After months of rumors and speculation, the Moto X is finally here. No, not that Moto X with the 4.7-inch 720p display. The Moto X with a 5.2-inch 1080p screen.
Yes, the new Moto X is just known as the Moto X, just like its predecessor. The two also feature a similar basic design, with rounded corners, a curved backside and a rear camera with a Motorola logo underneath. Things are a bit different when we dive into the specs, though.
The new Moto X is equipped with a 5.2-inch 1920x1080 AMOLED display and 2-megapixel camera on its face, along with a 13-megapixel rear camera (up from 10 megapixels on the original X) that can capture 4K video. The new X also features Best Shot, a camera goodie that’ll capture images before and after the photo you actually take to ensure you get a quality image of whatever you’re snapping.
Motorola’s new Moto X also features a 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor and 2GB of RAM at its hear, along with either 16GB of storage standard or 32GB if you go the Moto Maker route.
Speaking of Moto Maker, you can customize your new Moto X with one of 25 back finishes that include a number of colors, a handful of wood options and four choices of genuine leather: natural, black, cognac and navy.
On the software side of things, the new Moto X comes equipped with what looks to be a mostly-clean version of Android 4.4.4. Of course, Motorola has included several software tweaks, such as the Active Display and Touchless Control apps found on the OG X, which have been renamed to Moto Actions and Moto Assist. Users can also use the same “OK Google” voice prompt as with the Moto X, but this time you can customize that prompt to whatever you’d like. Some other voice commands include “Take a selfie,” which is self-explanatory, and “What’s up” for an update on the time and your notifications.
Motorola has also included a a quartet of IR sensors on the front of the new Moto X to enable new gesture features. You can wave your hand over the new X’s face to snooze an alarm, silence a phone call and wake it from sleep.
Rounding out the new Moto X’s features are speakers on its face and at its bottom, a 2300mAh battery, a splash guard coating to protect it from light douses of water and a body that measures 140.8 x 72.4 x 9.97mm. To compare, the original Moto X is 129.4 x 65.33 x 10.4mm thick.
The new Moto X will initially be available from AT&T and Verizon as well as in an unlocked form. Pricing will be set at $99.99 on-contract or $499.99 without. There’s no word yet on exactly when the new Moto X will be available from U.S. carriers, but we do know that it’ll make its way to Latin America, Europe, Asia and other regions in North America later in 2014.
Overall the new Moto X looks like a pretty nice upgrade over the original model. It’s got a higher-res display, more Moto Maker customization options, what looks to be a slightly improved build quality and an camera with more megapixels, though we’ll have to actually test that cam out to see if its any better than the original X’s somewhat lackluster shooter. The new Moto X’s larger display will be a hit for some and a miss for others.
Now that it’s officially official, what do you think of the new Moto X? Will you be picking one up?
UPDATE: AT&T has announced that it will sell the new Moto X and the Moto Hint Bluetooth accessory. Pricing and launch details will be announced at a later date.
UPDATE 2: Verizon says that it will sell the new Moto X with Moto Maker “in the coming weeks.” Meanwhile, U.S. Cellular will offer the new X in September.
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