Motorola is sending out invitations to a media event in Chicago that will be held on September 4th. The not so subtle invite displays a picture of a watch (Moto 360), a phone with an X (maybe a Moto X+1?), a phone with a G (we’re thinking Moto G2) and a headset that’s likely some type of new wireless accessory.
Motorola recently introduced an LTE-capable version of its Moto G, but it appears that an full-fledged upgrade is in the works. The follow up to Motorola’s affordable smartphone will ship with a 5-inch 720p display, a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, an Adreno 305 GPU, 1GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, a 2-megapixel front-facing shooter, 8GB of internal storage and Android 4.4.4 KitKat.
It’s no secret that we were huge fans of the Moto G when it was released last fall. At under $200 and with the performance of a flagship device, it was a steal of a phone at the time. Now, two benchmarks have emerged from what is allegedly the Moto G successor. First noticed by CNET, these benchmarks peg the second-generation Moto G as having a 5-inch display, up from 4.5-inches, and a higher-resolution 8MP rear camera, up from 5MP.
Motorola announced on Thursday that it is now rolling out Android 4.4.4 for the Moto G on Verizon, just two days after seeding the software update for the UK version model of the smartphone. The latest version of KitKat for Moto G includes an OpenSSL security fix, video recording pausing, updated phone dialer, new Motorola Alert app download, stability improvements and more.
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The push for Android 4.4.4 continues with UK Moto G owners receiving the latest wave of KitKat starting today. While it may not be the most feature-rich update, Motorola has provided a changelog outlining what people can expect. As seen with other devices, Android 4.4.4 patches a potential OpenSSL hole, and offers some stability improvements, however the Moto G has also managed to score a few extras.
Android 4.4.4 is on the move and the latest handset to be blessed with an over-the-air push of Mountain View’s newest version of KitKat is the Google Play edition of the Moto G. Released to tackle a few bugs and potential security exploits missed by its predecessor, this fairly lean update doesn’t bring much to the table in terms of aesthetics.
After being available on Amazon for a short while, the Moto G with LTE is now available on Motorola’s official website. The device will run you just $219 and comes in either white or black.
Following announcements for the roll out of Android 4.4.3 for a number of Android devices yesterday, Motorola today confirmed its own roll out schedule for Moto X, Moto G, and Moto E. Here’s the break down of who gets it first starting this week:
While users will get the improved dialer (pictured above) and other fixes we previously detailed for Android 4.4.3, Moto X and Moto G users will also get the Moto Alert app, and “pausing for video recording with a convenient pause/resume button on the viewfinder,” while Moto X gets improved camera image quality:
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Currently, Motorola seems to be the king of budget smartphones. With the launch of the Moto G ($179.99) and more recently the Moto E ($129.99), it seems like Motorola has a smartphone tier for just about anyone. Motorola’s Moto X has also dropped in price to $349.99 off contract and just barely graces the budget phone border.
The good news is, there are plenty of budget Motorola devices to choose from, but now you’ll have to make a decision. Which one is the best for you? Let’s find out in our Moto showdown.
After making a cameo appearance on Amazon’s website and officially being announced by Motorola, the Moto G with 4G LTE is now available to pre-order from popular online retailer. Priced at $220, the “universal 4G LTE” handset’s release date is listed as June 3rd. Although the listing suggests that Motorola’s new smartphone will place nice with any wireless service’s LTE setup, we have our concerns and advise that you check with your carrier before placing your order.
However, if your service provider gives you a green light, you’ll have your choice between a black or white 8GB model of the budget-friendly smartphone. An awesome value for an off-contract device, you’ll probably want to act fast as the first run of pre-orders is likely to sell out quickly.
Motorola has officially unveiled the Moto E. If you thought the Moto G was the company’s only budget smartphone, think again. The Moto E is redefining the industry with a launch price of only $129 in the US and £89 in the UK.
The Moto E may not be packed with the best specifications on the block, but it will certainly get the job done. Especially for the money. As far as specifications go, the Moto E has a 4.3-inch display covered by Gorilla Glass with a resolution of 960×540 (256ppi), 1.2Ghz dual-core Snapdragon processor, Adreno 302 GPU, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, a 1,980mAh battery, and runs Android 4.4.2.
Update: If you click the “ALL” option and scroll down, Amazon now lists the LTE model, in both black and white, as shipping June 30th and costing $219.99.
When we reviewed the $179 Moto G earlier this year, we praised nearly every aspect of it. For the price, there was absolutely nothing better than it on the market. The one thing we missed, however, was LTE capability. In order to keep the cost of the device down, Motorola limited it to HSPA+ speeds. Today, however, two new variants of the Moto G have shown up on Amazon. A Black “Universal LTE” model and a white “Universal LTE” model.”
In order to view these variants, you have to visit the standard Amazon product page for the Moto G, then click on the “7 new” link. You’ll then see a list of places to buy the device from, aside from Amazon. At the top of that page is a list of all the variants of the device. Notably, two LTE models are now listed. Clicking on them takes you a standard “We’re sorry” page from Amazon.
According to a separate report out of Engadget Mexico, Motorola is also planning a Ferrari branded Moto G that will likely be red with a yellow Ferrari logo. It will reportedly launch in the second half of 2014.
It could be that this is just a mistake on Amazon’s part and that no LTE models of the Moto G are planned. It could also be, however, that this is a sign of things to come and that Motorola is planning to launch an LTE-capable variant soon. The latter corroborates with recent rumors that Motorola is planning some sort of Moto G successor, to be launched very soon. Either way, we’re going to keep our eye on the Amazon page.
The 8GB variant of the Moto G is now available to buy from Republic Wireless for $149 without a contract. The North Carolina-based MVNO’s “hybrid calling” service is a mashup of VOIP calls via WiFi and roaming powered by Sprint’s CDMA network. If 8GB of storage isn’t enough to support your arsenal of apps, the carrier is also pushing the 16GB Moto G for an additional $30.
Prepaid carrier Republic Wireless has announced that it will carry the Moto G starting in April. The phone will be available in both 8 GB and 16 GB models, available for $149 and $179, respectively.
Republic Wireless plans start at $25 per month for unlimited talk, text, and 3G data. The carrier also offers a $10 plan that allows unlimited calling, texting, and data usage over Wi-Fi paired with unlimited calling and texting over a cellular connection (but no 3G data).
The Moto G, which was deemed “the Google Global game changer” by 9to5Google‘s own Seth Weintraub, comes with a 4.5″ display, a 5 MP rear camera, 1.3 MP front camera, 1 GB of RAM, 50 GB of Google Drive space for two years, and Android 4.4 KitKat.
You can sign up for more information about the phone’s release date through the Republic Wireless site.
Motorola has launched a new program for employees that allows them to offer friends and family discounts of up to $50 on the Moto X and Moto G. AndroidPolice detailed the “Friends with Moto” program that lets Motorola employees send coupon codes to friends and family for $50 off the Moto X, $40 off the 16GB Moto G, or $30 off the 8GB Moto G. The discounts are for the off-contract devices available through Motorola’s online store and require friends and family to fill out a short form (pictured above). After the form is completed the Motorola employee will get a coupon code they can forward to the person to use at checkout. The discounts bring the off-contract price of the Moto X down to $349 and the Moto G down to $149/$159.
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It’s no secret that 2013 was the best year that Motorola has had for quite a while, even contending for the crown of the best OEM of the year. Much of the company’s success is thanks to its CEO, Dennis Woodside. Woodside has made headlines for his comments before, and just recently, he conducted an interview with Trusted Reviews, during which he made some very interesting comments regarding the pricing of phones, as well as customization. Motorola has revolutionized both of these categories already, with Moto Maker and the Moto X and the $179 Moto G (via Droid Life).
First, Woodside commented on how even the $179 price tag for the Moto G is considered a lot of money in many parts of the world. He adds that the company is looking for ways to further trim down the prices of devices.
“In much of the world $179 is a lot of money so there’s a big market at a price point of less than $179. We’re going to look at that and just delivering on that value promise is super important. I mean why can’t these devices be $50? There’s no reason that can’t happen so we’re going to push that.”
Motorola has added iCloud support to its Motorola Migrate app, making it far easier to switch from an iPhone to a Moto X, Moto G or Droid handset than the longwinded process Eric Schmidt described back in November. Previously, it was necessary to go via Gmail or to use the online migration app.
With this update, you can pull in your contacts and calendar events by simply entering Apple ID and password directly into the app. The app the connects to iCloud and downloads your data automatically.
The app is powered by mark/space, a company specialising in sync technology and behind many consumer and corporate synchronisation tools.
Hot on the heels of rumors claiming that Verizon would soon be offering the Moto G for $100, Best Buy has announced that it is now selling the device in its retail stores. Speaking to the LA Times, Best Buy spokesman Jonathan Sandler announced that, the device “is currently landing in stores and is available for sale as soon as it arrives.” This means that there is no set release date for the device from Best Buy, so you’ll need to keep in contact with your local store if you are interested in purchasing one.
A version of the phone for Sprint’s Boost Mobile prepaid service was also released today, this time through HSN. The Moto G is currently on sale for $129.95, but you can get it for $99 after a $30 mail-in rebate (regular price $169.95).
Being priced at just $99.99 sans-contract, the Moto G is easily the best bargain phone on the market. We were big fans of it when we reviewed it, and its recent update to Android 4.4 KitKat only further improved the experience. Of course, it’s also worth noting that the Moto G’s older sibling, the Moto X, received a price drop today as well, and now runs $399.99.
Update: According to an internal Verizon memo obtained by Droid-Life, the Moto G will be available from the carrier on January 9th.
It’s no secret that we are big fans of the Moto G here at 9to5Google. As of right now, the device is available unlocked from both Motorola and Amazon in 8GB and 16GB varieties for $179 and $199 respectively. According to a leaked image shared on Google+, the device will soon be coming for an even cheaper price.
Last week, Motorola announced that the Moto G would soon begin to be updated to Android 4.4 KitKat. Today, it looks like the update has finally started rolling out to users, as both Seth and I have received the update on our respective Moto G devices. The update comes in at roughly 191MB and bumps the device to build number 172.44.4.en.US.
New in the update are many of the changes we’ve come to know and love in KitKat. For one, all the new white-gradiants are present, replacing the blue, as is the new transparent notification bar. Not included is the new launcher found on the Nexus 5, though Google touts that as being exclusive to Nexus devices. You can always side load it, of course. Motorola also touts that new camera controls, such as manual focus and exposure, are included, though that was also included in an update to the Motorola Camera app on Google Play.
While the world may be looking at Samsung with loving eyes thanks to the wild success of the Galaxy line, I wouldn’t call 2013 the year of the Samsung. Instead, I’m prepared to give that title to the folks at Motorola with a dose of LG on the side. There’s little question that Motorola roared back this year with the Moto X and the Moto G just boosted their game at the very end of the year. That’s not to say LG didn’t have a great year, but with the success and great reviews of the Nexus 5 comes disappointing sales of their flagship the LG G2.
To say that 2013 has been an interesting year in the world of Android would be putting it mildly, but has it really been a banner year? The release of Android-oriented products like Google Glass, Google Hangouts/revamp of Google+ and the beginnings of Google Retail led the way for a whole new approach for Google to take on the competition.
As we look back at the Android-based smartphones that launched in 2013, there isn’t any one handset that truly stands out as a market revolution. Instead, 2013 saw improvements and innovation on existing brands and lines that were already incredibly popular. For example, the Galaxy S 4 which kicks off our list below didn’t really raise the bar over the Galaxy S III in a truly big way, but it did improve on an already market-leading experience from the Galaxy S III.
So without further adieu, here are the 9to5Google’s top Android smartphone picks for 2013:
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Just a few weeks after the device went up for sale, Motorola has announced that Android 4.4.2 is now rolling out to the Moto G. The update brings all of the KitKat features we’ve come to know and love. One of the biggest selling points of KitKat is the improved performance on lower-end devices that don’t have as much power under the hood. Given that the Moto G is own the lower-end of the totem pole, KitKat should drastically improve the performance of the device, not that it was bad before.
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-Manual control of focus and exposure-Locked exposure during Panorama capture-Enabled additional language support-Bug fixes
