Lately, we’ve been hearing a ton about this rumored Motorola X Phone. Supposedly it’s going to be the first device to run Android 5.0 – Key Lime Pie. But with all these rumors, there’s a few confusing parts. For instance the “first to receive Android 5.0”. That is typically reserved for the Nexus family. Many rumors have said that this will NOT be a Nexus. So what is Google’s reason for the X Phone?
As most, if not all of you know by now, Google does own Motorola, but Google has openly said that they will keep Motorola running as a separate entity and they will not be the only manufacturer for the Nexus. They will be treating Motorola the same as their other manufacturers. So then, what’s up with this X Phone? Well as we spoke about on the podcast this past week, perhaps it’s Google showing the manufacturers how to create a Stock Android device? Or even how manufacturers can have an AOSP device and still make it a hot seller.
What kind of specs do we want?
Well I don’t know about you, but I want basically everything the Nexus 4 is missing, in terms of specs. Here’s my wishlist for specs of the X Phone:
- 4.7-4.8 inch display 1080p edge-to-edge LCD3 (the screen on the Droid DNA)
- Snapdragon 800 Series, or Exynos 5 Octa processor
- 2-2.5GB of RAM
- 32/64GB storage configurations
- 12MP rear-facing camera; 2MP front-facing camera
- 3300-3500mAh battery
- Android 5.0 – Key Lime Pie
That sounds like a beast now doesn’t it? And I think Google and Motorola together can put this device together. But current rumors are pointing to a 5-inch 1080p display, quad-core processor, and 2GB of RAM.
In the Play Store?
I don’t think this needs to be said, but I’ll say it anyways. If Google wants to sell this device, they need to get it in the Play Store, do pre-orders and have plenty available at launch. Probably throw a few more servers for the Play Store as well. We don’t want a repeat of the Nexus 4/10 launch back in November. So if the X Phone does hit the Play Store for availability, I’d expect it to be on sale from $350-400. Google will probably price it as low as they can but not to low, since they do want Motorola to be profitable.
Current Rumors
So we’ve heard lately that the X Phone is coming to all carriers, and it’ll be available on Verizon for $299. Oh and the unlockable bootloader thing for $15/month from Verizon, doesn’t that sound like something they would do? There’s also a rumor of the X Phone being announced at Google I/O in May and released on July 8th. So I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m definitely excited for Google I/O now, which takes place May 15-17th.
Final Thoughts
Like many of you out there, I’m very excited to see this device become a reality. Right now it seems like an Android fanboys fantasy, and I’m really hoping Google can make it come true. What do you think about the X Phone? Is it a contender to be your next device? Let us know in the comments below.