Category: Moto

New Teaser Reveals Moto 360-Like Round LG Smartwatch

Last week, we heard that LG is working on a refreshed version of the LG G Watch. And now, a leaked teaser shows that this second generation G watch will be round in shape; same as the much appreciated design of the upcoming and highly anticipated Moto 360 smartwatch. A brief 30-second teaser trailer, posted as unlisted on LG Mobile Global’s YouTube page, doesn’t tell much about the new wearable. In fact, it only reveals one (important) detail —its round shape.

LG, which officially launched one of the three Android Wear smartwatches (the LG G Watch), appears to now be focusing on individuals’ preference for round watch faces. The LG watch seems to look like the Moto 360, with a superbly round face that, at any rate as per the teaser, stresses the way that it doesn’t need to leave a little window at the base, as does Motorola’s wearable.

The design also looks to feature a more traditional case with external lugs, vs Motorola’s design, which might be more appealing for those looking for something that more typically resembles your average, innocuous Timex or Casio.

The original G Watch was released only two months ago. The new design so quickly could mean that both these watches were developed around the same time. The first-generation G Watch could have been just to test the waters of the wearable market and to get a headstart and be one of the first companies in the Android Wear device market.

It is said that, LG will be showing off this device at IFA 2014 next week, which means we don’t have to wait too long to get official details.

August 25, 2014
Moto X+1 Press Images Leaked on Twitter

Motorola has quite an impressive line-up to showcase this season. We recently reported that the company is planning to launch 9 devices in next 4 months. Now, the popular leakster Evan Blass, a.k.a. Evleaks has revealed the Moto X +1 through leaked press renders.

The leaked images are supposedly meant for US carrier Verizon. However, the pictures give you a pretty detailed idea of what the device will look like. The first obvious change is the metal band around the sides of the phone, which was revealed in an earlier leak as well.

The X+1 seems to sport dual camera flashes, a wooden back option, and front-facing speakers like the Moto E. The setup of the camera on the back of the handset is notably a part of the new design.

It appears to drop the typical LED flash for a more elaborate dual setup that includes small flash units on both sides of the sensor. Also, there seems to be a number of sensors on the front, including two below the display. It’s still unclear what they would be useful for.

The wallpaper in the screen looks like the Motorola’s colourful event invite for the September 5 event in Delhi. It is said it is the same event where we will get to meet the much awaited Moto X+1. Furthermore, the date on the device in the leaked images is given as “Wednesday, September 17”. Maybe it’s a strong hint of the chosen date for when the Moto X+1 would be out for sale.

August 22, 2014
Motorola to Launch 9 More Devices in Next Four Months

Motorola are already offering quite an impressive line up. And now it seems like Motorola, has big plans for the second half of this year. A new report from PhoneArena, citing an insider source, has revealed that Motorola is planning to launch around 9 devices in next 4 months.

One of top highlight will the new Nexus smartphone along with Moto X+1, Moto G2, Moto X Play, Moto S, Droid Turbo, Droid and Droid Maxx. The reports also added that Moto 360 smartwatch will be one these devices.

The company sent out an invite to the media yesterday, mentioning only that it is going to host an event in New Delhi on September 5. It is widely expected that the company will launch the successors of Moto X and Moto G smartphones as well as Moto 360 smartwatch at the event in New Delhi.

The invite reads, “Mark 05 September on your calendar. Motorola will be holding an event in New Delhi.” Though the invite doesn’t reveal much.

The company has also been rumoured to be working on the next Nexus smartphone, with a device, codenamed Shamu recently showing up on benchmarks. According to speculations, this is the new Nexus smartphone, which comes with a Snapdragon 805 chipset and 3 GB of RAM.

The Moto G2 is expected to come with an improved 8MP rear snapper and faster processor, but the display resolution could remain the same at 1280 x 720 pixels. The improved variant of the Moto X, allegedly the Moto X + 1 is likely to come with 25 back variants during its launch.

It is speculated that the upcoming Moto X could work in sync with the Moto 360. Its circular face measures 1.5-inch LCD display and features 320×290 pixels of resolution. It also comes with a heart rate monitor and a pedometer. The Moto 360 is expected to be priced at $249 that translates to Rs. 15,100.

So get set folks, September is going to be a lot of fun.

August 22, 2014
Leaked Screen Protector Hints ‘Moto S’ May Arrive Soon

A leaked screen protector for an unreleased ‘Moto S’ has started speculations that Motorola is building Google’s next Nexus smartphone. The proposed Nexus 6 has the working name Motorola “Shamu,” and is supposedly slated for a November 2014 release.

The screen protector sheet has Motorola’s logo printed on it, alongside the handset’s ‘Moto S’ name — and there are also some identification numbers that were covered to protect the source. This is the first hard evidence we’ve seen so far for the long-rumored ‘Shamu’.

As for now, Google’s Nexus have been manufactured by top smartphone manufacturers, including Samsung and LG. However, different online news reports and leaks stated that Google won’t be naming the Nexus series as they did before (Nexus 1 to Nexus 5). Leaks stated that Google is thinking of renaming the Nexus series as Android Silver.

TK claimed in a video that the device will have a Quad HD or 2K display that’s 5+ inches in size, a 13-megapixel camera, and a “ridiculous amount of RAM.” The screen protector also suggests that like other Motorola handsets, the Moto S will have dual front-facing speakers.

It’s unclear at this point when the Moto S will make its debut. We’re not expecting to see it at the Motorola event on September 4 — the Moto X+1, the Moto G2 and much awaited Moto 360 smartwatch are likely to be the stars of that show — but we could see an announcement from Google or Verizon in October.

August 18, 2014
Moto 360 Specs and Price Leaked
We have been hoping to get our hands on the Moto 360 smartwatch next month. It is said to launch on 4th September. But it seems that we don’t have to wait long to get a preview of what Motorola has in store for us.

Best Buy has gone ahead and (accidentally?) spilled the beans by releasing the device’s features and price. The big-box retailer has posted a product listing for the timepiece that appears to reveal many (though not all) of the specifications. We have seen the device and many leaks that gives us a fairly good image about what the device will look like. Up until now, the only one thing that had been alluding everyone was the price.

According to specs published on Sunday on the electronics retailer’s website, the Moto 360 will cost $250 and feature a 1.5-inch backlit LCD touch screen with a 320×290 resolution and 205 pixels per inch. Corning Gorilla Glass 3 will protect the Android-powered smartwatch’s screen.

The voice-activated smartwatch will sport an optical heart rate monitor, pedometer, and Bluetooth 4.0. It will be compatible with most devices running Android 4.3 or later versions of Google’s mobile operating system, according to Best Buy’s page.

The Moto 360’s availability is listed as “coming soon,” which we can only presume to means after Motorola officially debuts it. Google has hinted that the smartwatch will arrive at some point this summer, and Motorola will likely debut the watch at a press event on 4th September.

Specs mentioned in the product page:
- 1.5-inch backlit LCD touch screen
- 512MB of RAM
- Waterproof up to 3.3-feet for 30 minutes
- Texas Instrument processor
- Built pedometer and HR monitor
- Compatible with Android 4.3 or later
However, Product pages have been wrong in the past. The final specifications for the Moto 360 might differ slightly from what Best Buy has listed, as might the device’s final price. As such, it won’t be shocking if there are at least a few surprises left when the Moto 360 makes its official debut next month.
August 18, 2014
Motorola to Announce Moto 360, X+1 and G2 on 4th September

In case September wasn’t already exciting enough for you, Motorola has now decided to hold one of its biggest announcements of the year on September 4th. The press invite says it all, we are going to be introduced to the next Moto X, the next Moto G, the hotly anticipated Moto 360 smartwatch, and what seems to be a cool new bluetooth headset accessory at the event.

Recapping the rumoured specs of the X+1, the company’s flagship is expected to feature a 5.1” or a 5.2” Full HD 1080p display, a Snapdragon 801 chipset with a 2.5GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, a 12MP rear-facing shooter, and a healthy 2,900MAh battery.

One of the most anticipated wearables of the year

As for the Moto G2, the device will bump up the screen size to 5” while maintaining the 720p resolution, a Snapdragon 400 chipset with a 1.2GHz quad-core processor and 1GB of RAM, along with an 8MP rear camera. Once again, the device will be dual-SIM compatible. There are reports claiming the price tag to be €250, which is a bit of a disappointment considering what a bargain the original Moto G was.

The Moto 360 needs no introduction. Ever since its announcement in March this year, we’ve had a ton of leaks, revealing almost every detail there is to the watch. A beautiful metal body, a 44mm circular round dial, wireless charging, and the latest Android Wear platform. There’s not a lot more that we can ask for. The price of the watch is rumoured to be around the €249 mark, which is a bit steep when compared to its other Android Wear siblings.

The event falls right in between some of the biggest tech announcements of the year, including the Galaxy Note 4 and the iPhone 6. Along with those two, IFA Berlin also kicks off on the 4th of September. Motorola will really need these products to be special if they want to make an impact.

By Pranav Arora

August 15, 2014
Specs of Motorola Made Nexus 6 ‘Shamu’ Leaked

Amidst all the confusion about the future of the Nexus line of products, comes a fresh new rumor about the next Nexus smartphone. This time it seems that Motorola is going to be taking the responsibility of crafting the next Nexus, after successful attempts from HTC, Samsung, and LG. A mysterious Motorola device, codenamed ‘Shamu’ (the killer whale), is believed to be at the head of the pack when it comes to potential candidates for the next Nexus. And thanks to benchmarking application AnTuTu, we now have a preliminary spec sheet for Shamu. Prior warning, it’s pretty darn impressive.

So, starting off with the display, the Shamu will indeed go the Quad HD way, boasting of a 2560×1440 pixel display that should provide amazing detail and sharpness.

The Motorola Shamu sure has some impressive specs.

Moving on to the internals, the device will be powered by the next big thing cooked by Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 805, with a quad-core Krait 450 processor clocked at 2.65GHz. This will be coupled with the Adreno 420 GPU and 3GB of RAM.In the camera department, it will have a 13MP lens on the rear, along with a modest 2.1MP selfie camera on the front.

Lastly, the Shamu will be running the latest Android L, adding more credibility to the rumors pointing towards it being the next Nexus. Specs like these surpass even the greatest of flagships currently offered by HTC, Samsung, Sony, and LG. All of this at the Nexus price point? It sure sounds too good to be true.

One final thing, the AnTuTu database lists this smartphone as the ‘Google Shamu’, which all but confirms that this is going to be the search giant’s next flagship, the Nexus 6.

Hopefully, we’ll see an announcement in the near future. Early rumors also suggest that the Nexus 6 will be announced along the with the long-rumored HTC Nexus 8 tablet at an event in September itself.

The next iPhone, the next Galaxy Note, and now the next Nexus too? With all this excitement waiting for us in the coming month, we are very close to taking a recluse till September comes.

By Pranav Arora

August 14, 2014
Moto X+1 and Moto G2 Might Launch On 10th September

We have been waiting to get our hands of Motorola’s two new devices Moto X+1 (X2) and Moto G2. Now it looks like we can expect the devices to hit the market in September. Over the course of the last few months many rumors have pointed out that a successor to the popular Moto X called the Moto X+1 was expected and now we have a release date.

Motorola had released the Moto X full of customization options for buyers. Those included 18 different colors, accent colors, engravings, and even wood backs made from Bamboo or Walnut. However, the new Moto X2 will have all that and more, with talks of a bigger display and leather options.

According to reports, the next generation phone will feature quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, which will facilitate better multitasking and improve user experience. Motorola plans to use Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor for X+1, which currently features in HTC One M8, Samsung Galaxy S5 and LG G3.

The phone is also expected to feature 32GB storage and a 5.2-inch display, which is bigger than the Moto X, which features a 4.7-inch display. Also, it is expected to fashion a 12MP rear camera with dual-LED flash and 5MP front camera.

While most the rumors have been regarding the new Moto X+1, a new exclusive report surfaced today suggesting Motorola will actually have two smartphones launching next month. The Moto X2 and a successor to Motorola’s most popular smartphone of 2013, that being the Moto G.

According to one retailer, as reported by Gottabemobile, that received details directly from a Motorola representative, the company plans to announce, and then release both the Moto X+1 as well as the Moto G2 on September 10th. This means we can expect more details and an event in which they’ll be revealed sometime in August, followed by a global launch date on September 10th.

At this point these are only rumours. However, last year the original Moto X was announced in August and arrived shortly thereafter, and we can expect the same type of announcement and rollout for this new lineup of smartphones.

August 12, 2014
#LetsTalkShop with Amit Boni from Motorola India

When Motorola departed India in haste, shutting down operations and basically calling it quits, a large chunk of Moto believers were left disheartened. Motorola was always perceived as a quality brand, the real inventor of the mobile phone and an innovation driver.

With Motorola’s global operations in trouble the company took a breather to rework strategies and work towards exciting products says Amit Boni, who now heads Motorola Mobility India’s reenergized operations.

In a very candid and exciting conversation with the man we learnt that the company has inherited a lot of traits from ex-parent Google and the business strategies going forward seem to be well in order.

Motorola really researched the Indian market before returning with its new lineup, and found the Flipkart model to be a success runner and in a price conscious market like India, a steady pricing system.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Amit Boni” author_title=”GM, Motorola Mobility India”]

We wanted to ensure our customers pay one price for our phones throughout India.

[/quote]

Amit says Motorola is keen to begin the relationship when the buyer purchases a Motorola product and will ensure that service is never an issue for the customer. The company has a strong foothold in India for service and Motorola is keen on expanding the service base.

Xiaomi is not a threat, says Amit, we are happy with competition and going forward are ready to provide a better consumer experience. This sort of competition helps us stay grounded he claims, allowing the company to know where they stand.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Amit Boni” author_title=”GM, Motorola Mobility India”]

Xiaomi’s entry in India using Flipkart is a validation of Motorola’s excellent strategy

[/quote]

Motorola wants to bring products to India as fast as they can, and they are really excited for the Moto 360. The Moto 360 will suffice in a market that has seen some disappointing products, says Amit.

While he stayed mum on future products, he smiled through our questions and demand for some exciting news.

Watch the full video below for the juicy bits and a whole list of other questions.

August 10, 2014
Rumor Roundup : All That We Know About the Moto 360

The most hotly anticipated wearable of the year, the Moto 360 smartwatch, couldn’t come soon enough. Announced way back in March, the device hasn’t exactly been Moto’s secret project with multiple demos and hands-on videos at this Google I/O this year.

But do we really know every detail about the smart watch? Here’s a rumor roundup to sum up everything we know other than the official information on Motorola’s website.

Use of Premium Materials

As Motorola and Google have made sure to point out several times now, the Moto 360, unlike its Android Wear siblings, the LG G Watch and the Samsung Gear Live, will be crafted of premium materials, namely glass and metal. Yes, no cheap plastics here.

But is this really true? A Chinese website, G for Games, recently made claims that the Moto 360 would actually be made of plastics that mimic metal. Now, before you start frowning, we should point out that a lot of tech reviewers are claiming these rumours to be fake. But we can’t be certain until the watch officially releases.

Standard Dimensions

Ever since the announcement, Motorola has made a big deal out of how the Moto 360 will look and feel just like a regular watch. It will have a regular 44mm round dial and a leather strap that can be switched with any other strap.

However, another rumor recently surfaced that Motorola will have to increase the thickness to 13.5mm to incorporate wireless charging into the watch. This will make it considerably thicker than either of it’s siblings, the G Watch and the Gear Live, who stand at 9.95mm and 8.9mm thick, respective

Wireless Charging

In the past couple of months, this has been one of the most consistent rumors. If the Moto 360 manages to support any Qi Wireless Charger, this will be a major accomplishment for the smart watch as it will eliminate the need for proprietary charging docks.

Water Resistant

It has been confirmed by Motorola that the watch will be water resistant. However, no comment has been made on whether it will be IP67 rated or not.

Leaked Images from Mistergadget.net

Optical Heart Rate Sensor

Recent leaked pictures by Italian website Mister Gadget show the Moto 360 flaunting an optical heart rate sensor on its back. We are yet to find out how it will be implemented.

Release Date

Finally, the Moto 360 is believed to be be launching by the end of this summer. This is exciting news, as summer is just coming to an end, and we should expect the watch to be launched at an event in the near future. A very recent rumor is floating that the watch will be released this September. We wish this stands true.

The Moto 360 has definitely managed to become one of the most hotly anticipated gadgets of the year. While we all wait with baited breath for the launch event, if you haven’t already, check out this video by Motorola:

By Pranav Arora

August 7, 2014
The Next Moto G Might Go Big with a 5-Inch Screen

Motorola has gathered a lot of goodwill this year. The company has been a star in the developing markets where its low-priced-high-speced products have found a massive fan following. Motorola’s upcoming products are their flagship Moto X+1 and their much awaited smartwatch, the Moto 360. Both their products have found takers in the rumor mills and they are generating a good amount of steam. Now it is being reported that one of their super hits, Moto G is apparently going to get a makeover too.

The specifications of what is touted to be the next Moto G offering is listed under the model no. XT1063 on GFXBench. One spec that catches the eyes is the 1280x720p, 4.5 inch screen of the Moto G has expanded to a 5-inch screen. This maybe an issue with some enthusiast who appreciated the size neutral 4.5 inch screen of the Moto G, but for multimedia enthusiast, this is welcoming news.

The rest of the features in terms of hardware appear to be constant. The phone’s processing power comes from a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SOC with an Adreno 305 GPU. The RAM listed is at 0.8 GB and internal storage is 4 GB, these maybe rudimentary figures to keep sniffers away or maybe Motorola will finally offer expandable storage. The only prominent complaint users had with the phone was the lack of expandable storage.

The camera department might see some upgrades too. The main camera will supposedly feature a 7 MP which might be bumped to 8MP and the front camera goes from 1.3MP to 2MP.

We will keep an eye on the happenings in the Moto department and will bring you the latest. Keep checking this spot.

August 6, 2014
Moto X Confirmed to Receive Google’s Android L Update

Ever since Google announced the amazing Android L back at Google I/O, everyone is keen to know which handsets will get this update first. While Google pointed out that Motorola handsets will be one of the first ones to get the update, now it seems like Moto X will be the first phone to get the Android L update.

Since the Moto X is more or less a year old in the smartphone market, it goes without saying that the Moto X will be taking the Android L route, where Android L is tipped for an October or November roll out later this year.

Google+ user Josh B. sent out a feeler question to the Moto X community on G+, asking whether the Android L update will be arriving, and VP of Product Management at Motorola, Punit Soni, confirmed the impending arrival of Android L on the Moto X.

Soni did not reveal any other details about Android L for Motorola devices, but considering that the company has updated many of its 2013 handsets to Google’s latest Android OS versions almost immediately after their respective launches, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Moto X gets the Android L soon.

August 5, 2014
Motorola Climbs Over Nokia in Q2 Market Standings

With its mighty good year in the Indian market and a new-found loyal fan following, Motorola has risen again. After a few years of moving around and working with multiple owners such as Google, the brand is currently settling with Lenovo. Analyst group Canalys has brought out a report that shows Motorola taking Nokia’s spot on the market standings.

The Canalys report states that in the Q2 of 2014, Motorola sent out 955,650 smartphones for the period while Nokia did 633,720. In just the previous quarter, the situation was almost the opposite with Nokia leading with 583,160 smartphones, compared to Motorola’s 379,310.

With the power of Moto G and E, Motorola took over Nokia

This is a remarkable jump for the Motorola. The credit of course goes out to Motorola’s two stars that changed the way the market viewed its products. First came the Moto G, which created a new power center at the Rs 10,000 – 15,000 range. Then came the younger sibling, Moto E, which challenged the dominance of Indian smartphone companies on their home turf. The phones got the companies to reorganize their strategy and forced them to bring out a number of Moto Killer devices.

But it seems now that Motorola has some series competition from the Chinese infiltrators in the Indian mobile market. Xiaomi and Asus have caused some major upheaval in the mobile markets. Their high speced – low priced products have taken the market by storm and even caused Motorola to slash its price of the Moto G by Rs. 2000.

In the current standings, Motorola currently holds on its own behind Samsung, Micromax and Karbonn with their shipments of 4.4 million, 3.1 million and 1.07 million smartphones respectively. The Indian Smartphone market grew by 9% quarter on quarter. The figures might look even better in the coming holiday seasons and with fierce competition in the market. Overall it is turning out to be a good year for the phone makers and the buyers.

August 4, 2014
The Xiaomi Effect : Moto G Prices Slashed by Rs. 2000

It’s only been a week and a few days since the Xiaomi Mi3 went on sale in India for a impressive price of Rs. 13999/-, and it looks like major brands are taking a major beating. Motorola who basically ruled this price segment from Rs. 12,000 to 15,000 has been feeling the major grunt of the Xiaomi fever.

Motorola hopes to change that by dropping their Moto G prices by a whopping Rs. 2000. If you don’t already know the Moto G sports a 4.5-inch HD display with a 1,280×720-pixel resolution and 329ppi. Powering its insides is a quad-core, 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 processor, Adreno 305 graphics, and 1GB of RAM.

There is a 2070 mAH battery inside, but unfortunately there is no expandable storage. At the back of the Moto G there is a 5 MP camera and a 1.3 MP camera at the front.

Incase you are sick of the Xiaomi selling out before you click the buy button, you can find the new dropped prices of the Moto G below.

Moto G Review

July 31, 2014
Rumor : Motorola is Working on a New Nexus Device

Motorola and Google parted ways last January, but if rumors are to be believed, Motorola is working on a new Nexus device, codenamed “Shamu”, that is set to launch sometime this fall. A number of other reports have indicated that HTC has also been working on an 8.9 inch Nexus tablet for Google. It’s code-named “Volantis,” and probably has an NVIDIA Tegra K1 processor and a high-resolution display, among other things.

Now it looks like a new Nexus smartphone by Motorola is also on the way, although it is said to have a near tablet-sized screen.

The reports leaked by Android Police hint that the Nexus device is a 5.9-inch device with a fingerprint sensor.

Android Police seem confident that the rumor is true. “Point are deducted simply because hardware plans can change very quickly, even when a prototype device already exists,” Android Police writes. “We are confident that Shamu is a real device under active development, and fairly confident that it is a contender for the Nexus program.”

Being that it’s a Nexus contender doesn’t mean it’ll be the device consumers will be able to buy later this year. But Motorola is apparently working on a device, which is supposed to be “targeted at major U.S. carriers, and unspecified carriers in other parts of the world,” Android Police said.

It seems unlikely that a new Nexus device would appear before this fall, which is far enough away for the plans to change. But this report somewhere takes the sword off the Nexus program, which seems to be doomed. Not only is it still in play, looks like it may have a few great devices coming down the line.

July 28, 2014