It's definitely been a while since we've seen a Motorola device on T-Mobile's shelves, and according to a new statement from T-Mobile CMO Mike Sievert, that won't be changing any time soon.
Sievert has told AllThingsD that although the Moto X will support T-Mobile's 4G LTE network, the big magenta carrier won't be stocking the device in its stores at launch. "We do not plan to stock Moto X devices immediately in our stores but are working closely with Motorola to make the Moto X a great experience for T-Mobile customers," the executive explained, adding that any other availability announcements would come at a later date. The T-Mobile-compatible Moto X will be available through Motorola's website.
Motorola announced yesterday that the Moto X will be available for all four major U.S. carriers as well as U.S. Cellular. However, the Moto X's carrier situation seemed a bit scattered, with AT&T getting exclusivity on the Moto Maker customization tool and both T-Mobile and Verizon barely uttering a word about the new device. Sievert's statement makes things seem even stranger.
The fact that the Moto X won't be sold in T-Mobile stores at launch is disappointing and certainly isn't going to help the device's odds at success. It's nice that the Moto X will support T-Mobile LTE, but the X's pricing puts it in a tier with the likes of the iPhone 5, Galaxy S 4 and One, and many folks won't even get the chance to consider picking the Moto X over those other devices if its not available for them to touch in T-Mobile stores.