Google (GOOG) is expected to unveil a new smartphone later this year that will be manufactured by Motorola. The device, which is known as the “X Phone” for the time being, is said to feature a high-end rear camera, long battery life and a flexible display, and it is expected to be very durable. Hugh Bradlow, the chief technology officer of Australian wireless provider Telstra, reportedly told employees that the smartphone is going to be a “real breakthrough, a game changer that will put pressure on Samsung and Apple,” according to SmartHouse. Sources speaking to the site also revealed that the handset may include software that has never been seen before in a smartphone. More →
It looks like Google (GOOG) and Motorola are working on something special after all. Phandroid has spotted a job posting on Motorola’s LinkedIn page that’s looking for a senior director of product management for the long-rumored “X-Phone” being jointly developed by Google and its Motorola Mobility division. Rumors about the X Phone started springing up toward the end of last year and all indications are that Google plans to release the phone by the end of this year. Google’s plan to build a phone with a company it owns has sparked speculation that the company may be looking to take more control of its Android operating system and to lessen Samsung’s (005930) power over the Android ecosystem.
Google (GOOG) is believed to be working on a new flagship smartphone and a flagship tablet in its Motorola division. Unlike its Nexus line of devices built by various Android partners, the rumored “X Phone” and “X Tablet” will mark the first time Google controls everything from the device’s hardware to its software. Rumored specs are said to include a top-notch camera and photo software, a bendable display and a high-end ceramic case. Now, Google CEO Larry Page has incited a new round of speculation on Tuesday with comments he made during the company’s fourth quarter earnings call. More →
Two years ago, comScore pegged Motorola’s share of United States smartphome subscribers as 17%, down 1.8 percentage points in three months. That slide has pretty much continued ever since and yesterday’s survey found Motorola’s share dropping another 0.8 percentage points to 10.4%. It may seem that LG (066570) has suffered a wipe-out in the U.S. market over the past years, but LG’s share has actually slid just 3.4 points since November 2010. Motorola’s share has crashed by 6.6 points. More →
Motorola’s DROID RAZR M is arguably one of the best Android smartphones with a display under 4.5-inches. Its edge-to-edge screen might not be as sharp as the 720p and 1080p resolution displays other smartphones tout, but its combination of its superior battery life coupled with Smart Actions optimization clearly give it an edge for road warriors. Now, PhoneArena is reporting that the company is planning to release an “HD” version of the RAZR M with a 4.5-inch screen featuring 1280 x 720-pixel resolution and 326 ppi. The RAZR M HD is rumored to have a Snapdragon S4 Plus chip with a 1.5GHz dual-core Krait processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot and a huge 3,300 mAh battery. PhoneArena has not confirmed any of the specs or vetted its anonymous source.
It’s good to see that Google (GOOG) has some plans for Motorola other than selling it off for parts. Unnamed sources have told AllThingsD that Google has hired Brian Wallace, who for the past year has served as the vice president of strategic marketing at Samsung’s (005930) American phone unit, to take the reins for marketing at Motorola. As we noted recently, Samsung’s marketing team has been at the top of its game all year by producing witty, funny commercials that both mock rival Apple (AAPL) and that deftly promote Samsung phones by giving concrete examples of how they improve people’s lives. So while most other smartphone vendors have made ads that make it look as though your smartphone will turn you into a cyborg, Samsung’s ads depict the simple joy of using NFC to share videos with your friends. Although we don’t know how much input Wallace had into these ads, it’s nice to see that Google is recruiting some in-demand talent to help revive Motorola.
Motorola engineers are said to be working on a “sophisticated” smartphone that will “provide more potent competition” to the iPhone, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. Google (GOOG) hopes the handset, which is known internally as “X Phone,” will stand apart from existing devices, although the company is said to be running into some obstacles. The device will reportedly be equipped with a “top-notch” camera and photo software, which previous Google-branded handsets have lacked. Motorola is also said to be interested in using a bendable display and materials that would make the X Phone more durable. Some of the phone’s features were said to be draining the device’s battery life, however, and the company is also said to be having difficulties with manufacturing and supply-chain management. The X Phone will reportedly be released next year, at which point Motorola engineers will begin work on an “X tablet.”
Google (GOOG) took a significant step toward selling off Motorola for parts on Wednesday when it sold Motorola’s Home division to broadband media technology company ARRIS for $2.35 billion. In a press release, ARRIS said that “Google will receive $2.05 billion in cash and approximately $300 million in newly issued ARRIS shares” that would give Google a 15.7% ownership stake in the company. Motorola Home, which is primarily responsible for manufacturing and selling the company’s television set-top boxes, has been rumored to be on the selling block for a while now. Google has shown little interest in incorporating Motorola into its own business for the long haul and has admitted that it purchased the company mostly to acquire its patents.
The United States International Trade Commission on Tuesday ruled in favor of Apple (AAPL) in its ongoing legal dispute with Motorola. Judge Thomas Pender found that Motorola’s patent for a proximity sensor that prevents accidental hang-ups was invalid, Reuters reported. Pender’s ruling is the latest blow to the company, however the judge’s decision is subject to a review by the full commission. More →
Although earlier reports indicated that United States Federal Trade Commission was ready to sue Google for anticompetitive actions with the patents it acquired from Motorola, Politico is now reporting that the company has entered into talks with federal regulators and a settlement may be announced as soon as this week. Politico speculates that an agreement will force Google (GOOG) to license the industry essential patents it acquired from Motorola on fair, reasonable and nondiscrimination terms to competitors such as Apple (AAPL) and Microsoft (MSFT). Politico’s sources note, however, that the final settlement may allow Google to continue seeking injunctions through court actions around the world. More →
Apple’s (AAPL) first LTE-compatible handset, the iPhone 5, has had an explosive debut quarter and is said to have already captured 26.7% of the global LTE device market, according to data from Strategy Analytics. The company’s success has taken a toll on Samsung’s (005930) share of the LTE market, which slipped from 50.9% in the previous quarter to 40% following strong competition from Apple and other smartphone vendors, TheNextWeb reported. Despite launching new flagship devices, Motorola and LG (066570) both saw their market shares fall from 15% in 2011 to 6.7% and 9.1%, respectively. The research firm estimates that global LTE subscriptions in 2012 will have surged more than fivefold to 50 million devices, an increase from 9 million in 2011. Earlier reports predicted that LTE shipments will more than double in 2013 from 50 million units to 188 million, and increase further to 586 million smartphones by 2016.
It was reported in March that Google (GOOG) was looking to sell the set-top box business it stood to inherit from Motorola Mobility as part of its $12.5 billion acquisition. The company was reportedly looking to sell the division for between $2.5 billion and $4 billion, however no deal was ever announced. Now, new reports claim Google has received appealing offers from Arris Group and Pace Plc for Motorola’s Home Business, according to Bloomberg, whose sources note that a deal has a 50% chance of being announced by the end of the year. More →
