastest pocket to picture time on the market" and in practice this did seem to be the case, if only over and above the competition from Samsung and Apple because of the fewer button presses required.
Motorola's "Moto Maker" feature is also making its way to the UK. This lets British buyers tweak the look and feel of the device before it's even put in the box by warehouse staff. A slick web-based interface, accessed at the point of sale online, lets you choose a range of finishes for the rear panel -- now including a leather back -- as well as the colour. This extends to the colour of the phone's outer rim, its speakers and even the wallpaper shipped inside Android. The idea is to make the phone more personal, and Stateside it was a well-liked feature by reviewers. -- it costs no extra to customise the phone in this way.
In summary of our short time with the device, it's an exciting device. It combines the power of Samsung's Galaxy S5, the screen size of Sony's Xperia Z3, the simplicity of Google's native Android look-and-feel and the customisable aesthetic Motorola seems to be nailing so well at the moment. The simple question is why wouldn't you want this instead?
Maybe we'll find out during our full review before the phone goes on sale at the end of September in the UK. SIM-free the phone will cost £419 for 16GB of storage (32GB is available) and this is likely to be lower on contract.
Moto G gets an update
Motorola has also updated its popular Moto G, which by anybody's standards stood out as 2013's must-buy when looking for a budget smartphone. With a £145 price point without a contract, this new version looks to continue that trend.
This updated model is a 5-inch Android 4.4 KitKat device that feature's the same 1.2GHz quad-core CPU as last year's version and sports the same 1280x720-pixel resolution of display, albeit it now spread of five inches instead of 4.5. It now has an 8-megapixel rear camera and 2-megapixel front companion (versus 5- and 1.3-megapixels respectively on last year's model) and feature's front-facing speakers.
The big news is that it now has a microSD slot -- hurrah! It'll support up to 32GB of removable storage in addition to the 8GB or 16GB built into the phone itself.
The new Moto G will go on sale today.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
