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Posts tagged ‘Motorola’

7
Sep

Motorola scrapped a Value Tier Moto 360


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Motorola recently announced its second generation Moto 360 smartwatch, which comes in classic and sport versions. New information states that a third Moto 360 Value Tier model was also in the works, but the project was cancelled before it ever entered production.

Moto 360 Value Tier conecpt

Imaan Naeem, an Industrial Designer at Motorola, has revealed that the Value Tier smartwatch was designed for the youth market and has also provided some concept images and photo-realistic renders of what the smartwatch would have looked like.

Although she didn’t share exactly what made the Value Tier 360 cheaper than the other models, a closer look at the renders reveals a plastic trim on the case, the heart rate monitor is missing, there’s a proprietary metal contact charging port rather than support for wireless charging, and the wrist band options are limited to just the NATO bands.

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Although we don’t know how much this Moto 360 version would have ended up costing, the missing features and the name suggest that it would have cost quite a bit less than the new Moto 360’s $300+ price tag. The market is rather devoid of very affordable cost Android Wear devices, so such a watch may have been a good first purchase for those who are still unsure about the whole smartwatch idea. Naeem didn’t reveal why the Moto 360 Value Tier was cancelled. Perhaps Motorola simply chose the Sport option over a lower cost model?

Do you think that Motorola missed out on the opportunity to release a more cost effective smartwatch, or is the lack of features not really very appealing?

7
Sep

Motorola teases upcoming release of the Moto X Play in India


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Earlier today, Motorola took to its official Twitter account in order to tease the upcoming release of its latest smartphone, the Moto X Play, in India. The handset is expected to launch in the region later this month and is set to retail for Rs. 22,228 ($350).

Just in case you need a recap on its specifications, the Moto X Play packs a 5.5-inch Full HD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 610 chipset, an Adreno 405 GPU, 2GB of RAM, a 21MP rear-facing shooter and a 3,630mAh non-removable battery.

Unfortunately, that’s all the information we have on the device’s imminent launch in India for the time being, but be sure to check back as we’ll let you know the second the handset hits the shelves.

Source: Twitter

Come comment on this article: Motorola teases upcoming release of the Moto X Play in India

7
Sep

Motorola decided to scrap its plans to launch a value priced version of the Moto 360 smartwatch last minute


Motorola_Moto 360 2_cancelled gen_value price model_090615_3This past week Motorola announced 2 versions of its new Moto 360 smartwatch. It turns out the company had actually planned to release 3 versions of the smartwatch but had changed its mind last minute.

Motorola_Moto 360 2_cancelled gen_value price model_090615_1The third version of the Moto 360 was supposed to be a value priced version of the smartwatch. This was going to be aimed at people who didn’t want to spend loads of money on a smartwatch yet.

The value priced edition would have included a slightly different build.Including a cheaper design, bands of less quality and a different position for the power button. The smartwatch would have most likely been priced between $250-$300. We have no suspicions as to why Motorola decided to cancel the watch but some pictures popped up on what the design looked like.Motorola_Moto 360 2_cancelled gen_value price model_090615_2

Source: EyeOnMobility

Come comment on this article: Motorola decided to scrap its plans to launch a value priced version of the Moto 360 smartwatch last minute

6
Sep

Android Authority this week – September 9, 2015


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It was the week of IFA, and some of the biggest names in technology delivered once again. Sony launched a new generation of the Xperia Z series, including the bombshell Xperia Z5 Premium, the world’s first 4K smartphone. Samsung managed to wow us with a Tizen smartwatch that actually looks sleek and compelling. Motorola brought out its refined Moto 360 2nd generation.  Huawei introduced the impressive Mate S and the long-delayed Huawei Watch. Lenovo and ZTE continued their quest to conquer the market with affordable, but competent devices. Startup Nextbit showed off a fresh take on the cloud-centric smartphone concept. And maybe the hottest news of the week: details on the upcoming LG Nexus 5X.

Inside AA HQ

Having a team that is spread out throughout the world has its perks, but one drawback is we don’t often get to see each other IRL. That’s why big shows like IFA and MWC are special for us on a personal level. Not only we see each other, we get to meet up with our colleagues, friends (and competitors) in the blogosphere and media. And for people that spend their days literally staring at screens, that’s a blast.

Lanh working his magic at #IFA2015 #note5 #xperiaz5premium who wins?

A photo posted by Android Authority (@androidauthority) on Sep 4, 2015 at 3:21am PDT

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Josh, Lanh, Nirave and I have had a good time in bustling Berlin, bringing you what we hope is some of the best IFA coverage around. But the show still goes on, so keep it tuned for more posts and videos over the next couple of days.

This week, we brought you our exclusive report on the Nexus 5X. Coming September 29 at an affordable price, the Nexus 5X will probably be targeted at the mass market, and that makes us happy – more people will be enjoying Android in the most Googley way possible, and we can’t wait to see the new device (and Huawei’s Nexus) in action.

Is 4K even remotely necessary on a smartphone screen? The debate will rage on for years, but Full HD is still a great choice, especially if battery life is what you’re after. From my hands-on time with the Full HD Xperia Z5, it’s a lovely piece of gear. If you want to win one, our weekly giveaway is the place to go – best of luck to everyone!

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The stuff you shouldn’t miss

Top news of the week

Xperia, now in 4K

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Gear S2 is here, and it’s impressive

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Moto 360, take two

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Huawei Mate S

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New Lenovos

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Nexus 5X coming soon

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Nextbit Robin: perching in the cloud

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Axon Elite

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6
Sep

Moto 360 (2015) vs Huawei Watch: The battle for the most watch-like smartwatch


It’s taken a while until the next wave of smartwatches to emerge.  This year’s IFA turned out to be a good point in the year for some of the premier smartwatches to strut their stuff.  If we recall what we’ve seen, one battle that is clearly ensuing is between Motorola and Huawei.  That is, the Moto 360 (2015) and Huawei Watch, respectively.

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These two smartwatches most aim for a traditional watch design, and even the luxurious kind.  Both OEM’s have customizations that cover cases and bands that we have seen in normal watches for ages.  And both smartwatches run Android Wear, with very similar specs.  So which one comes out on top?

Huawei Watch

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When Huawei introduced the its Watch earlier this year, you could tell they were hot on Motorola’s heels for a premium smartwatch design.  The similarities run from the circular metal case to the variety of band materials and colors.

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Only, Huawei is on its first attempt, while Motorola is now on its 2nd iteration.  Does that mean that Motorola is ahead?  I’m not sure.

First, Huawei is able to utilize the entire circular watch face for the display.  Motorola chose not to ditch the small flat tire non-screen portion on the bottom of the display, which houses sensors.  Motorola explained that moving it would result in either more bezel or a thicker watch chassis.

So then how do the screen-to-bezel ratios and thicknesses compare?  The Moto 360 has a 71.1% screen-to-bezel ratio while the Huawei Watch is at 80%.  And the Moto 360 has 11.4mm thickness while the Huawei Watch is a hair thinner at 11.3mm.

DSC02087                                        Huawei Watch
DSC02161                                        Moto 360 (2015)

It would appear that Huawei has the win here, but we can’t forget that the Moto 360 has wireless charging and an ambient light sensor.  The Huawei Watch charges via pin contacts, similar to LG’s approach.  It comes down to what the consumer prefers.

The Huawei Watch is powered by a Snapdragon 400 SoC, have 512MB of RAM, and 4GB of internal storage.  The display is 1.4″ in size (case is 42mm) and uses an AMOLED panel with 400×400 resolution (286 ppi).  The band size is 22mm (lug width of 18mm).  The screen is protected by Sapphire Crystal glass rather than Gorilla Glass.  And the battery capacity is 300mAh.

The watch chassis is stainless steel and comes in silver, black, or gold colors (which can also have a texture on the bezel ring).  For bands, we have metal and leather choices.  There is a unique metal mesh strap, along with the more common metal link.  The bands are easily swappable, via a pin-release switch near the connection of the band to the lugs.

Moto 360 (2015)

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Motorola is well known to give consumers choice.  With the Moto 360 sequel, we are given size options.  There is now a smaller variant, which is 42mm, the same size as the Huawei Watch.  Therefore, if you want a larger screen, your only option then becomes the 46mm Moto 360.

The 2015 Moto 360 uses a similar lug system as the Huawei Watch, and the band is easily removable in the same manner.

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The larger Moto 360 uses a 22mm band while the smaller variant uses a 20mm band (there is also a “womens” version, which can don a 16mm band).

To keep the thickness the same on the smaller variant (11.4mm), Motorola made a cut on the battery, 300mAh as opposed 400mAh on the larger model.  Recall that the Huawei Watch has a 300mAh battery.

Most specs are the same between both Moto 360’s and the Huawei Watch:  Snapdragon 400 SoC, 512MB of RAM, and 4GB of internal storage.  The Moto 360 cases are of course stainless steel and also come in silver, black, or gold colors.  Bands also come in metal links and leather, in different colors.

However, the displays are quite different.  The larger Moto 360 has a 1.56″ screen and 360×330 resolution (233 ppi), while the smaller model has a 1.37″ screen and 360×325 resolution (263 ppi).  Huawei has the upper hand in pixel density.  Also, Motorola went with IPS screen technology and Gorilla Glass 3 for protection.

Last, but certainly not least, is the price.  The Huawei Watch starts at $350 for silver watch case and plain black leather band.  Unfortunately, the price steeply increases with the other materials.  For instance, a black case finish and black metal link band is $100 more.  If you want the gold finish and alligator-textured leather or pink metal link band, it’d be $699 or $799, respectively.

The Moto 360 pricing is more forgiving.  The larger variant is $50 more than the smaller one.  The metal link bands add $50 (in any color).  Only the gold case color is $30 more.

Which smartwatch are you most sold on?

The post Moto 360 (2015) vs Huawei Watch: The battle for the most watch-like smartwatch appeared first on AndroidGuys.

5
Sep

Here are the videos you don’t want to miss this week – September 5th, 2015


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IFA 2015 is just now wrapping up, and we’ve been working extremely hard to bring you the best Android coverage from the trade show. Tons of technology manufacturers have unveiled their new devices for the year, and we got the chance to go hands-on with many of the new offerings.

Sony took the wraps off the highly-anticipated Z5, Z5 Compact and Z5 Premium, and we also got the chance to check out the newest smartwatches from Motorola, Samsung and Alcatel OneTouch. We even managed to bring you full reviews of the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+.

Without any further ado, here are the videos you don’t want to miss this week.

Hands-on and first impressions

Sony Xperia Z5 first look

Sony has just unveiled its newest flagship smartphone, the Xperia Z5. Does this new model come with any notable upgrades compared to its predecessor? Josh goes hands-on with the new Z5.

Sony Xperia Z5 Premium first look

Sony surprised us all with the launch of the Xperia Z5 Premium – the world’s first smartphone with a 4K display. But is that what consumers need? Lanh finds out in his first look at the Z5 Premium.

Sony Xperia Z5 Compact first look

Alongside the Z5 proper and Z5 Premium, Sony took the wraps off its latest small offering, the Xperia Z5 Compact. Is this new device worth your hard-earned cash? Josh goes hands-on with the Z5 Compact.

Motorola Moto 360 (2nd Gen.) first look

It’s finally here, folks. Motorola has taken the wraps off its newest Android Wear-powered device, the Moto 360 (2nd Gen.). Let’s take a quick look at what the Lenovo-owned company changed this time around.

Samsung Gear S2 and Gear S2 Classic hands-on

We have finally gotten to go hands-on with the latest wearable from Samsung, the Gear S2. Let’s see what this new Tizen-powered wearable has to offer!

ZTE Axon Elite first look

The ZTE Axon Elite is the international version of the original ZTE Axon, but what’s the difference? Josh goes hands-on and takes a first look at the new Axon Elite.

LG Watch Urbane Luxe first look

LG created one of the best Android Wear devices of the year with its Watch Urbane, and now there’s a newer, pricier option in town. The LG Watch Urbane Luxe sports a coat of 23k gold… yes, really. Check out the video above for more info.

Lenovo YOGA Tablet 3 Pro first look

Lenovo has just announced its latest addition to the YOGA line, the YOGA Tablet 3 Pro. Check out Josh’s first look at the new tablet in the video above.

For the sake of saving space, we’ll link you to some of the other great hands-on and first impressions videos you may have missed this week:

Reviews

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 review

The Note 5 is one of the best smartphones currently available on the market, but it also comes with a few major caveats for some users. Check out Josh’s full review to learn more.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ review

Samsung’s Galaxy S6 Edge is one of the better looking smartphones out there, but does the company’s Plus iteration bring anything new to the table? Let’s find out.

Epson Moverio BT200 Smart Glasses review

In the technology world, virtual reality and augmented reality platforms are just now making their way into consumer products. You may not be entirely familiar with this product, but perhaps you should. Gary reviews the Epson Moverio BT200 Smart Glasses.

Head-to-head

Sony Xperia Z5 Premium vs Samsung Galaxy Note 5 quick look

Two of the hottest smartphones go head to head. Check out Lanh’s quick comparison of the Xperia Z5 Premium vs the Galaxy Note 5.

Sony Xperia Z5 Premium vs LG G4 quick look

LG hit the ball out of the park with the G4 this year, but how does it fare against the best from Sony? Take a look at Lanh’s quick comparison of the LG G4 vs Xperia Z5 Premium.

Huawei Honor 7 vs Ascend Mate 7

Wondering how two of Huawei’s top-tier smartphones fare against one another? Nirave takes a close look a the Huawei Honor 7 vs the Ascend Mate 7.

Android Apps Weekly

Paid YouTube, Pokemon Shuffle, Malware dev is headed to prison – you don’t want to miss Joe’s newest episode of Android Apps Weekly!

The best new apps and games

10 best new Android apps and games from August 2015

August has come and gone and with it marks the beginning of the end of the season. It also left us with a bunch of awesome new Android apps and games! Let’s take a quick look at the best ones released this past month.

We know there’s a lot to take in here, but tell us – what’s your favorite Android-powered device that was announced this week?

5
Sep

Republic Wireless shares status of Stagefright and Lollipop updates


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Next month, Republic Wireless will begin pushing software updates to its slate of Motorola phones. The phones are awaiting the Stagefright fix, Android 5.1 Lollipop, or both.

The carrier explained the status for its phones:

Moto X (2nd Gen.) : We are trying to schedule lab entry in the next couple of weeks for the EMR Stagefright fix

Moto E (2nd Gen.) : We are trying to schedule lab entry in the next couple of weeks for the EMR Stagefright fix, at the same time as the Moto X (2nd Gen.) or very quickly after.

Moto X (1st Gen.) : We are currently testing a Lollipop build internally which includes RW App and Architecture changes for fixes to Delayed Dialing and inbound calls to Voicemail, any Messaging app crashes, and the Stagefright fix.  When this passes internal testing, we will schedule lab entry.

Moto G (1st Gen.) : Next in line for the Lollipop build.  We are waiting for a build from Motorola on this.  It will incorporate all the fixes outlined for Moto X.

Moto E (1st Gen.) : Third in line for the Lollipop build.  We are waiting for a build from Motorola on this, and will incorporate all the fixes outlined for Moto X.

Republic Wireless plans to start rolling out these software updates at the end of October. The entire process should take about 8-10 weeks to complete.

Also, Republic Wireless is working to resolve an issue that is preventing a number of users from connecting their phones to a WiFi network. Bluetooth connections are apparently to be blamed. This issue will be fixed either through an app update in the Play Store or with one of the aforementioned software updates.

Source: Republic Wireless

Come comment on this article: Republic Wireless shares status of Stagefright and Lollipop updates

4
Sep

Customizing the Moto X Pure Edition with Moto Maker


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With the Moto X Pure Edition, Motorola is taking an unconventional approach. The company’s flagship phone will not be available through any carriers and their subsidies. Consumers will instead have to the Moto X Pure Edition unlocked from Motorola, Best Buy, and Amazon. Fortunately, the Moto X Pure Edition starts at $399. But this is a Motorola product and that means Moto Maker can be used to customize the phone to match your style. Moto Maker offers options to change storage size and colors while adding personalization with engravings and greetings.

Let’s have a look at what you can do with the Moto X Pure Edition and Moto Maker.

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Head over to Motorola’s site and find the pre-order button on the Moto X Pure Edition’s page. Or you can go directly to the phone’s Moto Maker studio.

Before getting started, know that the base price of the Moto X Pure Edition is $399. Certain changes and additions to your configuration will increase the price.

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The phone shown on the left is what your phone will look like throughout the process of using Moto Maker. The panel on the right is what you are able to modify.

When it comes to storage, Motorola has sizes big and small covered. The base model comes with 16GB of internal storage, an amount that many feel should be eliminated from mobile devices altogether. Need more? You can go up to 32GB or 64GB for $50 and $100 extra, respectively. And the microSD card slot allows you to raise that space by an additional 128GB.

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The frame and front of the Moto X Pure Edition are a packaged deal. So you must choose one of the following options:

  • White & Silver
  • White & Champagne
  • Black & Dark Gray

Going for the White & Champagne option, though, requires the 32GB or 64GB model to be selected. It seems that Motorola wants people to pay for the classier option.

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Choosing the back to match the frame and front of your Moto X Pure Edition could be the most difficult part in using Moto Maker. There are seventeen choices between soft grip, wood, and leather materials. The latter two increase the price of the phone by $25, but the benefit of having a premium look and feel such as Bamboo or Black Leather could easily be worth the added cost.

Here the different backs:

  • Soft Grip: Winter White, Black, Slate, Raspberry, Cabernet, Lime, Turquoise, Dark Teal, Royal Blue, Deep Sea Blue
  • Wood: Bamboo, Walnut, Ebony, Charcoal Ash
  • Leather: Natural, Cognac, Black, Red

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Now you get to mix or match the accent with the frame of the phone. The accent will alter the piece around the camera, which the Moto G (2015) also has, and the speaker. Motorola is offering both safe and unusual colors with a metallic look: Lemon Lime, Silver, Dark Gray, Champagne, Red, Pink, Royal Blue.

Most people are simply choosing a color that matches the frame’s color.

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Engraving something on the back of the Moto X Pure Edition is what truly personalizes the phone for you. Motorola does make it clear that the lighter backs will show engravings better than others; therefore, stick with backs like the Bamboo or Natural Leather rather than the Charcoal Ash or Black soft grip. You can put almost anything you’d like on the back of the phone as long as it remains less than fifteen characters and isn’t offensive.

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The final piece of Moto Maker is another area of personalization. Motorola wants you to have a greeting that appears each and every time the phone starts.

The amount of characters allotted to this space is eighteen.

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Now you’re done! Motorola will show you what costs (if any) have been added to the base price of your Moto X Pure Edition.

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Notice two things before you complete the checkout process:

  • Moto Care: Motorola offers two years of accidental damage and extended mechanical coverage for the Moto X Pure Edition for less than $100. The benefit of Moto Care is huge considering the company will immediately ship you a like-new phone even before your damaged phone is sent to them. Each claim has a deductible of $49.
  • Pricing options: You can pay up front or spread the cost of the phone over six, twelve, eighteen, or twenty-four months using a Motorola Credit Account. Depending upon your credit history and the length of the financing, Motorola will accept monthly payments until the phone is paid off.

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Enter your billing and shipping information and Motorola will get right to work on making your Moto X Pure Edition. Motorola is working as quickly as possible to assemble phones, so you should expect a wait ranging 2-4 weeks. To me, getting a customized and personalized phone seems very much worth the wait.

Come comment on this article: Customizing the Moto X Pure Edition with Moto Maker

4
Sep

Unannounced Motorola Moto X Force pops up in some leaked photos



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Motorola has released a number of great handsets in the last few weeks – the Moto X Style and Moto X Play to name a few. However, it doesn’t appear that Motorola is done announcing devices, even if they aren’t saying anything – a new leak has emerged today of another device in the pipeline, the Motorola Moto X Force. Obviously sharing the design language of the Moto X line of smartphones, there is one key difference of the Moto X Force shown in today’s photo and that is there doesn’t appear to be a bottom speaker grille, or at least, it appears to be split. The leading theory at the moment is that there is a fingerprint scanner hidden in that spot, which makes a lot of sense since Motorola’s other smartphones don’t have this feature.


http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsThat’s not all the information we have either – according to the rumours, the Moto X Force will be powered by a Snapdragon 810, with a 5.4-inch Quad HD display, 3GB RAM, 32GB or 64GB RAM, 21MP rear camera and 3,760mAh battery. That’s quite the device, though we have no idea when or if the device will be announced – for now, all we can do is take this news with a grain of salt.

What do you think about the Motorola Moto X Force? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: Twitter via Phone Arena

The post Unannounced Motorola Moto X Force pops up in some leaked photos appeared first on AndroidSPIN.

4
Sep

Unannounced Motorola Moto X Force pops up in some leaked photos



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(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

Motorola has released a number of great handsets in the last few weeks – the Moto X Style and Moto X Play to name a few. However, it doesn’t appear that Motorola is done announcing devices, even if they aren’t saying anything – a new leak has emerged today of another device in the pipeline, the Motorola Moto X Force. Obviously sharing the design language of the Moto X line of smartphones, there is one key difference of the Moto X Force shown in today’s photo and that is there doesn’t appear to be a bottom speaker grille, or at least, it appears to be split. The leading theory at the moment is that there is a fingerprint scanner hidden in that spot, which makes a lot of sense since Motorola’s other smartphones don’t have this feature.


http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsThat’s not all the information we have either – according to the rumours, the Moto X Force will be powered by a Snapdragon 810, with a 5.4-inch Quad HD display, 3GB RAM, 32GB or 64GB RAM, 21MP rear camera and 3,760mAh battery. That’s quite the device, though we have no idea when or if the device will be announced – for now, all we can do is take this news with a grain of salt.

What do you think about the Motorola Moto X Force? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: Twitter via Phone Arena

The post Unannounced Motorola Moto X Force pops up in some leaked photos appeared first on AndroidSPIN.