Motorola X-Phone Set for U.S. Release Soon: Will Australian, UK Markets Come Next After the American Debut?
Google may have opted out of the X-Phone project but life goes on for the upcoming Motorola flagship, its 2013 release date likely to happen in the immediate months ahead, a new report said.
The latest clue that Google smartphone is landing soon was provided by a fresh certification from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC). According to Engadget, the arrival of the device gained recent confirmation with Sprint as another of its distributors.
The FCC gave the green light for a handset bearing the model number XT1056, which connects with the previous leaks that point to the following - XT1058 and XT1060.
Reports indicate that XT1058 refers to the AT&T release of the Motorola X-Phone while XT1060 is on Verizon. These three indicators shore up hopes that the Android smartphone is coming sooner than expected but in U.S. shores first.
When word leaked out that Google is withdrawing from its active role in developing the X-Phone, it quickly followed that the project might be shelved or suffer a gradual death altogether.
Google, however, supported the belief that the X-Phone will push through but the refocus ended the possibility of fusing the Motorola brand with the tech giant's Nexus smartphone. In effect, a dreamed Motorola Nexus X-Phone came to an abrupt demise.
But it turned out that Motorola is rolling out, after all, first in Google's homebase, America, and with aid of three major telcos - AT&T, Verizon and Sprint. Yet with the three jumping on board the X-Phone project, the prospect of getting the top-notch device with vanilla Android faded away.
In fact, in one set of leaked images, the X-Phone was shown with apps that were clearly provided by AT&T.
Still, the gadget commands considerable interest as it packs powerful specs. On Sprint, for instance, the X-Phone flexes with NFC, LTE and the so-called 5G Wi-Fi or 802.11ac Wi-Fi.
Despite enjoying a host of connectivity options, the phone remains energy efficient, which is a feature highlighted by the presence of Bluetooth 4.0, touted for its low-power requirements when turned on.
Besides these confirmed clues, no official word from Google and Motorola on when the X-Phone is actually coming out and what the starting price point would be. It also unclear when international buyers in the UK and Australia will get hold of the fresh Android device addition.