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Moto X (1st generation)

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This article is about the smartphone. For the form of off-road motorcycle racing, see Motocross.
Moto X
ManufacturerMotorola Mobility
First releasedAugust 23, 2013; 11 years ago (2013-08-23)
TypeSmartphone
Form factorTouchscreen
Dimensions129.3 mm (5.09 in) H
65.3 mm (2.57 in) W
10.4 mm (0.41 in) D
Weight130 g (4.6 oz)
Operating systemAndroid 4.2.2
(upgradable to 4.4)
CPU1.7 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro
GPUQuad-core Adreno 320 @ 400 MHz
Memory2 GB of RAM
Storage16 or 32 GB
Battery2200 mAh
Display4.7" diagonal 1280x720 (316 ppi) AMOLED
SoundMono speaker on back side
Rear camera10.5 megapixel
Front camera2.1 megapixel
ConnectivityGPS, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth, USB

Moto X is an Medium-end Android smartphone developed and manufactured by Motorola Mobility. Released in August 2013, Moto X is one of the company's first new products since it was acquired by Google in 2012. Initially developed as the "X Phone", Moto X was primarily aimed at mainstream consumers, distinguished by features taking advantage of voice recognition and contextual awareness, the ability for users to custom-order the device in their own choice of color options, and by being assembled in the United States, which was touted as a selling point.

History

On August 15, 2011, Google announced its intent to acquire Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion;[1] At the time, Motorola had just had its fifth straight quarter of losses, plus Google also wanted to have access to the company's portfolio of 17,000 issued patents as a means of defending its Android mobile operating system.[2][3] Following the closure of the acquisition in 2012, rumors began circulating that Google and Motorola were developing a device known internally as the "X Phone", which would be the company's next flagship device. Reports indicated that the device was to have a focus on unique functionality in an effort to compete against Apple and fellow Android vendor Samsung, and that the company had experimented with curved screens and ceramics as possible hardware aspects. While Motorola's new CEO Dennis Woodside declined to comment directly on the X Phone project, he did mention that the company now had the "resources to do big things" because of its acquisition by Google, and that Motorola was "investing in a team and a technology that will do something quite different than the current approaches."[4]

At a press conference hosted by AllThingsD in May 2013, Woodside publicly teased a new Motorola device known as Moto X. Although Woodside did not present the device (which he claimed was in his pocket), he did reveal that Moto X would be "contextually aware", and had two special processors which would allow it to do so while maintaining sufficient battery life. Woodside also announced that the phone would be designed and manufactured in a factory outside of Fort Worth, employing 2,000 people, and would be released by October 2013.[5] Later details revealed that the phone would be available across all four national carriers in the United States, and that Motorola planned to spend $500 million on marketing Moto X.[6] The device was designed to appeal to mainstream users as determined by focus groups and surveys, with a focus on unique functionality and ensuring long battery life as opposed to a focus on reaching high-end specifications. Motorola design head Jim Wicks stated that Moto X was "really not about being intimidating and tech, it's really about being human and comfortable."[7]

Moto X was revealed publicly for the first time during a press event on August 1, 2013, where it was announced that the device would be released by all major U.S. carriers, while Rogers Wireless later announced it would exclusively sell the device in Canada.[7][8][9][10]

Motorola specifically stated that it would only release the device in North America, and had "[no] immediate plans" to release it in areas such as Europe, although the company hinted that it had "exciting plans" for a separate device tailored to the European market (Motorola later announced the entry-level Moto G in November 2013 for an international release).[11][12] However, in January 2014, Motorola reversed its earlier decision to not release Moto X in Europe, and announced that it would release the phone in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. In particular, Motorola scheduled a British release for February 1, 2014.[11]

A "Developer Edition" with an unlockable bootloader was released in late-September 2013.[13] On September 19th, Republic Wireless announced that they would offer Moto X without a service contract at a significantly lower price compared to the Developer Edition and other models sold without a contract.[14]

Specifications

Hardware

Moto X (right) and Galaxy Nexus (left)

Moto X uses a polycarbonate-based construction with a slightly rounded rear. The device is powered by a chipset branded as the X8 Mobile Computing System, which consists of a dual-core, 1.7 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro system-on-chip with a quad-core Adreno 320 GPU, a custom-designed Natural Language Processor core and Contextual Awareness Processor core (for a total of 8 cores), and 2 GB of RAM. It uses a 4.7-inch 720p Super AMOLED display; Wicks referred to the size as a "sweet spot" for phone displays, and argued that using a 1080p display like other recent high-end phones "would just suck battery and nobody would know the difference." The device includes a non-removable 2200 mAh battery, which Wicks claimed could achieve full-day battery life. The device also includes a 10 megapixel camera with "Clear Pixel" technology that the company claimed could take in 75% more light, improving performance in low-light conditions.The device is available with either 16 or 32 GB of non-expandable storage.[7][15]

Moto Maker

Users can custom-order their Moto X through an online service known as Moto Maker; which allows users to choose between black and white colors for the front of the device, 18 color options for the rear cover, 7 colors for "accents" (including the camera ring and bezel buttons), the option of a custom engraved message on the rear cover, 16 or 32 GB of storage, and to pre-configure the device's Google account and wallpaper. Devices customized through Moto Maker are shipped within 4 days of purchase. Plans were also announced for rear cover options made of wood as a future addition to Moto Maker. On launch, Moto Maker was only made available to those purchasing the device through AT&T, with all other carriers only carrying the device in black and white versions.[8][16]

On November 11, 2013, Moto Maker became available to Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon customers.[17] On December 17, 2013, the bamboo wood rear cover option was released on Moto Maker.[18]

Software

Moto X ships with a stock version of Android 4.2, but enhanced with several additional features. Among these features are a voice recognition system; taking advantage of the on-board Natural Language Processor, the device can be trained to recognize the voice of its user. Once configured, the phone will automatically respond to the phrase "Ok Google Now" (even when in sleep mode) and launch a voice assistant which can be used to perform various tasks.[19] The Active Notifications feature wakes the phone to display notifications received by the user on a special white-on-black lock screen—the feature also takes advantage of how the device's AMOLED display operates, as the color black is rendered by not turning on the pixel at all (thus conserving battery power). The Assist feature can automatically enable or disable certain modes, such as silencing the ringer, auto replying to text messages, or activating voice controls, depending on certain scenarios—such as when a user is in a meeting as determined by their calendar, or driving. The device's camera software uses a minimalistic interface with few options, as the software automatically optimizes each photo without user intervention. The camera can also be accessed by performing a special twisting gesture.[7][15]

In late-November 2013, U.S. carriers began pushing an update to Android 4.4 for the device.[20]

Reception

The Moto X has received generally positive reviews. The International Business Times called the Moto X the first true "Google phone" and, lacking gimmicky features while featuring more practical features, is the closest thing to a true "iPhone fighter" for Android-based phones in general.[21] Engadget praised the fact that the Moto X is made in America and predicted that the wooden back due to come out by the end of 2013 will be the new "it" feature to have on a cell phone.[22] CNN Money called the Moto X the best Android phone you could buy and praised the Moto X on battery life.[23] Phonearena.com compared the Moto X to Motorola's first Android-based phone, the Motorola Droid, in trying to revolutionize the Android software and felt that the Moto X was the Android phone that most closely mimicked the iPhone 5s on simplicity.[24]

CNET gave a more mixed review, liking the fact that the Moto X is fast and appeals to the masses, but criticized its relatively small storage and relatively small screen.[25] Laptopmag was more critical, stating that while the phone's processor is "real-world fast", consumers are going to assume that quad processors from competitors are going to be automatically faster; it also downplayed its overall specifications compared to the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4.[26]

Variants

Motorola X has several variants to support 3G and 4G networks of different carriers:

Model FCC id Carriers CDMA bands GSM bands UMTS bands LTE bands Notes
XT1049 IHDT56PB2 Republic Wireless 800/1900 Unknown Unknown 25 The GSM/UMTS network functions have been disabled by firmware and are SIM locked
XT1053 IHDT56PA2 T-Mobile US, Developer Edition (GSM) N/A Quad 850/900/1700/1900/2100 2/4/17 Developer Edition is not SIM locked and is compatible with AT&T Mobility and T-Mobile US networks[27]
XT1055 IHDT56PB3 U.S. Cellular 800/1900 Quad 850/900/1900/2100 4/5/12
XT1056 IHDT56PB2 Sprint Corporation 800/1900 Quad 850/1900/2100[28] 25 The GSM/UMTS network functions have been disabled by firmware and are SIM locked for US carriers[28]
XT1058 IHDT56PA1 AT&T Mobility, Rogers, Claro (Puerto Rico), Movistar, Claro Brazil, Vivo Brazil,Oi Brazil and TIM Brazil N/A Quad 850/900/1900/2100 2/4/5/7/17

This model is also manufactured in China and in the USA, and it is available as a retail model (unlocked) and also in all carriers in Brazil (unlocked but customized by each carrier).

XT1060 IHDT56PB1 Verizon Wireless 850/1900 Quad 850/900/1900/2100 4/13 Developer Edition is also available,[29] though one source[30] claims it only supports LTE band 13 (not 4)

All variants support four 2G GSM bands 850/900/1800/1900. All customized phones and 32Gb are assembled in US. All rest (non-customized and 16Gb) are made in China.

See also

References

  1. ^ Tsukayama, Hayley (August 15, 2011). "Google agrees to acquire Motorola Mobility". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
  2. ^ Mick, Jason (May 2, 2012). "Motorola Bleeds More Cash as it Waits for Google to Save It". DailyTech. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  3. ^ Cheng, Roger (August 15, 2011). "Motorola struggled before the Google deal". CNET. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  4. ^ "Google Designing 'X Phone' to Rival Apple, Samsung". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  5. ^ Farber, Dan (May 29, 2013). "Moto X smartphone is real and will be launched by October". CNET. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  6. ^ Efrati, Amir. "Google to Spend Up to $500 Million Marketing 'Moto X' Phone". The Wall Street Journal. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  7. ^ a b c d "This is the Moto X. Can it save Motorola?". The Verge. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  8. ^ a b "Moto X preview: A Google phone assembled with you, the user, in mind". Engadget. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  9. ^ Honig, Zach. "Moto X finally official: Motorola X8, 4.7-inch 720p AMOLED, custom finishes, assembled in the USA from $199". Engadget. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  10. ^ "Moto X coming to Canada as a Rogers exclusive priced at $190 on a two-year contract". Engadget. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  11. ^ a b "Google to launch its Moto X smartphone in UK, France, and Germany". Financial Times. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  12. ^ "No Moto X launch for the UK as Motorola touts 'all American' device". TechRadar. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  13. ^ "Moto X Developer Edition now on sale for $649.99, works with Verizon and GSM networks". The Verge. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  14. ^ "Republic Wireless offers Moto X for $299 off-contract, unlimited data for $25 per month". 2013-09-19. Retrieved 2013-10-15.
  15. ^ a b "Moto X review". The Verge. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  16. ^ "Motorola pulls custom Moto X engraving while it deals with quality control issues". The Verge. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  17. ^ "Moto Maker brings customizable Moto X phones to all major US carriers". The Verge. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  18. ^ "A phone as unique as you: Now Featuring Bamboo for Moto X". Motorola Blog. Motorola Mobility LLC. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  19. ^ "How to get started with hands-free control on the Moto X". TechHive. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  20. ^ "Android 4.4 KitKat now rolling out to Moto X on T-Mobile and AT&T". The Verge. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  21. ^ Moto X Review: Motorola Handset Is Google’s Closest Thing To An ‘iPhone Killer’ International Business Times (11/11/2013)
  22. ^ Moto X review Engadget (08/05/2013)
  23. ^ Moto X is the best Android phone CNN Money (10/08/2013)
  24. ^ Apple iPhone 5s vs Motorola Moto X Phonearena.com (10/10/2013)
  25. ^ A comfy Android with mass appeal CNET (08/01/2013)
  26. ^ Moto X: 5 Reasons It’s Not Hitting the Spot Laptopmag (10/18/2013)
  27. ^ http://www.motorola.com/us/shop-all-mobile-phones/moto-x-developer-edition.html
  28. ^ a b EMC TEST REPORT, vol. TEST REPORT 1, FCC, p. 3, IHDT56PB2
  29. ^ http://www.motorola.com/us/shop-all-mobile-phones/Moto-X-Developer-Edition-%28Verizon%29/moto-x-developer-edition-verizon.html
  30. ^ http://www.motorola.com/us/shop-all-mobile-phones/Moto-X-Developer-Edition-Verizon/moto-x-developer-edition-verizon.html

/ref>

Variants

Motorola X has several variants to support 3G and 4G networks of different carriers:

Model FCC id Carriers CDMA bands GSM bands UMTS bands LTE bands Notes
XT1049 IHDT56PB2 Republic Wireless 800/1900 Unknown Unknown 25 The GSM/UMTS network functions have been disabled by firmware and are SIM locked
XT1053 IHDT56PA2 T-Mobile US, Developer Edition (GSM) N/A Quad 850/900/1700/1900/2100 2/4/17 Developer Edition is not SIM locked and is compatible with [[AT
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