WSJ: Lenovo will release a likely Moto-branded smartphone in July

Lenovo CEO Yuanqing Yang said today that the company will launch a new smartphone for the US in July, according to comments reported by The Wall Street Journal. Earlier this month at CES, the company announced that the Motorola brand name is actually being phased out around the world.

The only thing the WSJ article adds to our knowledge of the next flagship device is that it will be “more innovative, more attractive” and launch in July. As Yang was referring to the US market and consumers, the device will presumably launch under the Moto line.  Last year’s devices were also announced in July, but were not available until later in September.

While the Motorola brand is being phased out, Lenovo is keeping the Moto name for their higher end line of smartphones. They added earlier this month that all Moto phones in 2016 will have a fingerprint sensor and be larger than 5-inches. A sketchy rumor from last year shows a design that looks vastly different from the past generations of Moto X devices. The contoured shape, more preferable for hand holding, has been replaced by a flatter metal body.

While those changes are not necessarily innovative, a new design might be helpful as the company tries to corner the US smartphone market. The WSJ interview also reveals that Lenovo will be focusing on the emerging markets of India, Middle East, and Africa amid a global slowdown, not unlike other smartphone makers.