Motorola

Motorola has a way of saying software is ready when it isn’t, and publishing release notes for major upgrades long before they actually begin rolling out. It can often feel like deja vu to see the announcement of an update rollout multiple times, so we of all people know that it can be frustrating. That said, Motorola’s David Schuster has posted to his Google+ account this morning to announce that the 1st-generation Moto X is receiving Android 5.1 starting today in a whole host of countries…

DROID Turbo soak test of 5.1 rolling out now, says Motorola’s David Schuster

Tom Maxwell Jun 30 2015 - 9:24 am PT

After some false starts and an accidental reveal, Motorola’s David Schuster posted last night to his Google+ account to confirm a soak test of Android 5.1 has begun for the Verizon DROID Turbo. Here’s what he said:

I know this is going to make some people happy…. we have started the DROID Turbo soak test for the Android 5.1 upgrade this evening with our forum registered users. If all goes well we will open it up later this week.

The full release notes are up on Motorola’s website as well. Aside from the normal stability improvements and 5.1 features like ‘interruptions’ for deciding which apps can make your phone buzz with notifications, there’s some Motorola-specific stuff in there like the Moto Action that turns the flashlight on and off with two chopping motions.
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Newly leaked renders almost certainly show the 2015 Moto G in the flesh

Stephen Hall Jun 29 2015 - 2:10 pm PT

The Moto G is set to get a refresh sometime over the next couple of months, likely alongside the company’s flagship Moto X. We first saw some leaked shots of this Moto G (2015) a couple of weeks ago, but that was a sketchy (and blurry) barely-lit picture taken with a potato. Now, we have our first look (via TechnoBuffalo) at what look to be PR renders of the refreshed budget handset…

Moto G (1st gen) Lollipop soak test begins in US, resumes for Moto E (also 1st gen)

Tom Maxwell Jun 26 2015 - 3:32 pm PT

The Motorola update train continues rolling on. Today, we’ve got more information on updates to two of the company’s 1st-generation budget phones, the Moto E and Moto G.

Android 5.1 rolling out in USA to all 2nd-gen (2014) Moto X Pure Edition handsets today

Ben Lovejoy Jun 26 2015 - 5:02 am PT

While Moxo X Pure Edition owners on T-Mobile have had Android 5.1 for almost a month now, and owners of carrier models started seeing it in the past few days, some owners have still been waiting. That wait is now over, according to a Google+ post by Motorola’s David Schuster.

I am happy to announce that we have been approved to start full deployment of the Android 5.1 Lollipop upgrade for Moto X (2nd Gen) Pure Edition in the US.

The updated version of Lollipop brings with it a bunch of worthwhile improvements, including quick access to Bluetooth and WiFi settings, better notifications and improved performance and security.

Via Android Central

Deal: Motorola’s Moto Hint Bluetooth headset now available for $100 (Reg. $150)

Stephen Hall Jun 23 2015 - 1:24 pm PT

Motorola launched the Moto Hint alongside the 2014 Moto X and Moto G last year, and it quickly became known as one of the better — albeit also more expensive — offerings on the market for those on the lookout for a Bluetooth headset. That still holds true today, but now Motorola is offering the Moto Hint at its online store for a cool $50 off the original price, down to just $100. It’s the lowest price we’ve seen, and it looks like some third-party retailers on Amazon are matching that price (at least for the darker colored model, which is currently going for $100.89).
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Motorola pushing another Moto X Pure Edition (2nd gen) soak test

Tom Maxwell Jun 22 2015 - 12:34 pm PT

Motorola’s David Schuster has posted to Google+ to update owners of the 2nd-generation Moto X Pure Edition that the company pushed a new soak test for the device this past weekend. The company rolled out Android 5.1.1 via a soak test a couple weeks ago, and more recently began a wider rollout of 5.1.1 that many owners were able to install, so it’s unclear what this update is for and how many devices it will impact. Schuster says they experienced a problem with that test that they had to address, but didn’t provide more specifics.

We reported on the previous rollout a few weeks ago with some owners sharing this screenshot from their devices:

Here’s David Schuster’s full statement:

Quick update with respect to Moto X Pure Edition (2nd Gen) in the US. As many of you know we had started a soak test a couple weeks ago and discovered an issue which we need to address.

Over the past weekend we restarted the soak test. I will keep you posted on its progress.

Motorola now rolling out Android 5.1 to 1st and 2nd generation Moto X

Stephen Hall Jun 22 2015 - 8:56 am PT

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We told you last week that an Android 5.1 soak test was beginning for the Verizon Moto X, and now it looks like the update has been made official. Motorola has today announced the rollout of Android 5.1 to both the original Moto X and the Moto X (2014), both of which should be rolling out imminently.

In Android 5.1, there are improvements across the board, including changes to how notifications are handled, drop-down menus for both Bluetooth and WiFi in the quick settings shade, device protection, system-wide performance improvements, and more.

We are excited to announce a new software update for Moto X (2nd Gen.) by Motorola. This update brings Android™ 5.1 Lollipop to your phone along with other improvements. Android™ 5.1 Lollipop improves stability and provides better control over notifications.

If you have the 2014 Moto X “Pure Edition,” then you’ve probably had Android 5.1 running on your device for about a month now. For those unfortunate enough to be stuck with a carrier version of the first- or second-generation Moto X, keep an eye out for the update to hit your device in the coming days.

Moto G (2015) seemingly leaks from multiple sources, isn’t very exciting

Stephen Hall Jun 21 2015 - 10:20 am PT

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The 3rd generation Moto G (2015) is likely to be just around the corner, along with the much-rumored 3rd generation Moto X (2015). And while we got what is probably a nice peek at the upcoming Moto X thanks to Upleaks last weekend, this weekend a couple of other sources are sharing some information about the lower-end budget phone from the Lenovo-owned company. Sadly, at least based on this information, the Moto G (2015) seems to be a bit of a snooze fest…
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Soak test for Verizon Moto X (2nd gen) beginning now, may be 5.1 Lollipop

Tom Maxwell Jun 19 2015 - 2:54 pm PT

Redditors in the /r/MotoX subreddit who own the 2nd-generation Moto X on Verizon are reporting that they’re starting to receive invites to participate in a software update soak test. There’s no word on what this update may be to – hopefully it’s a bump from 5.0.2 to 5.1.1, but those who are invited to soak tests first receive a survey they must complete and submit before they actually receive the update, and the survey doesn’t indicate the purpose of the update.

Soak tests are when a device manufacturer or carrier rolls out a software update to a select group of device owners who agree to test the potentially buggy software and report bugs as they notice them. To have been eligible to even be invited to this soak test, owners of the Moto X would’ve had to previously signed up for the Motorola Feedback Network program. There are instructions on how to do so are on Motorola’s forums (click here), but it’s unlikely that signing up now will result in receiving an invite for this particular soak test.

Lollipop upgrade for 1st & 2nd gen Moto X hits soak testing in many countries

Tom Maxwell Jun 17 2015 - 1:06 pm PT

Another day, another expanded soak test of a Motorola software upgrade. This time, Android 5.1.1 Lollipop for the 1st and 2nd-generation Moto X in a bevy of countries.

Motorola India launches ‘My Moto Logo’ contest, a chance to win a bespoke Moto X

Tom Maxwell Jun 15 2015 - 8:36 am PT

No, it wasn’t Moto Maker launching in India – it is another way to potentially get your hands on your own custom-designed Moto X, though.

Yesterday we saw Motorola India’s Twitter account teasing something special to come on June 15th, implying that customers would be able to do some designing themselves with captions like “Artistry is as artistry does. Fancy doing something to show off your arty side? Find out how on the 15th of June.” And while it was easy to assume that these tweets were referencing a launch of the company’s phone customization service Moto Maker, available in several countries allowing customers to customize every aspect of their Moto X from the trim color to onboard storage size, they sadly were not.

Instead what Motorola India announced is My Moto Logo, a contest in which individuals can create their own illustration of the iconic Motorola “Batwing” M logo, with the six best ones being made into real-life bespoke Moto X’s.
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Moto Maker likely coming to India on June 15th

Stephen Hall Jun 14 2015 - 1:09 pm PT

Moto Maker has gradually been expanding its scope since being introduced in 2013. And following the phone customization service launching in China earlier this year (and several other notable countries over the last couple of years), it appears that Motorola is ready to bring it to India—a market favorite due to its emerging economy—as well…
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Soak testing of Android Lollipop for Moto X (1st gen) has begun

Tom Maxwell Jun 11 2015 - 3:25 pm PT

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Today was a bit of a downer for owners of the Motorola DROID Turbo, who learned that contrary to earlier information, there is in fact no set rollout date for the phone’s update to Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. That being said, we did learn that Lollipop is rolling out to the budget-end Moto E on Verizon, and now we’ve got word that testing of Lollipop has begun for the 1st-generation Moto X. If testing goes well and no major problems are identified, rollout should begin in about a week. Owners of the phone have been waiting quite some time for this big update.

David Schuster, a product manager at Motorola who’s quite reliable when it comes to information on Android software deployments, posted the following to his Google+ account this afternoon:

Hey guys, quick update here for Moto X (1st Gen). We have started full soak testing again in the U.S. on the 5.1 Lollipop upgrade for our retail channels. If the data looks good, we’ll move to full deployment in about a week.

In addition, we also initiated a full soak test for Brazil retail and Rogers in Canada yesterday for Moto X (1st Gen).

Please ensure that you have accepted any updates from the Play Store for Motorola Update Services (to version 4 or higher). You will need this to get the upgrade notification.

Motorola earlier in May began TestDrive – a program through which it tests early software with a tiny amount of select device owners who’ve agreed to participate – for the Moto X Lollipop update, and acknowledge frustration with the slow rollout, attributing it to “the lack of support from some of our partners.” We have to believe he was probably referring to carrier partners. But now it looks like things are moving along nicely.

Verizon Moto E receiving its update to Android 5.1 Lollipop

Tom Maxwell Jun 11 2015 - 12:17 pm PT

The unlocked 2nd-generation Moto E might have already began receiving Android 5.1 Lollipop straight from Motorola in early May, but Verizon customers rejoice: your over-the-air update is dropping now.

This update brings all the changes we’ve come to expect from the 5.0.2 to 5.1.1 bump as well as a slightly tweaked “Interruptions” control menu and Device Protection, which ensures that a lost or stolen device will remain locked (aka can’t be factory reset) until the original owner signs into it with his or her Google account. Verizon has a handy PDF that covers most of the changes coming with this update.

To check if your Moto E has pulled down the update yet, head into the Settings app and select About Phone > System updates.

Motorola product manager: no ETA on DROID Turbo 5.1 Lollipop update

Tom Maxwell Jun 11 2015 - 11:53 am PT

A couple weeks ago we saw a Verizon employee take to his Google+ account to share a picture of a DROID Turbo running Android 5.1 Lollipop with a note saying that the update would drop sometime in “mid-June.” Today we have more news but it’s, well, somewhat of a step backwards. David Schuster from Motorola posted the following to his Google+ account:

Hey, I wanted to give a quick update on our progress on the DROID Turbo 5.1 lollipop upgrade since there seems to be A LOT of inaccurate information out there. We are still in the lab test cycle and things are looking good. We have not provided a launch date yet, but I will let you know as soon as the update is available.

The Verizon employee who made that post about the Turbo’s 5.1 update back in May had this to say about why update on Big Red can take a while:

Verizon delays on latest smartphones are due to Nationwide HD Voice. We want to make sure Software updates for HD Voice service is acceptable and does not impact voice quality. Verizon is the only company that has nationwide HD Voice in the USA. AT&T just has most metro cities here and there. T-Mobile and Sprint are way behind.

So now we really aren’t sure when to expect a rollout, unfortunately. We’ll keep you updated and let you know when it does, though.

Android 5.1 rolling out to U.S. Cellular Moto X (2nd gen) and Moto E LTE

Tom Maxwell May 26 2015 - 2:24 pm PT

We recently heard from Motorola Senior Director of Software Development David Schuster that the company was working on testing and rolling out Android 5.1 Lollipop to the Moto X (2nd gen) and Moto E LTE, and sure enough it appears that U.S. Cellular customers should see the update hit their devices pretty soon.

According to an Android software page on U.S. Cellular’s website, the build number for Lollipop on the 2nd generation Moto X is LPE23.32-21 while for the Moto E LTE it is LPI23.29-15. Since this is an over-the-air update you’ll need to be connected to WiFi to download the software update. To check if the update is available for your device yet, open the Settings app, select About Phone, and then System Updates. If it’s rolled out to you then you’ll see information about the update and be able to begin the installation process from this screen.

Android 5.0.2 Lollipop update is rolling out to the Moto G (1st Gen)

Tom Maxwell May 21 2015 - 11:05 am PT

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Moto G (1st gen) users, your time has come – to update to Android Lollipop, that is. And we’re talking about 5.0.2 here, but that’s better than nothing, right? The release notes went up on Motorola’s website today and many individuals in the /r/MotoG subreddit have been reporting over the past few hours that they’re starting to receive the update.

Some might remember that it was as far back as February when Motorola promised the update was coming for first-gen users “really soon.” Better late than never. Let us know if you spot the update yourself.

Motorola helps Lenovo ship record number of smartphones, but it also inherits Moto’s falling profits

Ben Lovejoy May 21 2015 - 5:30 am PT

Lenovo’s first full quarter since it completed the acquisition of Motorola from Google brought good news and bad: smartphone shipments and revenue up, but profits down.

TechCrunch reports that Lenovo shipped a record 18.7M smartphones in the final quarter of 2014, reported now, with year-on-year revenues up 21% – but profits fell 37% …
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Verizon employee says Android 5.1 coming to Droid Turbo in ‘mid-June’

Stephen Hall May 20 2015 - 9:37 am PT

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A Verizon employee has taken to his Google+ profile to share that the Motorola DROID Turbo (which is exclusive to the red carrier) will be getting its update to Android 5.1 Lollipop at some point in “mid-June.”

He also opened up about why updates to Verizon phones can sometimes take a while:

Verizon delays on latest smartphones are due to Nationwide HD Voice. We want to make sure Software updates for HD Voice service is acceptable and does not impact voice quality. Verizon is the only company that has nationwide HD Voice in the USA. AT&T just has most metro cities here and there. T-Mobile and Sprint are way behind.

Apparently, the fact that Verizon has Nationwide HD voice sets some of the company’s software updates back a bit. Android Lollipop as a whole, though, has been very slowly rolling out to several devices across various carriers for just about 6 months now, so this isn’t exactly surprising.

We’ll let you know when the update is rolling out.

Droid Turbo getting three new metallic accent colors on Verizon starting May 28

Tom Maxwell May 19 2015 - 9:18 am PT

Starting May 28th, Verizon will begin selling the Motorola DROID Turbo in Gray Ballistic Nylon with a new choice of three different metallic accent colors. The accent colors customers will be able to choose from include metallic blue, metallic orange, and metallic violet. The DROID Turbo sports a 5.2″ Quad HD Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 and pixel density of 565 ppi, along with a 3900 mAh non-removable battery quoted for up to 48 hours of usage. Verizon’s model includes 32GB of onboard storage and no expandable memory slot.

While the DROID Turbo still runs Android 4.4 KitKat, it’s widely expected to receive a bump to 5.1 Lollipop very soon. The phone with new accent color options will go for $20.83 per month under Verizon Edge, or $99 with a 2-year contract. The retail price for a factory unlocked unit is $499.

Android 5.1 Lollipop now rolling out to second generation Moto E

Chance Miller May 13 2015 - 5:42 pm PT

According to several users on XDA, Motorola this evening has started rolling out Android 5.1 to the second generation Moto E. The update, since the Moto E is sold off-contract, should hit all users of the phone, on all carriers, at the same time.

Motorola begins testing Android 5.1 update for 2013 Moto X, rollout to start in a few weeks

Chance Miller May 11 2015 - 5:36 pm PT

In a post on Google+, Motorola this evening announced that the long-awaited Lollipop update for the 2013 Moto X will begin testing this week in both the United States and Latin America. Motorola’s Senior Director of Software Product Management, David Schuster, made the announcement and noted that the after testing via TestDrive is concluded, the update will start full deployment. Schuster anticipates that the full rollout will commence in a “few weeks.”