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4G LTE Moto E will be updated to Android Marshmallow in select markets, along with DROID Turbo 2, Maxx 2 and X Force

Motorola first announced its Android 6.0 Marshmallow rollout plans in October. At the time, 11 devices were included in the list that was mostly made up of devices from 2015 and 2014. One notable absence was the Moto E, the company’s entry-level smartphone. Thankfully, the list has since been updated and now includes the budget device, although if you have one in the US, you’re out of luck. The update seemingly won’t grace US shores.

Puzzlingly, Motorola has left the States and China out of its list of markets due to receive the Marshmallow update. The 2015 Moto E with 4G LTE will get Android 6.0 in Canada, Latin America, Europe and Asia (excluding China). Moto could still change its plans, and does state in the list that the China upgrade is still being evaluated, although no such statement is made about the US market.

Other handsets added to the list are those which were announced and released after the original list was published. As well as the Moto E, Motorola will bring Android 6.0 Marshmallow to the Moto X Force (which is currently part of a soak test), and the Verizon-exclusive DROID Turbo 2 and DROID Maxx 2. The full updated list of devices runs as follows:

  • 2015 Moto X Pure Edition (3rd gen)
  • 2015 Moto X Style (3rd gen)
  • 2015 Moto X Play
  • 2015 Moto G (3rd gen)
  • 2014 Moto X Pure Edition in the US (2nd gen)
  • 2014 Moto X in Latin America, Europe and Asia2 (2nd gen)
  • 2014 Moto G and Moto G with 4G LTE2 (2nd gen)
  • DROID Turbo
  • 2014 Moto MAXX
  • 2014 Moto Turbo
  • Nexus 6
  • Moto X Force
  • DROID Turbo 2
  • DROID Maxx 2
  • 2015 Moto E with 4G LTE in Canada, Latin America, Europe and Asia excluding China (2nd Gen)

Android 6.0 Marshmallow now rolling out for Moto X Pure, soak tests for X Play and X Force

Moto X Pure owners, rejoice! If you’re in the US and have the new 2015 Pure Edition running on Sprint, Verizon or US Cellular, you should find Android 6.0 Marshmallow landing on your phone relatively soon. David Schuster announced on Google Plus yesterday evening that the full rollout for those devices has begun…


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9to5Google Gift Guide: Great Android phones at Black Friday prices

We can’t escape Black Friday, it’s all over social media and the blogosphere. But what we can do is hopefully make it a little easier for you to find the best deals. This list won’t include any old Android phones that are discounted. There are plenty out there which we wouldn’t touch even if we’re shopping for a bargain. Instead, this list is only populated with devices we’d recommend buying and are now even better value for money than they’ve ever been.

Here are some of the best deals on great Android smartphones that we know of:


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9to5Toys Lunch Break: SOL REPUBLIC Bluetooth headphones $70, New 64GB Nexus 6 $360, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Heads up! During Black Friday/Cyber Monday you’re going to have to follow us on Twitter to get the best deals since many sell out too quickly to post.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

Bluetooth On-ear Headphones: SOL REPUBLIC Tracks Air $70 shipped (Reg. $100)more

Motorola Nexus 6 Unlocked 64GB: $360 shipped (Orig. $650) | eBay

Nexus 5 32GB Black/White in new condition: $210 shipped (Reg. $350)

7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 tablet: w/ FreedomPop: $60 shipped (Reg. $140+) | FreedomPop

Amazon’s Black Friday deals go live later this week w/ mobile shoppers getting extra perks

Top 5 ways to score the year’s best online Black Friday deals

10 can’t-miss deals for the holiday season: HDTVs, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6s, more

Giveaway: mophie juice pack reserve battery case for iPhone 6/s (multiple winners)

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

Black Friday Magazine Deals start now from under $4/yr: Wired, Popular Science, Dwell, Rolling Stone, GQ, ESPN, more

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/667020820980604928 align=’center’]

BLACK FRIDAY AD LEAKS & NEWS:

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Best of Black Friday – Streaming Media Players: Apple TV 64GB $180, Roku SE $20, 2-Pack Chromecast (2nd gen) $50more

Best of Black Friday – Smart Home: Nest Thermostat $250 + $50 GC, Philips Hue kit $130

Best of Black Friday – HDTVs: 40-inch from $149, Samsung 55-inch Smart $580 (Reg. $1,200), more

Best of Black Friday – iPads, Tablets and e-readers: iPad Air 2 from $360, Amazon Fire $35 (Reg. $50)more

Best of Black Friday – Games: Xbox One/PS4 console bundles, deep discounts on games, more

Best of Black Friday – wearables: Fitbit Flex $59/Charge $90/more, $100 off Apple Watch, Android smartwatchesmore

Best Buy’s Black Friday ad brings deals on Apple Watch, Macs, HDTVs, games & more!

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/666990079542484993 align=’center’]

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

SanDisk Connect 32GB Wi-Fi Flash Drive for iOS/Android: $30 Prime shipped (Reg. $40)

App Store Free App of the Week: PDF Expert 5 goes free for the first time ($10 value)

Implosion – Never Lose Hope for iOS goes free for the first time as IGN’s Game of the Month ($10 value)

Hitman Sniper for iOS hits its lowest price yet: $2 (Reg. $5)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Pryme Vessyl skips the 8-cup rule for a user specific iPhone-connected recommendation

Mass Fidelity tries to solve virtual stereo sound with its new Core wireless speaker

 

Motorola and Jonathan Adler team up to offer 3 new special Moto X Pure designs

Well-known designer Jonathan Adler has put together a new Moto X Pure Edition collection, all intended to capture the “spirit” of Moto Maker. The designs most definitely also have a holiday feel to them, so they might make a great gift if you know someone panning for the latest Moto X.

This holiday season, Motorola has something for every style lover on your list, including an all new Moto X Pure collection designed by the iconic Jonathan Adler. The limited-edition collection features three eye-catching, stylish phones that Jonathan felt captured the spirit of Moto Maker, our online phone design studio.

The collection will be available for pre-order at Motorola.com/JonathanAdler beginning November 24, and will officially go on sale December 3 for $474.99 (32GB). To help round out the rest of your shopping list, we asked Jonathan to share his top holiday gifting tips for the style-obsessed friends and family in your life.
Motorola says that they’ll be available to pre-order starting on November 24th, and will go on sale on December 3rd for $474.99 in a 32 GB capacity.

Here’s what the three new phones look like:

Motorola proves that we’re physically incapable of not touching our phones [Video]

In a clever new video, Motorola has proven — albeit while also advertising its Moto X — that we just can’t keep our hands off of our phones for as much as one minute. It’s perhaps not the most well-designed scientific experiment, but it’s interesting nonetheless the temptation we have to reach for our phones when they start buzzing, even in situations where we probably shouldn’t.

In this case, Motorola (or, more accurately, Ashton Kutcher) told unknowing victims that they were “running an experiment” that required them to keep their hands in two circles on a table. After they closed the door to leave the suspects in the room by themselves, they started sending notifications to their phones. As might be expected, the participants just couldn’t wait to check them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qUZai-kGgA

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Motorola begins rolling out Android 6.0 Marshmallow to Moto X Style & 2014 Moto X

Motorola announced today that it’s beginning to roll out Android 6.0 Marshmallow starting with two devices in select markets. First to get the update is the 2015 Moto X Style (3rd gen) in India and Brazil and the 2014 Moto X (2nd gen) in Brazil.

I am happy to announce that we are starting initial deployment of the Android 6.0 Marshmallow upgrade for the following devices and channels:  2015 Moto X Style (3rd Gen) in both Brazil and India retail,  2014 Moto X (2nd Gen) in Brazil retail…  It is not yet available for pull, you will receive a notification on your phone when you are able to update your phone

In addition to the two devices mentioned above, Motorola says it will begin to rollout the update for the 2015 Moto X Pure Edition (3rd Gen) in coming weeks. It also confirmed that a “full deployment will proceed in stages over the next few weeks.”

Motorola offered a breakdown of some highlights in the update:

– A new Memory Manager that lets you check memory usage of all your installed apps
– Volume controls have been greatly improved
– Do not disturb button has been added to the quick settings panel for easy access.
– System UI Tuner will appear in the settings menu at the very bottom once enabled. It provides a few simple UI tweaks.
– Google Now on Tap allows contextual information to be delivered based on content on your screen with a long press of the home key.
– Doze is a battery management feature that detects when your device is not in use and it  will automatically go into a deep sleep state which saves your battery.
– App Standby reduces battery drain by putting seldom-used apps into a reduced activity state.
– Expandable Storage support allows for microSD cards to be used either in a portable storage or an internal storage mode. Portable storage allows your pictures, videos, audio and other media files to be stored. Internal storage allows both media storage along with apps and games but can not be used by other devices.
– RAM manager in settings which allows a consumer to view memory used by the system or an individual app over different time frames
– Automatic App backup not only backs up your apps but their associated data so when restored they will be the same as they were before
– Text selection has been improved

The company has full release notes for the update on its website here.

Check out our Moto X Style/Pure and Moto X Play/DROID Maxx comparison video.

Lenovo suffers Q2 loss, no thanks to smartphone sales and Motorola acquisition

Despite a 16% year-on-year growth of revenue to $12.2 billion, Lenovo has just announced its first quarterly loss in six years. In its fiscal Q2 earnings results, the manufacturer blames both the competitive nature of the smartphone market and the restructure following its finalized Motorola acquisition for its losses.

Before tax, Lenovo lost around $324 million on unsold smartphone inventory and $599 million to “restructuring costs”.

The official HKFRS losses were driven by the realignment plans Lenovo disclosed during its Q1 results, including worldwide expense reduction actions across all businesses, the integration of the System x Business, the organization and brand alignment of Motorola and the Lenovo Mobile Business Group and clearance of smartphone inventory.

It’s not entirely bad news for Lenovo though. The addition of the Motorola brand has meant the company saw a year-on-year sales increase of 104% of in its Mobile Business Group. It sold $2.7 billion worth of smartphones, Android tablets and TVs. $1.4 billion of those were Motorola sales. Most of this growth is down to sales outside of China. Across the first two quarters of its financial year, 70 percent of its mobile products were purchased outside Chinese borders. This time last year, that figure was just 19 percent.

Unlike the rest of the tablet industry, Lenovo’s sales actually grew, selling 18.8 million units, up 11 percent from last year.

Despite making a loss last quarter, Lenovo is convinced that the mobile division will return to money making ways after the next couple of quarters. With the rise of competitive and affordable products from other brands, it’ll be a tough challenge. But, with the likes of the Moto G, Moto X and new DROIDs in its lineup, the company certainly has the hardware to compete. What’s more, it just opened its very first boutique retail store in Chicago to help boost high street presence.

 

Moto X Style/Pure vs. Moto X Play/DROID Maxx 2 — Which is the best value? [Video]

Motorola debuted two new phones at its event back in the summer, the Moto X Style (or Pure in the US) and the Moto X Play, which recently saw release as the DROID Maxx 2 in the States. Since I’ve already reviewed the X Play, I wanted to see if the X Pure/Style would be worth the extra money to customers looking to buy…


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Moto G gets ‘Turbo Edition’ in Mexico

CORRECTION: Motorola got in touch with us to say that the Turbo Edition, like the regular Moto G, has a 720p screen. So, not quite as tempting for the bump in price.

Over the past few years we’ve seen a rise of affordable smartphones offering a great experience to buyers. The original Moto G was, arguably, the phone that kicked it off, right at the bottom end of the market. This year, we saw the arrival of the 3rd generation which still offers a lot of bang for your buck. In Mexico, Motorola just released an even better model. It costs a little extra, but looks like it’ll easily be worth the outlay…


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Motorola opening its first brick-and-mortar ’boutique’ retail store in Chicago this week

Motorola is opening its very first physical retail store later this week. Moto Shop, as it’s called, is opening in downtown Chicago, the company’s hometown, on Saturday, November 7, in time for holiday shopping to begin. In its blog post, the company notes that because smartphones and wearables have made powerful technology more personal, you should be able to go and experience them fully, in real life. Moto wants to make the shopping experience as personal as it can…


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Review: Verizon’s new Moto Droid Turbo 2 and Maxx 2 can’t break..free from the past

Alphabet/then Google CEO Larry Page spilled the beans on Motorola’s big product announcement way back in 2013 on an earnings call justifying the purchase of Motorola:

“Think about your device. Battery life is a challenge for most people. You shouldn’t need to carry around a charger to make it through the day. If your kid spills their drink on your tablet, the screen shouldn’t die. And when you drop your phone, it shouldn’t shatter.

“Having just seen Motorola’s upcoming products myself, I’m real excited about the potential there. In just under a year, they have accomplished a lot, and have impressive velocity and execution.”

Unfortunately, Google capitulated to Samsung and sold off the Motorola division to Lenovo early last year.  That doesn’t mean that the things Motorola was working on stopped.

In fact, there’s a very real possibility that Page was referring to a shatterproof Google-branded Moto Nexus 6, but the shatterproof technology wasn’t ready for launch…just like the fingerprint reader that also wasn’t.

Fast forward to this week and Motorola along with its Droid carrier partner Verizon debuted two new Droids, the Droid Turbo 2 and Maxx 2. I’ve been using both phones since the event and have a pretty good viewpoint on their role in the Android ecosystem.


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DROID Turbo 2 launches internationally as Moto X Force

In what is certainly the shortest press release I’ve ever seen, Motorola’s official UK handle announced what I’ve been hoping to hear ever since Verizon and Motorola announced the DROID Turbo 2 earlier this week. The device is making its way across the pond, albeit without the Verizon livery, bloatware and brand name. Internationally, the DROID Turbo 2 will be sold as the Moto X Force, and it features all the specifications that make the DROID Turbo 2 so appealing


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Moto DROID Turbo 2 has surprisingly good camera according to DxOMark

Yesterday, during the announcement, Motorola claimed its new DROID Turbo 2 has a fantastic camera. While we’re skeptical to take the manufacturer’s own word for it, DxOMark seemingly agrees. Having put the Turbo 2’s snapper through its paces, DxO awarded it with 84 points, putting it in joint third position with the Nexus 6P. In short: Motorola finally made a good camera.

Breaking it down, the Turbo 2’s still photos were similar to those on the LG G4, Xperia Z3+ and Galaxy Note 4, but its videos were surpassed only by the Xperia Z5. DxO notes that its images in good light are fantastic. Its autofocusing is exemplary, as is its exposure, contrast and color control. In lower light conditions, its performance drops a little (as you’d expect) and, while white balance is generally good, it does apparently have the tendency to make whites look a little pink at times.

It’s a similar story with video too. It’s great all-round when shooting in good light. It tracks objects and focuses well. But in lower light, it struggles with autofocus and noise a little. On the plus side, it’s good at adapting when light levels and scenes suddenly change.

All in all, it seems we may finally have Motorola phones on the market which don’t force you to compromise on the camera to gain the rest of its selling points. It may not be the best camera on the market, but it’s nothing like as bad as previous generations.

Verizon also offering its employees a bright red DROID Turbo 2

Right before Verizon and Motorola took the stage earlier today to show off its new Droid Turbo 2 and Droid Maxx 2 smartphones, a red version of the former showed up on the red carrier’s website. And while we now have a clear look at everything the phone offers, it’s interesting to note nonetheless that Verizon seemingly intends to carry on with the “Employee Edition” tradition…

As is the case with the regular Droid Turbo 2, the device’s listing that popped up earlier today showed that it has a lightweight design with a Snapdragon 810 system-on-a-chip from Qualcomm, a 5.4-inch QHD display, and a couple of great 21-megapixel and 5-megapixel cameras (although those are pretty standard for 2015). This particular phone seems to only be available in 64 GB.

While Verizon has already pulled the page detailing the phone, we can assume that it’s not going to be available to consumers — at least for now — anyway. It is the “Employee Edition,” after all. Be sure to read up on the regular Droid Turbo 2 and Droid Maxx 2, and if you’re really pining for some red on your Droid, you’ll be happy to learn that you can now use Moto Maker on the Turbo 2.

Specifications compared: Moto DROID Turbo 2 vs. DROID Maxx 2

At a small and relatively short event in New York City this morning, Verizon and Motorola unveiled the latest smartphones to bear the iconic DROID brand-name. The DROID Turbo 2 and Maxx 2 both take influence from the latest series of Moto X devices, and continue the legacy of their predecessors. The Turbo 2 is the company’s shatterproof flagship, while the Maxx 2 is more moderately priced and is essentially a Verizon-branded Moto X Play.


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Verizon & Motorola announce DROID Turbo 2 and DROID Maxx 2

Verizon and Motorola have today announced both the Droid Turbo 2 and the Droid Maxx 2, a pair of smartphones that give Verizon customers some really great flagship and sub-flagship options. The big announcement here is the shatterproof screen coming exclusively to the higher-end Droid Turbo 2, but that reveal is coupled with the announcement of a mid-range, all-around good phone, the Maxx 2. Here’s everything we know…
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9to5Toys Lunch Break: 2nd generation Moto G (unlocked) $119, USB power deals, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Unlocked Motorola Moto G (2nd generation) 8GB white: $119 shipped (Reg. $180) | Amazon

USB Roundup: Aukey 5000mAh Charger + MFi Lightning Cable $15 (Reg. $21), Lumsing 13400mAh Power bank $23, more

Giveaway: Polk Audio’s Omni Whole Home Music System – Soundbar w/ subwoofer and S2 Speaker ($880 value)

Best Buy lands the first major blow in this year’s battle for holiday shoppers

Amazon thinks leaving your house is over-rated, expands Prime free same-day delivery service

Dell Black Friday Ad Leak: Gears of War Xbox One w/ Fallout 4 + controller $300, VIZIO 60-Inch 4K HDTV $800, more

More new gear from today:

Fashion deals at Amazon – extra 20% off fall athletic/outdoor shoes: Caterpillar boots $52, ASICS running shoes $40, more

More deals still alive:

Gift Cards up to 20% off: JCPenney, Sports Authority, more

App Store Free App of the Week: Dr. Panda’s Mailman ($4 value)

New products & more:

Dyson’s pricey 360 Eye robo-vac finally sees the light of day

Use your smartphone as a controller for these AirConsole Mac/PC browser games

 

Moto Maker options for upcoming DROID Turbo 2 revealed in leaked image

Verizon has already teased its rumored DROID Turbo 2, sharing an image that clearly shows off the design of the phone and suggesting that it could have a more rugged-feel to it. Now, a post on the Chinese social network Weibo claims to show the colors in which back of the device will be available via Moto Maker…


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Android 6.0 for 2015 Moto X Pure Edition in ‘TestDrive’ mode, being trialled by select customers

Motorola has already announced which of its handsets will be receiving the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update. Among them — of course — are the newest smartphones like the Moto X Pure, Moto X Play and Moto G. As is customary before software updates for Moto, the company is allowing a very select group of X Pure owners to test the new OS…


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9to5Toys Lunch Break: Sony Bluetooth headphones $135, USB-C accessories for your new Nexus phone, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Over-Ear Headphones: Sony Bluetooth/NFC $135 (Reg. $199), Beyerdynamic from $170 (Reg. up to $270), more

USB-C roundup: Aukey 3-Port USB Hub w/ Gigabit Ethernet $17, Aukey USB Adapter $7more

Moto E & 1-Yr FreedomPop unlimited talk-and-text: $50 shipped (Reg. $70 + plan) | FreedomPop

HTC One (M8) w/ 32 GB flash storage, 4G LTE, GSM (unlocked): $165 shipped (Reg. $300+) | eBay

Amazon Student Days: free $5 credit w/ Gift Card purchase, Kindle Paperwhite $100, Halloween costumes extra 25% off, more

Refurb LG G3 32 GB for Verizon 32 GB: $160 shipped (Reg. $300+) | eBay

Motorola Nexus 6 Unlocked 32GB: $300 shipped (Orig. $650)

Giveaway: Trinity Delta aluminum earbuds feature a unique design and top-notch sound ($135 value), 20% discount

More new gear from today:

Games/Apps: Bloodborne from $25, Kirby Rainbow Curse $32, Shades Puzzle Game free, more iOS freebies

More deals still alive:

Sony announces official PlayStation 4 price drop, bundles now start at just $349

New products & more:

DJI’s new Osmo 4K camera is one expensive selfie stick

The latest littleBits DIY electronics kit turns any kid into an inventor

9to5Toys Lunch Break: Moto E 2015 for Verizon $40, Wireless Laser printer $25, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Verizon Wireless Prepaid Moto E 4G w/ 8 GB flash: $40 shipped (Reg. $70) | Fry’s

Daily Deals: Pantum Wireless Mono Laser Printer $25, EnerPlex Solar Case for iPhone 5/5s $15more

USB Power Deals: KMASHI 15,000mAh USB $14 (Reg. $20), Aukey 2A Wall Charger $8 (Reg. $16), more

PS4 Destiny Taken King Limited Edition Bundle $350, Xbox One Gears of War bundle + 40″ HDTV $470 w/ .EDU, more

Roku’s new streaming media player supports 4K and finds your remote control for you

Giveaway: Trinity Delta aluminum earbuds feature a unique design and top-notch sound ($135 value), 20% discount

More new gear from today:

Beyerdynamic A200p Portable DAC Headphone Amp for iPhone/Android $160 shipped (Reg. $200)

More deals still alive:

Philips hue Lux LED Starter Kit $60 shipped (Orig. $80), 750-Lumen 9W LED Light Bulb $15 (Orig. $35)

JayBird BlueBuds X Sport Bluetooth Sweat Proof Headphones $90 shipped (Reg. $130), more

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/651126504156368896 align=’center’]

New products & more:

Mattel’s retro-rebooted $30 VR View-Master is now available for iOS and Android

Review: Rock Band 4 makes an old favorite come alive with refreshed gameplay, new songs & updated hardware

 

Moto 360 (2nd Gen) unboxing and review [Video]

There’s really not a lot to say about this year’s Moto 360. It’s an Android Wear smartwatch, so there’s really not much different here over similar devices we’re seen over the last year or so as far as software goes. The real discussion with the 2nd gen Moto 360 is the design. What we have now is an evolved and matured version, but with one unfortunate similarity when compared to the first generation: that flat tire.

Like many, I was hoping that Motorola would eliminate this aspect altogether, but that didn’t happen. If you can look past the flat tire, which ultimately adds to some of the functionality here, there’s a lot to love about the Moto 360…


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Motorola announces Marshmallow update plans, Moto Assist and Moto Migrate will be removed

In a blog post published today, Motorola has confirmed that it will be bringing Android 6.0 Marshmallow to several of its phones from the past couple of years. As you’d expect, the list is made mostly of the stock Android phones like the Moto X, Nexus 6 and Moto G. And since Android 6.0 includes features very similar to Moto Assist and Moto Migrate, the company has stated it will be removing those software features from any handset running Marshmallow…


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